Property Chelsea

History of Chelsea

The word 'Chelsea' comes from an old anglo saxon word meaning ‘chalk wharf’.

Henry VIII became the owner of the manor of Chelsea in 1536, There is a ‘Chelsea Manor Street’. Princess Elizabeth Queen Elizabeth I resided there before she was queen. Sir Thomas More lived nearby in Beaufort House.

Chelsea was always a wealthy area and, although it was a market garden supplying the city with fruit and vegetables untill the 19th century, it wqas often described as a village of palaces. With the population boom of the 19th century, Chelsea became part of London and was extensively developped as can be seen by the numerous Victorian properties and garden squares in the area.

The Chelsea Royal Hospital for soldiers is a notable building built by Sir Christopher Wren (St Pauls architect).

In the 19th century, Chelsea became an area where many artists lived there. Turner, Whistler and Rossetti to name but a few lived in the area. This 19th century bohemian tag was relived in the 1960’s when it became a focal area of the ‘Swinging Sixties’. Different members of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones lived in the area. Vivienne Westwood started in the King’s road and the punk movement was also focused on the King’s road in the late seventies.

Nevertheless, Chelsea was always an affluent area and growingly so today. The King’s Road mainly has designer shops now and parts of it have been recently re-developped and smartened up. Close the West End and Knightsbridge, as soon as you leave the main artery of the King’s road, the streets are quiet with a great choice of large properties, many with gardens. It is also possible to find ex-coucil flats. These days, the smallest space can be sold in Chelsea as a studio pad and prices are very high. The area has a good choice of supermarkets, department stores, restaurants and bars.

Places of interest

http://www.kensington-chelsea.com/
http://www.londontown.com/LondonStreets/Boro/Kensington-and-Chelsea

Transport Links – Visit Transport for London for more information

South Kensington – Piccadilly, District and Circle Lines
Sloane Square – District and Circle Lines
Earls Court – Piccadilly and District lines
Knightsbridge – Piccadilly Line

Local Authority

Kensington & Chelsea – http://www.camden.gov.uk/

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