Description
This is a private area of garden for residents of Earl's Terrace, which was laid out as part of the Edwardes estate and developed by Louis Leon Changeur, who also developed Edwardes Square. The terrace is set back from the south side of High Street Kensington, fronted by the strip of garden laid out with areas of shrubs and grass, with a lodge at each end and railings to the road. Behind the terrace are private gardens.
Practical Information
| Site location | High Street Kensington/Earls Terrace |
|---|---|
| Postcode | W8 |
| What3Words | ///winner.added.vision |
| Type of Site | Private Garden |
| Borough | Kensington & Chelsea |
| Open to Public | No |
| Opening Times | private, for keyholders only |
| Public Transport | Tube: Earls Court (District, Piccadilly), High Street Kensington (District, Circle) |
| Research Updated | 1 October 2007 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Earl's Terrace was part of the Edwardes estate and was developed by Louis Leon Changeur, who also developed Edwardes Square (q.v.). The architect was probably David James Bunning. The second Lord Kensington began to let land for building from c.1811. Earl's Terrace is set back from the south side of High Street Kensington fronted by a garden and was their most ambitious enterprise. The small square corner lodges and an area of grass and trees, surrounded by railings protect the terrace from the noise of the main road. It is protected under Act of 1819 and 1851 Garden Square Act. In 1928 it was owned by Amalgamated Estates Ltd and described as 'a long narrow enclosure forming, with an approach road, a common frontage to a number of dwelling-houses facing Kensington Road. Enclosed on the public road side by a wall with iron railings on top and laid out partly as a lawn and partly as a shrubbery. Contains some fine trees.' It was at that time maintained by a Garden Committee elected by the male householders, out of rates levied by the Council on occupiers of 'certain houses adjoining the enclosure'. At the rear of the terrace are private gardens behind a brick wall, with numerous trees. In the 1990s the terrace was procured by developers Northacre plc and restored by 1999, with the carriage driveway reinstated over underground car parking and under the gardens a games room and swimming pool created for the residents of the 23 houses.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ249791 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.5057 |
| Site Ownership | private (Northacre plc) |
| Site Management | Northacre plc |
| Dates | c.1820 |
| Listed Structures | LBII: 1-25 Earls Terrace, lodges |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | Yes |
| Local Authority | Kensington & Chelsea |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Edwardes Square, Scarsdale and Abingdon |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
Edwardes Square is a late Georgian square built as part of the development of the Edwardes Estate, owned by William Edwardes, 2nd Lord Kensington. The private central garden was provided for the use of residents, and has a gardener's lodge in Greek Revival style, known as The Temple. The gardens were laid out in 1820 and have paths, shrubberies, lawns and many fine trees. Today there is an extensive rose pergola, croquet lawn, tennis court and children's play area.
Edwardes Square is a late Georgian square built as part of the development of the Edwardes Estate, owned by William Edwardes, 2nd Lord Kensington. The private central garden was provided for the use of residents, and has a gardener's lodge in Greek Revival style, known as The Temple. The gardens were laid out in 1820 and have paths, shrubberies, lawns and many fine trees. Today there is an extensive rose pergola, croquet lawn, tennis court and children's play area.
This is a strip of private garden in front of Nos. 1-7 Edwardes Place, set behind a brick wall with railings, gate, trees and shrubberies. The houses were built in c.1820 as part of Lord Kensington's Edwardes Square development, and undertaken in the first period of building that was focussed along the Kensington to Hammersmith Road.
Leighton House Museum is the former home of Victorian artist Frederic Lord Leighton (1830-1896), a grand house with a large secluded garden. The house with purpose-built painting studio was designed for him in the mid-1860s by architect George Aitchison on a plot adjacent to Holland Farm, part of the Holland Estate. At that time the area to the north was open land, but gradually other grand houses were built, and the area became a centre for artists, writers and politicians. Leighton's immediate neighbour was the painter Val Prinsep, whose house by Philip Webb was built at the same time as Leighton's, and later residents included Sir Luke Fildes. Leighton lived here until his death in 1896, the house then opening as a museum. With funding from the HLF, the garden of Leighton House was restored in 1997 based on a plan of 1896 that showed formal beds immediately in front of the house and a large lawn with perimeter herbaceous borders. A trellis covered part of the path on the west of the garden and two mounds were originally planted with substantial trees.
