AN OASIS ON YOUR DOORSTEP

iving or working in London can create a buzz like no other.

Commuters, residents, prestigious stores, vibrant bars and restaurants - the atmosphere for some can be electric.

In contrast, in some of the most exclusive areas of London are private, tranquil green spaces….the city’s garden squares. They’re a protected species, some accessible only with a key and surrounded by some of the most expensive homes on the market. Many are period properties often constructed in crescents, terraces and squares. So important are they that, in 1931, the London Squares Preservation Act was introduced to protect more than 400 from being built over.

Let’s take a look at the most expensive and how much its privacy and exclusivity will cost you…

Carlton House Terrace Gardens, Westminster

£8.79million

Top of the list is this exclusive road just a short stroll from Buckingham Palace. A property will cost you an average of £8.79million. Former residents include Prime Ministers William Gladstone, Earl Grey and Lord Palmerston. It is the location of what is thought to be Britain’s most expensive home, with rumours six years ago that a Saudi prince had sold 18 Carlton House Terrace for £250million.

Eaton Square, Belgravia

£5.88million

One of the most prestigious addresses in London. Famous residents include Prime Ministers Neville Chamberlain and Stanley Baldwin. More recently, advertising mogul Charles Saatchi and football managers Jose Mourinho and Sven-Goran Eriksson are all thought to have lived there. Eaton Square is a stone’s throw from Sloane Street – home to luxurious brands such as Gucci, Cartier, Dior and Versace.

Wilton Crescent Garden, Belgravia

£5.35million

Wilton Crescent was named after Thomas Egerton, 2nd Earl of Wilton. It has been home to royals, political leaders and celebrities ever since. Surrounded by a semi-circle of graceful white-stucco houses, it’s a calm and tranquil place. Among its most famous residents were Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, a British Royal Navy officer and uncle of Prince Philip, who was infamously assassinated by the IRA in 1979.

St James’s Gardens, Notting Hill £3.81million

The gardens are laid out in an informal woodland style, dominated by fine chestnut and lime trees dating back to the 19th century. The garden is in the heart of the Norland Conservation Area, with the premiums surely pushed up by its close proximity to the open spaces of Holland Park, attracting many wealthy businesspeople and celebrities such as Sir Richard Branson and David Beckham.

Thurloe Square, Brompton £3.76million

The square is named after John Thurloe, an advisor of Oliver Cromwell, who owned the land in the 17th century. Sir Henry Cole (1808–1892), the first Director of the V&A Museum, lived at No. 33. The building is marked with a blue plaque.. Not only is the square dog-friendly, it also has a children’s playground and a stroll from the shops, restaurants and museums of desirable Knightsbridge.

Rosmead Garden, Notting Hill £3.64million

Perhaps one of London’s most famous garden squares, having featured heavily in the Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts film Notting Hill. The space is quite unique among its contemporaries, with many of the homes surrounding it having direct access onto the green via a backdoor, making it a rear garden of sorts.

Kensington Square, Kensington £3.16million

With an average property price of £3.16million, it was originally known as King’s Square, built in honour of the reigning monarch at the time, James ll. The garden is private and not open to the public, though it has taken part in the annual Open Garden Squares Weekend. Former residents include composer Hubert Parry, philosopher John Stuart Mill and John Simon the sanitary reformer.

Park Crescent, Marylebone £3million

This crescent is among the most prestigious in the capital, in a desirable location at the north end of Portland Place and south of Marylebone Road. It comprises beautiful stuccoed terraced houses designed by the architect John Nash, and forms into a semi-circle. The original plan was to build a circular building, but only the bottom half was completed. Between the arms of the crescent is a private garden, recognised as being of historic interest.

Hanover Gardens, Notting Hill £2.97million

This peaceful woodland garden is situated within the Ladbroke Estate. Among its famous former residents was Dame Sylvia Crowe, the noted landscape architect. This communal garden used to be known as Hanover Terrace Garden, Hanover Terrace being the old name of Lansdowne Walk.

Markham Square, Chelsea £2.73million

One of Chelsea’s finest garden squares, situated north of King’s Road, and a short walk from Sloane Square. The building of the original square began in 1836 on the site of the old Box Farm orchard – owned by the Markham family. In 1935 the garden was laid out as a cherry orchard. After WW2, the square was redesigned by the Royal Hospital Chelsea’s head gardener to resemble a private country garden.

These exclusive gated gardens are steeped in history and treasured sanctuaries amongst the hustle and bustle of our capital. Wealthy buyers from around the globe continue to be attracted to London’s squares, mainly due to their scale, style and timeless beauty.