Highlights

• A stroll through peaceful old Chelsea village by Cheyne Walk with its royal and literary connections is like walking back in time.
• CARLISLE’S HOUSE: National Trust Victorian home of writers Thomas and Jane Carlisle. Both at centre of literary circles in mid 19th century London and the house was visited by Dickens, Tennyson and Ruskin.
• People watching on King’s Road, home of British Punk Rock
• SAATCHI GALLERY
• PHYSIK GARDEN: Hidden gem The Physik Garden, the oldest botanical garden in London.
• ROYAL CHELSEA HOSPITAL: The Royal Chelsea Hospital, built by Christopher Wren and home of the Chesea Pensioners
• Colourful houses, redbrick mansion squares

Originally a fishing village, Chelsea, bounded on 3 sides by rivers, was a convenient journey by boat from the bustle of the city. Thomas More, Lord Chancellor to Henry VIII, lived here and is memorialised with a large statue at his riverside church, Chelsea Old Church. The church has been rebuilt in its medieval style after being hit in the Blitz and is thought to be the site of Henry VIII’s marriage to Jane Seymour. The area has strong royal connections. It became known as the village of mansions after Henry VIII built a manor house here on Cheyne Walk. Royal residents included Catherine Parr, Lady Jane Grey, Elizabeth I and Anne of Cleeves.

Cheyne Walk and the immediate area has been a literary and cultural enclave. Former residents on the Walk include George Elliot, Henry James, T.S. Elliot Ian Flemming, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Marianne Faithful, artists Whistler and Turner. Dante Gabriel Rossetti lived at no. 16. He converted the house into a Temple of Aestheticism, and used it to house a menagerie of animals including a zebra, an armadillo, a kangaroo, a wombat and peacocks. Thomas Carlisle lived on Cheyne Row, a secluded street of early 18th centrury houses leading down to the river, his home a meeting place for writers including Tennyson, Dickens and Browning.

The King’s Head and Eight Bells at no. 50 Cheyne Walk was George Smiley’s local, and also popular in the 1930s with poets including Dylan Thomas.

The heart of modern Chelsea, King’s Road is still a fashionable shopping street fantastic for people watching. In its heyday it was at the cutting edge of youth fashion, no. 430 housing the Let it Rock Boutique of Vivienne Westwood, launchpad for the Sex Pistols and the home of British Punk style. Mary Quant her boutique Bazaar at no. 138a in 1955. Originally, the road was a private royal thoroughfare for George II connecting Hampton Court Palace with Westminster and was only accessible by special royal permit.

The Royal Chelsea Hospital (hostelry) was established by Charles II for elderly veterans. There are still 400 “Chelsea Pensioners here, with their famous red ceremonial uniforms receiving board, lodgings and nursing care. House and grounds are open to the public most weekdays. The south easterly section of the grounds used to be the illustrious Ranelagh public Gardens, rivalling Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens with its 56m diameter rotunda with a huge hearth at its centre offering masked balls, refreshments, balloon flights, dances, fireworks and other entertainments to the gentry. Mozart played here aged 7 and Handel’s Water Music had it’s premier herein 1717.

Connections

King’s Road is easily accessible from Sloane Square tube station. Just walk straight out of the station and carry straight on keeping the square to your right. However, Chelsea as a whole is not well served by the tube and this may have contributed to the secluded, exclusive village feel it retains. The block of Chelsea just north of Cheyne Walk is, for me, really worth the walk, and with a small detour down to the river you can cross the prettiest of London’s bridges, Albert Bridge, with its quaint sign warning soldiers to break step over the bridge, to visit the fabulous Battersea Park. North and East of Chelsea are the wealthy destination shopping areas of Kensington and Knightbridge, and white-stuccoed Belgravia. To the west lies Brompton, and Fulham.

Chelsea Walk

This walk will take you through some lovely squares, the bustle of King’s Road, and old Chelsea Village.

Chelsea Walk (Start this walk from Sloane Square or South Kensington tube station)

DIRECTIONS

From South Kensington tube: Go up steps to ground level then turn right through arcade and right again. Continue straight to Thurloe Square and turn right. Notice the narrow house on your left. Follow map along pretty Pelham place and crescent onto Fulham Road. Opposite is the striking Michelin Building. Cross the road and keeping this building on you right, turn right into Draycott Avenue then immediate left into Walton Street with it’s boutique shops. Turn right then walk to the right of leafy Lennox Gardens through the typical red brick mansions. Left on Milner Street will bring you to Cadogan Gardens; right then left along the bottom of the gardens will bring you past Hollywood star Gregory Peck’s residence to a right hand turn into Pavillion Road. You will see the little square and boutique shops ahead of you. Walk all the way through and left then right, and you will come out on imposing Sloane Square with the Royal Court Theatre across the square to your left. To continue, go straight on crossing the main Kings Road and immediate left through the archway into Duke of York Square.

From Sloane Square tube: come out of the tube station with the Royal Court theatre on your right, go straight in the direction of King’s Road. Kust into Kings Road go left into York Square.

York Square is a pleasant, little square with boutique shopping and will bring you out by the Palladian Saatchi Gallery to your left. This is a free gallery and home to the room full of oil and usually other exhibits to interest chidren as well as adults. To continue, keep right across the square with it’s benches and eateries, which often has has a little food market. Turn left down the iconic Kings Street, a little past its heyday as a fashion mecca, but still a really pleasant fashion shopping experience. You will pass Royal Avenue on your left. It’s worth pausing here to look at the small art market if it’s there, and beyond to a great view of the Royal Hospital, home to the famous Chelsea Penshioners. Next left is the particularly pretty Wellington Square. Bywater Street opposite is also worth a little detour for its much photographed colourful terraces. Follow Kings Road turning left up Markham Street which will bring you out on charming, hidden Chelsea Green. Turn left at the Green then second left Down colourful Godfrey Street. It is a short detail here to the leafy gardens of St Luke’s and Christchurch, perfect for picnics.Otherwise, carry on straight and cross King’s Street, going into Radnor Walk, then second left to go around Tedworth Square past Mark Twain’ residence, the two right’s into Christchurch Street. This is a secluded square and following the road round you will then cross the pedestrianised square with it’s bench onto Flood Street. A left turn will bring you out onto the illustrious riverside Cheyne Walk. Pass George Elliot’s home on your right, then turn right up Cheyne Gardens, then left through Phene Street and pretty Upper Cheyne Row, turning left into Cheyne Row passing Carlisle’s House on your left. You will come out on the continuation of Cheyne Walk. Turn left keeping the gardens on your left, and carry on straight along the path with historic Old Chelsea Church on your right. Go right up old church street taking a step vack in time, then left into Poultons Street and Square. You will come out back on King’s Road. This time turn right. A little hidden path will take you across the bottom of Carlyle Square, quiet and leaft home of Dame Sibil Thorndyke. Back on King’s Road, turn left into Manresa Road. This will bring you up to ine of the most expensive residential squares in London: Chelsea Square. Take the first left past the mansions and follow the square up to the top, then turning left then right onto the busy shopping Street Fulham Road, before crossing and turning left into Neville Street. A right. left. right, left pattern will take you past leafy Onslow Gardens and Square. Finally a left turn at the T-junction will bring you out opposite South Kensington Tube Station.