London Mews: Home to Famous People Past and Present

From the 1960’s, London’s mews became fashionable and rather ‘cool’.  Not only were they conveniently located in parts of central London where the best bars, restaurants, and boutiques could be found, but some were in bohemian spots like Portobello Road that attracted creative types who wanted a quirkier home or bolt-hole. 

To this day, one of the most appealing characteristics of a mews is their location – discreet, understated, quietly tucked away, yet within walking distance of the hub-bub of the metropolis that is London.  This makes a London mews house the perfect home for a celebrity or famous person, who wants to live under the radar as much as is possible within a prime area of the capital.

The lineage of well-known mews residents is both eclectic and impressive, ranging from rock-stars – Ringo Starr and Noel Gallagher, singers Judy Garland and Madonna, film directors – Sir David Putman and Guy Ritchie, actors Burt Reynolds, Ian Holm and Michael Caine, racing driver James Hunt, and modern-day celebrities, David and Victoria Beckham.

Some are so well known, or their achievements so significant, that a blue plaque has been erected to commemorate a one-time resident.  The original scheme first began in 1866 and today, is run by English Heritage to link people of the past with buildings of the present.

Take a walk down Cresswell Place a mews near The Boltons in Chelsea, and you will spot a blue plaque at Number 22, which celebrates that this was once the home of Agatha Christie, the prolific crime mystery writer; where she based her short story, ‘Murder in the Mews’ on the street. Christie never sold the house in her lifetime, having bought it after her divorce in 1928 with the proceeds of her book sales.  She was quite the ‘mews conversion’ pioneer acquiring the house with its original stable, and then having the property redesigned as a home for her, her daughter, and her secretary/governess Charlotte Fisher.  Christie had a large room created downstairs and added her writing room on top of the house.  A small kitchen, dining room and bedroom were all upstairs and there was, “a marvellous green bathroom painted with dolphins”, according to a book by Laura Thompson – Agatha Christie, A Mysterious Life (London: Headline, 2007).  In May 1929, Christie rented her mews house to archaeologist Sir Leonard Woolley and his wife who had returned to London from excavation at Ur, where she had met them.

Another blue plaque at Number 18 Albion Mews in Paddington W2 acknowledges a much-loved home and studio owned by the Viennese born potter Dame Lucie Rie.  In 1937, she and her husband fled Nazi Austria and arrived in London.  During the war years, Lucie Rie created glass and ceramic buttons to make a living.  In 1939, the couple moved into Number 18 Albion Mews, where Lucie Rie set up a pottery studio at her mews home and ended up working with her apprentice Hans Coper, who became a lifelong friend.  Rie established herself as a globally celebrated British potter, renowned for her meticulous experimentation with glazes and unusual decorative techniques, producing stylish functional ceramics. Lucie Rie continued to live and work from her mews home for the rest of her life until her death in 1995 aged 93. 

Francis Bacon, the talented portrait painter’s years almost mirrored Dame Lucie Rie’s, being born in Dublin in 1909 and coming to London as a young man, where he remained until his death in 1992.  He too was drawn to mews living, and a blue plaque commemorates the 30 years Bacon spent living and working at 7 Reece Mews in South Kensington, during which time he created some of his most famous works.

It’s not only mews residents who have blue plaques in their honour, but at Queen’s Gate Place Mews Arch, this Grade II listed architectural feature has a blue plaque celebrating the cleaning of the arch in 1978 with contributions to the ‘Brighten up the Borough Campaign Fund’ in the Jubilee Year 1977.

For centuries, important historical figures have lived in or very near mews and blue plaques can be spotted close to our offices.  The architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (1926-1960) designed his own home – Chester House in Clarendon Place which enters Hyde Park Garden Mews to the left. Just off Radnor Mews on the Hyde Park Estate W2, the engineer Robert Stephenson lived at 35 Gloucester Square from 1853 until 1859.  A few doors away, at Number 43, lived Lady Violet Bonham Carter (1887-1969), a writer, politician and Winston Churchill’s closest female friend.

Staying within the same W2 postcode, a stroll to 41 Norfolk Square will lead passers-by to a blue plaque recognising another incredible woman of her time, Hertha Ayrton (1854-1923).  This Polish immigrant became a British Physicist, Mathematician and Inventor; the first woman nominated to be a fellow of the Royal Society. Her former home is within a stone’s throw of Norfolk Square Mews, where Lurot Brand is currently selling a four-bedroom mews house at £2.2m. 

Looking to rent a mews house adorned with a blue plaque?

Then you’re in luck, because Lurot Brand currently have a stunning mews property to rent, with a current price reduction, in the charming SW7 neighbourhood. Beautifully refurbished, this three-bedroom house is located in Petersham Mews, spans 1500 sq/ft and is adorned with a blue plaque, honouring RAF pilot Sir Douglas Bader who once resided there. With a spacious open-plan living area, large kitchen, excellently proportioned bedrooms and even a roof terrace to enjoy the British summer, this is a truly special home to rent. You can find further details here.

Have there been other famous mews residents?

Indeed there have been.

Madonna lived in Queen’s Gate Mews in Kensington, which was also home to Guy Ritchie, her ex-partner;  actor Sir Ian Holm lived in Holland Park Mews while Lord David Putman lived at 15 Queen’s Gate Place Mews. English criminal Bruce Reynolds who masterminded the Great Train Robbery lived in a South Kensington mews; actress Dame Thora Hird lived at 21 Leinster Mews and British performer Wayne Sleep OBE lived in Queen’s Gate Mews West.