London's Mews

London's Mews: From Stables to Private Residences

With over 2,000 years of history, London is an intricate lattice of architectural marvels. A place where the Roman, Medieval, Norman, Gothic, Tudor, Elizabethan, Georgian, Regency, Victorian, Edwardian, Art Deco, Modernist and Brutalist can all be found.

Often you can find two, three or four architectural styles standing beside each other, with centuries separating the styles. A prime example of this is St Andrew Undershaft church, which was built between 1520-1532, standing almost next door to 30 St Mary Axe (the Gherkin), which was built between 2001-2003.

One of my favourite places to visit are London's mews, which were built in the 18th and 19th centuries. Mews are a row or courtyard of stables and carriage houses, typically with living quarters above. They were built as service roads behind large city houses to house horses and coaches. Above the stables were living quarters for stable hands. 

With the introduction of bicycles, the omnibus, the underground and, eventually, cars, the horses were soon no longer required and were, in many instances sold off, while the coaches were sold or destroyed.

These mews then became highly desirable, offering modern residential homes situated in quiet, traffic-free, cobbled lanes. 

Each mews street, although designed in the same kind of style, has become unique, with some houses painted in bright colours, while others retain more of their original brickwork. Others have become an oasis for plants, bringing nature to these cobbled lanes. 

Many mews can be walked through, offering a glimpse into hidden areas that many never think to visit. Other mews have become gated communities, thereby protecting the privacy of the new residents.

Some mews are used as filming locations, such as Kynance Mews in 'Who Dares Wins' (1982), while others are home, or have been home, to celebrities and other famous people. For instance, the World War II fighter ace Douglas Bader lived on Petersham Mews, South Kensington.

The Royal Toxophilite Society used part of the land, now occupied by Bathurst Mews, for archery, throughout the 1830s, until construction of the Bathurst Mews began, in 1840. Bathurst Mews is the only mews, in London, where horses are still kept, as some of the buildings here are home to Hyde Park Stables. Ross Nye Stables called Bathurst Mews their home for 60 years, before they closed in August 2025.

Today, there are some 400 mews streets, containing between 8.000 and 9.000 individual homes. Because they were built to service the wealthy, they are highly concentrated in central London.

Below is a breakdown of their locations.

• About 50% of all surviving mews can be found in Westminster, and are concentrated in areas like Belgravia, Knightsbridge, and Marylebone
• About 30% can be found in Kensington and Chelsea, predominantly in areas such as Notting Hill and South Kensington
• Around 10% of mews can be found in the Bloomsbury area of Camden
• The last 10% can be found scattered throughout some of London's other central boroughs.

Interestingly, out of London's 32 boroughs, only about half have any mews at all, as the outer suburbs simply didn't exist when this style of equestrian infrastructure was being built.