A Mayfair and Soho Rock & Roll Walking Tour (with a little bit of Marylebone and Belgravia)
- Jun 8
- 5 min read
Unfortunately buildings are perhaps more famous for what happens in them than their architecture, which can be annoying for an architect! Some building even become synonymous with events think Watergate scandal, however there are more than a few scandals on these streets. This walk moves through the elegant residences of Marylebone and Mayfair into the electric, gritty heart of Soho, tracing the footsteps of the artists who defined global music and a building which actually died due to rock and roll.
1. The Basement Revolution: 34 Montagu Square
If you are a superfan and don’t mind the extra walk we can take in a stroll through beautiful Marylebone. Our goal here is 34 Montagu Square, a ground floor and basement flat with a surprising history. Originally leased by Ringo Starr in the mid-1960s. He later moved out but kept the lease, allowing the flat to become a revolving door for Beatles-related life in London: Paul McCartney lived there in 1966 and worked on demos, including material linked to “Eleanor Rigby,” .In December 1966, Jimi Hendrix moved in with Kathy Etchingham, and “The Wind Cries Mary” is closely tied to his time there. In 1968, John Lennon and Yoko Ono used the flat as a base during the White Album period, and the famous nude Two Virgins cover image was shot there in the ground-floor bedroom. In the same year the police raided John Lennon and Yoko Ono were arrested for possession of cannabis resin. Lennon later took responsibility in court and was fined, and the episode became part of the wider late-1960s clash between London’s counterculture and the authorities. All in flat 1!
General Directions: Start at the square, just south of Marylebone station, and walk south-east through the grid of Marylebone towards Brook Street in Mayfair.
2. A Tale of Two Composers: The Hendrix and Handel Museum
At 23 and 25 Brook Street, we find a unique architectural juxtaposition where two musical geniuses lived right next door to each other, separated by 200 years and just a single wall George Frideric Handel occupied No. 25 for 36 years, while Jimi Hendrix moved into the upper flat of No. 23 in the late 1960s. This purpose-made museum, opened in 2001, effectively saved these historic Mayfair townhouses from demolition but it was hard work. When Handel moved in 1723, the townhouse was modest and newly built; he was its original tenant. Before the museum opened in 2001, conservators painstakingly chipped off 28 layers of paint from interior walls to uncover Handel’s original grey colour scheme.
General Directions: Continue east along Brook Street, then turn right onto Savile Row.
3. The Final Set: 3 Savile Row
While Savile Row is famous for bespoke tailoring, 3 Savile Row marks a turning point in music history as the former headquarters of The Beatles' Apple Corps. On 30 January 1969, the band climbed to the roof for a 42-minute set with keyboardist Billy Preston. The performance stopped traffic in Mayfair until the Metropolitan Police arrived to order them to reduce the volume, marking the final public performance of their career. Amazingly Apple Corps have reacquired the building and are recreating the interiors as a visitors attraction due to open in 2027.
General Directions: Walk south to the end of Savile Row and head towards the neon lights of Piccadilly Circus.
4. Retiring a Legend: Hotel Café Royal
Overlooking Piccadilly Circus, the Hotel Café Royal has long been a haunt for cultural icons ranging from Oscar Wilde, Mick Jagger to Princess Diana. In fact so many famous musicians stay there the hotel’s Dome Penthouse is described as a “proper baller rock and roll suite”. It all started in 1973, when it became a site of major musical significance. David Bowie held a "last supper" here to officially retire his Ziggy Stardust persona, marking a seismic shift in the glam rock era. You can even visit the David Bowie-themed bar called Ziggy’s (opened 2018), decorated with photos by Mick Rock (Bowie’s personal photographer) and featuring cocktails named after his lyrics
General Directions: Head north from Piccadilly along Regent Street and turn right onto Argyll Street.
5. The Birth of Beatlemania: The London Palladium
Designed by Frank Matcham and opened in 1910, The London Palladium is one of the world's most famous theatres. It reached a new level of cultural fame on 13 October 1963, when The Beatles performed on the televised show Sunday Night at the London Palladium. The following day, national newspapers used the term "Beatlemania" for the first time to describe the hysterical reaction of the fans outside the building. A little know fact Johnny Cash recorded a live album there on 21 October 1968, but Columbia Records never released it.
General Directions: Cross Great Marlborough Street and head south-east into the vibrant narrow streets of Soho to reach Wardour Street.
6. Soho’s Proving Ground: 100 Wardour Street
Entering the electric heart of Soho, we find 100 Wardour Street, the site of the legendary Marquee Club from 1964 to 1988. This building was the essential proving ground for every up-and-coming rock icon, hosting early performances by DThe Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Cream, the Moody Blues, and notably the Sex Pistols in 1976 and even Guns and Roses as they attempted to break into the thriving London music scene. The venue was forced to close in 1988 when the building was declared unsafe — the vibration from thousands of watts of speakers over the years caused the façade to subside, it had to be rebuilt. The building literally died from music!
General Directions: Walk east across Soho towards Greek Street.
7. Punks and Hunting Hares: The Three Greyhounds
Located at 25 Greek Street, The Three Greyhounds dates back to at least 1847. Its name recalls a time when Soho was open ground used for hunting hares with greyhounds (previously called free Greyhounds), it’s actually how Soho got its name from the hunting cry “Sooohooo’. In more recent decades, the pub became a fixture for the punk movement, rumored to have been a regular haunt for legends like The Sex Pistols and The Clash. Perhaps the most punk Mozart drank here as a 8 year old child in 1765 at a previous pub near the site, the same year Casanova visited and was no doubt buying ladies a drink at the bar.
General Directions: To reach our final stop, walk south-west out of Soho, across Green Park, and into the elegant mews of Belgravia.
8. The Manager’s Haunt: The Horse & Groom
We end our tour in Belgravia at The Horse & Groom, a pub that has maintained its traditional 19th-century character. Because Brian Epstein, The Beatles' manager, lived nearby, the pub became a regular local haunt for the band throughout the 1960s. Indeed In 1963, while filming A Hard Day’s Night in Belgravia, the Beatles (John, Paul, George, Ringo) visited during breaks; a crowd gathered outside requiring police to maintain order. Today you may find Rihanna or Gwyneth Paltrow propping up the bar.
London is a place where Rock and Roll legends could really reinvent themselves, between the formal Mayfair and rough and ready Soho is where the magic happened. Indeed Jimi Hendrix was born here, Hendrix changed his name adding Jimi on the plane over. Also Ziggy Stardust was retired here but I guess the music plays on.
Want to know more? Here are a few links:
The Hendrix and Handel Museum: Official Heritage Site
The London Palladium: Venue History - LW Theatres
Hotel Café Royal: The History of a London Icon
he Marquee Club Archive: Marquee Club History
A quick guide to St James to see more of my lovely watercolours: https://londonist.com/london/art-and-photography/st-james-in-watercolours
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