London’s Hidden Mews & Cobbled Lanes rated! An Architect’s Guide to Secret Streetscapes.
London is full of wide streets and grand stucco terraces but look closer you find a secret network of streets and this is what this blog is all about.
A walk around Mayfair, Kensington, and Bloomsbury will soon reveal its hidden mews, narrow cobblestone courts, and historic pedestrian lanes peeking out from gaps in facades. If you see one go and look!
Originally built in the 18th and 19th centuries as service quarters for horse-drawn carriages and stable grooms, these quiet passageways have undergone a remarkable transformation form housing for the poorest to now the most wealthy.
I have spent decades studying how these intimate urban scale spaces, because there is no way i could afford to live in one. Over the years i did pick up quite a few interesting facts. The arched stone entrances, for example, which mark these lanes may be beautiful but where originally designed to warn the occupants to be quiet. Now o overhanging wisteria make these arches one of the most photographed things in London.
This guide explores London’s most picturesque mews, alleys, and historic courts—complete with their architectural highlights, famous residents, ghost legends, and an Architectural Prettiness & Charm Rating. So if you like pretty read on and let me know which is your favourite mews (or mewes, mewses... what is the plural for mews anyway?)
Part 1: The Crown Jewels of Kensington & Knightsbridge Mews
1. Kynance Mews, South Kensington
Prettiness & Architectural Charm Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
The Architectural Story: Widely regarded as the most picturesque mews in London, Kynance Mews was constructed in the 1860s as stable accommodation for the grand townhouses of Cornwall Gardens. Entered via a dramatic stone archway off Launceston Place, the mews features cobbled paving, climbing ivy and wisteria, and a framed vista terminating at the spire of Christ Church.
Personalities & Legends: In addition to its Victorian aristocratic heritage, Kynance Mews has starred in numerous films (including Louis Malle’s Damage) and is famous among photographers for its spectacular autumn foliage. Perhaps most importantly Superman actor Henry Cavill lived here although one advises against walking around the area with your underwear on the outside.
Explore the Artwork: View my painting of Kynance Mews South Kensington Watercolour.
2. Laverton Mews, Knightsbridge & South Kensington
Prettiness & Architectural Charm Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 (4.5/5)
The Architectural Story: Built in the 1870s, Laverton Mews is defined by its melt-in-the-mouth pastel facades, intact timber carriage doors, and cobbled roadway. The set-back proportions and low two-storey height allow natural light to flood the cobblestones throughout the day and wow what an arch!
Personalities & Legends: Originally housing carriage horses for wealthy Knightsbridge families, Laverton Mews was reinvented during the "Swinging Sixties" into a bohemian haven for artists, fashion designers, and musicians seeking private studio spaces, yeah baby!
Explore the Artwork: View my study of Laverton Mews Knightsbridge Drawing.
3. Redcliffe Mews, Chelsea & Kensington
Prettiness & Architectural Charm Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
The Architectural Story: Tucked discreetly behind Redcliffe Square, this long, gently curving mews features authentic granite setts, iron balconies, and timber stable arches. Its gentle curve creates a sense of spatial mystery as you walk down the lane, like where the hell am I going?
Personalities & Legends: Historically, Redcliffe Mews housed farriers and blacksmiths who shod carriage horses for visitors to Kensington Palace and the nearby Victorian exhibition halls. Now lots of wealthy people who are shod by Jimmy Choo
Explore the Artwork: View the painting Redcliffe Mews Chelsea Illustration.
4. Shafto Mews, Knightsbridge
Prettiness & Architectural Charm Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
The Architectural Story: Located just steps from Cadogan Square and Sloane Street, Shafto Mews is an intimate courtyard mews with historic brickwork, painted timber shutters, and an unusual red brick arch.
Personalities & Legends: Named after the prominent Shafto family of County Durham (famous from the 18th-century English folk song Bobby Shafto), the mews housed private grooms serving the diplomatic elites of Mayfair and Belgravia.
Explore the Artwork: View my study of Shafto Mews Knightsbridge Painting.
Part 2: Historic Cobbled Courts, Alleys & Pedestrian Enclaves
5. Goodwin’s Court, Covent Garden
Prettiness & Architectural Charm Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
The Architectural Story: Dating back to 1690, Goodwin’s Court is a remarkably preserved passage featuring a row of original timber shopfronts with dark wood panelling, brass gas lanterns, and protruding glass bow windows.
Personalities & Legends: Built by Pierce Goodwin, local lore connects the passage to Nell Gwynne, mistress of King Charles II. In modern culture, Goodwin’s Court gained international fame as the real-world architectural inspiration for Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley. Its hard to find but worth it
Explore the Artwork: View my watercolour of Goodwin's Court Covent Garden Watercolour.
6. Woburn Walk, Bloomsbury
Prettiness & Architectural Charm Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
The Architectural Story: Designed in 1822 by master builder Thomas Cubitt, Woburn Walk was London’s first purpose-built pedestrian shopping street. It features pristine Georgian bow-fronted shopfronts, cast-iron balconies, and elegant stucco cornices.It really is a wonder of London and worth a look.
Personalities & Legends: Nobel laureate poet W.B. Yeats lived at No. 5 Woburn Walk for nearly 25 years. His famous Monday night literary salons hosted figures such as Ezra Pound, T.S. Eliot, Maud Gonne, and Virginia Woolf. Bloomsbury was the literary part of London.
Explore the Artwork: View the watercolour of Woburn Walk Bloomsbury Painting.
7. Pickering Place, St. James’s
Prettiness & Architectural Charm Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
The Architectural Story: Accessed through a dark, oak-panelled tunnel off St. James’s Street, Pickering Place is London’s smallest gas-lit square. Surrounded by 18th-century brick houses, it retains its original wrought-iron gas lamps. It gets an extra star at xmas when it has its lit tree glowing away.
Personalities & Legends: From 1842 to 1845, Pickering Place housed the Legation of the Republic of Texas when Texas was an independent nation. It was also the site of London’s last recorded duel fought with swords, engaged by dandy Beau Brummell and Lord Alvanley.
Explore the Artwork: View my study of Pickering Place St James Illustration.
8. Meard Street, Soho
Prettiness & Architectural Charm Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 (4.5/5)
The Architectural Story: Developed between 1720 and 1732 by master carpenter John Meard, this pedestrian street features an intact row of early Georgian brick townhouses with carved timber shell hoods over the front doorways.
Personalities & Legends: Meard Street has long been home to Soho’s most colourful eccentrics, including painter Francis Bacon, artist and dandy Sebastian Horsley (who famously erected a street plaque declaring "This Is Not a Brothel. There Are No Prostitutes at This Address"), and David Bowie who rehearsed in studios nearby.
Explore the Artwork: View my watercolour of Meard Street Soho Drawing.
9. Neal’s Yard, Covent Garden
Prettiness & Architectural Charm Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 (4.5/5)
The Architectural Story: Tucked away in Seven Dials and accessed via two narrow alleyways, Neal’s Yard is a vibrant, sunlit courtyard surrounded by brightly painted timber facades, overflowing window boxes, and climbing greenery. Its amazing how many people visit this little place every day.
Personalities & Legends: Named after 17th-century project developer Thomas Neale. In the 1970s, counter-culture pioneer Nicholas Saunders transformed the derelict yard into a hub for organic food and alternative medicine. Upstairs was the animation studio of Terry Gilliam and Monty Python.
Explore the Artwork: View my painting of Neal's Yard Covent Garden Painting.
10. Perrins Court, Hampstead Village
Prettiness & Architectural Charm Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 (4.5/5)
The Architectural Story: A narrow, cobbled pedestrian lane in the heart of Hampstead Village, lined with historic artisan cottages, independent tea rooms, and gas-style streetlamps.
Personalities & Legends: Frequented by Hampstead’s famous literary and artistic community, including Romantic poets John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley, and landscape painter John Constable.
Explore the Artwork: View it here Perrins Court Hampstead Watercolour.
11. Shepherd Market, Mayfair
Prettiness & Architectural Charm Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
The Architectural Story: Developed between 1735 and 1746 by architect Edward Shepherd on the former grounds of the notorious May Fair. It features small-scale 18th-century shopfronts, paved lanes, and hidden courtyard seating. It is the very beginnings of Mayfair so interesting architecturally
Personalities & Legends: The site where King Edward VIII met Wallis Simpson at private dinner parties. Frequented by authors P.G. Wodehouse (who based Bertie Wooster's flat nearby) and Agatha Christie. It was a bit of a red light district in the 1960's
Explore the Artwork: View my study of Shepherd Market Mayfair Illustration.
12. Brewer’s Lane, Richmond
Prettiness & Architectural Charm Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
The Architectural Story: A narrow, cobble-paved historic alleyway running from Richmond High Street down to Richmond Green, flanked by 18th-century brick shopfronts and traditional hanging signs. It represents a network of small lanes around Richmond Green.
Personalities & Legends: Historically used by actors performing at the nearby Richmond Theatre and visitors walking to Richmond Palace, the royal riverside residence of King Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth I. Warning walking around here you wiull hear 'this is where they filmed Ted Lasso' often.
Explore the Artwork: View our study of Brewer's Lane Richmond Drawing.
Master Index: Prettiness & Charm Ratings (totally subjective!)
Location | Area | Architectural Style | Famous Connection / Legend | Prettiness Rating |
Kynance Mews | South Kensington | 1860s Archway & Stable Mews | Archway vista, film locations | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Goodwin’s Court | Covent Garden | 1690s Timber Bow Windows | Diagon Alley inspiration, Nell Gwynne | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Woburn Walk | Bloomsbury | 1822 Georgian Pedestrian Arcade | W.B. Yeats literary salons | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Pickering Place | St. James’s | 18th-Century Gas-Lit Square | Republic of Texas Legation, Sword Duels | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Shepherd Market | Mayfair | 1730s Paved Village Enclave | Edward VIII & Wallis Simpson, P.G. Wodehouse | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Laverton Mews | Knightsbridge | 1870s Pastel Carriage Mews | 1960s Bohemian artist studios | ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 |
Meard Street | Soho | 1720s Early Georgian Townhouses | Francis Bacon, Sebastian Horsley, David Bowie | ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 |
Neal’s Yard | Covent Garden | Timber Facades & Courtyard | Monty Python animation studio, Terry Gilliam | ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 |
Perrins Court | Hampstead Village | Historic Cobbled Pedestrian Lane | John Keats, John Constable | ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 |
Redcliffe Mews | Chelsea / Kensington | Curving Cobbled Mews | Victorian Royal Carriage Farriers | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Shafto Mews | Knightsbridge | Courtyard Brick Mews | Bobby Shafto Durham family | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Brewer’s Lane | Richmond | Medieval Cobbled Alley | Richmond Palace, Henry VII & Elizabeth I | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the architectural difference between a mews and a standard London street?A: A mews was originally a back lane behind grand 18th and 19th-century London townhouses, built specifically to house horse stables, carriage houses, and grooms' quarters. They are characterized by lower building heights (typically two storeys), cobbled paving, arched entranceways, and timber carriage doors.
Q: Who paints the architectural mews and street watercolours at Freehandlines?
A: All architectural illustrations are hand-painted by me, Christian Coop, MSAI, a London-based chartered architect, Design Director, and Fellow of the Society of Architectural Illustrators with over 30 years of professional design experience.
Q: Can I order museum-quality Giclée prints of London mews?
A: Yes. All original watercolour studies are digitised at high resolution and printed using an archival 12-ink Giclée process on heavyweight 300gsm fine art paper, ensuring fade-resistance for up to 400 years. If you notice fading after 400 years please return for a full refund.
Q: Can I commission a custom watercolour painting of my own mews home or street?A: Yes. Custom house portraits and streetscape commissions are available for private residences, mews houses, historic pubs, and commercial properties worldwide. You can discuss a commission directly by emailing Christian.coop@me.com or by visiting the Freehandlines Contact Page.
About the Artist Christian Coop, MSAI, is an architect and artist documenting the UK’s built heritage through one of the largest contemporary collections of architectural watercolours. With 30 years of experience an architect and a Design Director at leading global firms, his work has been featured by CNN, the BBC, and the RIBA Journal. He is currently an Associate Partner and Design Director at HTA.
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