Royal Crescent, London facts for kids
The Royal Crescent is a famous street in Holland Park, west London, England. It's made up of two curved rows of houses that face each other, forming a crescent shape. You can find it on the north side of Holland Park Avenue.
In the middle of these two rows of houses, there's a beautiful shared garden. It has big green lawns and lots of trees. The houses are covered in a special plaster called stucco and have four floors. They also have grand entrances with columns and small balconies with iron railings on the first floor. The houses at each end of the crescent have cool round corners!
History of the Royal Crescent
The Royal Crescent was designed in 1839. It is one of the most interesting buildings from the 1800s in Holland Park. It looks a bit like the older Royal Crescent found in Bath. However, the London crescent is actually two separate curved sections. Each section ends with a round tower-like part. This style was popular during the Regency period.
The person who planned the Royal Crescent was Robert Cantwell. The street was built in two halves because of the need for new underground sewers. On old maps, it was even called Norland Crescent.
The houses are painted white and covered in stucco. This style is similar to many other grand buildings in London. Today, many of these four-story houses have been turned into apartments. Some are still private homes. The Royal Crescent is a "Grade II* listed" building. This means it's a very important historic building that needs to be protected.
Royal Crescent Mews: A Hidden Street
Behind the main houses is the Royal Crescent Mews. A "mews" is a quiet street, often with old stables that have been turned into homes. This mews is a dead-end street, meaning it has only one way in and out. It's located off Queensdale Road.
The Royal Crescent Mews has 34 homes. It is part of the Norland Conservation Area in Kensington. This area was first protected in 1969. It includes Royal Crescent, Norland Square, and St. James's gardens. Building in this area started in the 1840s and finished about 15 years later. It has many connected houses and a city-like feel.
Famous People Who Lived Here
Many interesting people have lived at the Royal Crescent.
- Ferruccio Bonavia (1877–1950) was a talented violinist, composer, and music critic. He lived at number 41 Royal Crescent from 1919 to 1928.
- John Gawsworth (1912–1970) was a writer, poet, and someone who collected stories and poems. He grew up nearby and also at number 40 Royal Crescent. His real name was Terence Ian Fytton Armstrong. He became known as King Juan I after being crowned the king of Redonda in 1947!
