Oslo Court, NW8

Oslo Court was built between 1936 and 1938 by architect Robert Atkinson.

Oslo Court in St John’s Wood was built of reinforced concrete. Its basement was used through the war as a shelter for local residents as well as the flat owners.
Credit: Olga Lehman

Oslo Court was built over the final remaining 30 workmen’s cottages in the St John’s Wood area. These were demolished in 1936, after which the gentrification of NW8 was more or less complete (Lisson Grove notwithstanding).

Set back behind an enclosed garden area, the Grade II listed brick block consists of seven floors containing 125 flats, 112 of which have a direct view over Regent’s Park. Oslo Court has an L-shape plan with a two bay end to Prince Albert Road, nine bays to Culworth Street and seven to Charlbert Street.

This work of Robert Atkinson (1883–1952) has been described as the style of ’restrained modernism’ by englishbuildings.blogspot.com. Crittall windows are used and there are small sculptural panels, with Nordic themes such as a reindeer and a long boat. Each flat was designed with a living room, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and a small hall. Each also had a balcony, and a restaurant was provided on the ground floor for the use of tenants.

The rents originally varied from £140 to £250 per annum, according to the outward aspect of the view. The stepped balconies ensured that each flat had a south-facing aspect. All of the windows still retain their steel casements..

Oslo Court, NW8 (click image to enlarge)

Many blocks in the area had restaurants in days gone by but have, one by one, disappeared. The one in Oslo Court has been trading since the Second World War and, in its curious location, remains open to the general public. Many food critics have visited and talked (nay, raved) about its 1970s ’vibe’.

The basement was used during the Second World War as a shelter for local residents as well as for the flat owners. It was improvised from an existing garage, fitted out with cubicles with two-tier bunks. Artist Olga Lehman (1912 – 2001), well-known for her murals and portraits, and was permitted by the War Office to make sketches of air raid shelters and came to Oslo Court to sketch.

In a 1963 episode ('The Rough Diamonds') of The Saint, Simon Templar took Barbara Sinclair (played by Jemma Hyde) back to her Oslo Court flat in his Volvo.

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Main source:	The Teddington Society
	Further citations and sources

NEARBY LOCATIONS OF NOTE

St John’s Wood St John’s Wood is an affluent district, north west of Regent’s Park.

St John’s Wood

NEARBY STREETS

Acacia Gardens, NW8 Acacia Gardens began as an estate of 14 prefabs, just east of St John’s Wood station (St John’s Wood)

Acacia Gardens, NW8

Acacia Place, NW8 Acacia Place is a short cul-de-sac off Acacia Road (St John’s Wood)

Acacia Place, NW8

Acacia Road, NW8 Acacia Road dates from the 1830s (St John’s Wood)

Acacia Road, NW8

Allitsen Road, NW8 Allitsen Road is a road in St John’s Wood, dating from the 1820s (St John’s Wood)

Allitsen Road, NW8

Aquila Street, NW8 Aquila Street is a road in the NW8 postcode area (St John’s Wood)

Aquila Street, NW8

Avenue Close, NW8 Avenue Close is a road in the NW8 postcode area (St John’s Wood)

Avenue Close, NW8

Barrie House, NW8 Barrie House is a block on St Edmund’s Terrace (St John’s Wood)

Barrie House, NW8

Barrow Hill Road, NW8 Barrow Hill Road marks the location of Barrow Hill (St John’s Wood)

Barrow Hill Road, NW8

Benjamin House, NW8 Benjamin House is sited on Cecil Grove (St John’s Wood)

Benjamin House, NW8

Bentinck Close, NW8 Bentinck Close is possibly named after Lord George Bentinck (1802-1848), Conservative politician and racehorse owner (Regent’s Park)

Bentinck Close, NW8

Beverly House, NW8 Beverly House is a block on Park Road (Regent’s Park)

Beverly House, NW8

Brampton House, NW8 Brampton House can be found on Grove End Road (St John’s Wood)

Brampton House, NW8

Bridgeman Street, NW8 Bridgeman Street is a road in the NW8 postcode area (St John’s Wood)

Bridgeman Street, NW8

Broxwood Way, NW8 Broxwood Way is a road in the NW8 postcode area (St John’s Wood)

Broxwood Way, NW8

Cavendish Avenue, NW8 Cavendish Avenue was built on land owned by Cavendish family (St John’s Wood)

Cavendish Avenue, NW8

Cavendish Close, NW8 Cavendish Close leads off Cavendish Avenue (St John’s Wood)

Cavendish Close, NW8

Cavendish House, NW8 Cavendish House is a block on Wellington Road (St John’s Wood)

Cavendish House, NW8

Cecil Grove, NW8 Cecil Grove is a location in London (St John’s Wood)

Cecil Grove, NW8

Charlbert Court, NW8 Charlbert Court is a block on Charlbert Street (St John’s Wood)

Charlbert Court, NW8

Charlbert Street, NW8 Charlbert Street was formerly Charles Street (St John’s Wood)

Charlbert Street, NW8

Charles Lane, NW8 Charles Lane is probably named after Charles Watkins, a property developer who was working locally in the 1820s (St John’s Wood)

Charles Lane, NW8

Cicely Davies House, NW8 Cicely Davies House is one of five blocks of flats built for the St Marylebone Housing Association (St John’s Wood)

Cicely Davies House, NW8

Circus Road, NW8 Circus Road reflects the circular shape of the original Eyre Estate building plan (St John’s Wood)

Circus Road, NW8

Cochrane Mews, NW8 Cochrane Mews runs off Circus Road and Cochrane Street (St John’s Wood)

Cochrane Mews, NW8

Cochrane Street, NW8 Cochrane Street runs between Circus Road and Wellington Place (St John’s Wood)

Cochrane Street, NW8

Culworth Street, NW8 Culworth Street is a road in the NW8 postcode area (Regent’s Park)

Culworth Street, NW8

Danes Court, NW8 Danes Court is a block on St Edmund’s Terrace (Primrose Hill)

Danes Court, NW8

Eamont Court, NW8 Eamont Court is located on Eamont Street (St John’s Wood)

Eamont Court, NW8

Eamont Street, NW8 Eamont Street is a road in the NW8 postcode area (St John’s Wood)

Eamont Street, NW8

Elm Tree Court, NW8 Elm Tree Court is a building on Elm Tree Road (St John’s Wood)

Elm Tree Court, NW8

Elm Tree Road, NW8 Elm Tree Road is a road in the NW8 postcode area (St John’s Wood)

Elm Tree Road, NW8

George Eyre House, NW8 George Eyre House was designed by architect Louis de Soissons (St John’s Wood)

George Eyre House, NW8

Greenberry Street, NW8 Greenberry Street has a name which is possibly a corruption of Green Barrow Hill (St John’s Wood)

Greenberry Street, NW8

Hanover House, NW8 Hanover House is located on St Johns Wood High Street (St John’s Wood)

Hanover House, NW8

Henstridge Place, NW8 Henstridge Place (rather obscurely) refers to a ridge where stallions are kept (St John’s Wood)

Henstridge Place, NW8

Heron House, NW8 Heron House is a block on Barrow Hill Road (St John’s Wood)

Heron House, NW8

Imperial Court, NW8 Imperial Court can be found on Prince Albert Road (St John’s Wood)

Imperial Court, NW8

Kings Court, NW8 Kings Court is a block on Prince Albert Road (Regent’s Park)

Kings Court, NW8

Kingsmill Terrace, NW8 Kingsmill Terrace is named after a member of the Eyre family (St John’s Wood)

Kingsmill Terrace, NW8

London House, NW8 London House is a block on Avenue Road (St John’s Wood)

London House, NW8

Mackennal Street, NW8 Mackennal Street received its name since Bertram Mackennal, a sculptor, lived nearby (St John’s Wood)

Mackennal Street, NW8

Newcourt Street, NW8 Newcourt Street is a road in the NW8 postcode area (St John’s Wood)

Newcourt Street, NW8

Noura House, NW8 Noura House is a block on Eamont Street (St John’s Wood)

Noura House, NW8

Ordnance Hill, NW8 Ordnance Hill is so-named because the Board of Ordnance was the original lessee of St John’s Wood Barracks (St John’s Wood)

Ordnance Hill, NW8

Ormonde Court, NW8 Ormonde Court is located on St Edmund’s Close (Primrose Hill)

Ormonde Court, NW8

Ormonde Terrace, NW8 Ormonde Terrace is a road in the NW8 postcode area (Regent’s Park)

Ormonde Terrace, NW8

Oslo Court, NW8 Oslo Court was built between 1936 and 1938 by architect Robert Atkinson (St John’s Wood)

Oslo Court, NW8

O’ Neill House, NW8 O’Neill House is a block along Cochrane Street (St John’s Wood)

O’ Neill House, NW8

Primrose Court, NW8 Primrose Court can be found on Prince Albert Road (St John’s Wood)

Primrose Court, NW8

Prince Albert Court, NW8 Prince Albert Court is a block on Prince Albert Court (Primrose Hill)

Prince Albert Court, NW8

Prince Albert Road, NW8 Originally called Albert Road, it was renamed after the Prince Consort of Queen Victoria in 1938 (Regent’s Park)

Prince Albert Road, NW8

Prince Regent Court, NW8 Prince Regent Court is a building on Avenue Road (St John’s Wood)

Prince Regent Court, NW8

Queen’s Terrace, NW8 Queen’s Terrace is a road in the NW8 postcode area (St John’s Wood)

Queen’s Terrace, NW8

Rossetti Mews, NW8 Rossetti Mews is a road in the NW8 postcode area (St John’s Wood)

Rossetti Mews, NW8

Russell House, NW8 Russell House is located on Eamont Street (St John’s Wood)

Russell House, NW8

Searle House, NW8 Searle House is a block on Cecil Grove (St John’s Wood)

Searle House, NW8

Shannon Place, NW8 Shannon Place is a location in London (St John’s Wood)

Shannon Place, NW8

St Edmund’s Court, NW8 St Edmund’s Court is a block on St Edmund’s Terrace (St John’s Wood)

St Edmund’s Court, NW8

St Edmund’s Terrace, NW8 St Edmund’s Terrace is a road in the NW8 postcode area (St John’s Wood)

St Edmund’s Terrace, NW8

St James’s Close, NW8 St James’s Close is a road in the NW8 postcode area (St John’s Wood)

St James’s Close, NW8

St John’s Wood Terrace, NW8 St John’s Wood Terrace is a road in the NW8 postcode area (St John’s Wood)

St John’s Wood Terrace, NW8

St John’s Wood High Street, NW8 St John’s Wood High Street is a shopping street of St John’s Wood (St John’s Wood)

St John’s Wood High Street, NW8

St. Edmunds Terrace, NW8 St. Edmunds Terrace is a location in London (St John’s Wood)

St. Edmunds Terrace, NW8

St. James’s Terrace, NW8 St. James’s Terrace is a location in London (St John’s Wood)

St. James’s Terrace, NW8

Tatham Place, NW8 Tatham Place is a road in the NW8 postcode area (St John’s Wood)

Tatham Place, NW8

Titchfield House, NW8 Titchfield House can be found on Titchfield Road (St John’s Wood)

Titchfield House, NW8

Titchfield Road, NW8 Titchfield Road is a road in the NW8 postcode area (St John’s Wood)

Titchfield Road, NW8

Tower Court, NW8 Tower Court is a block on Mackennal Street (St John’s Wood)

Tower Court, NW8

Townshend Court, NW8 Townshend Court can be found on Shannon Place (St John’s Wood)

Townshend Court, NW8

Townshend Road, NW8 Townshend Road was named after the commander who received the French surrender of Quebec in 1759 (St John’s Wood)

Townshend Road, NW8

Viceroy Court, NW8 Viceroy Court is a block on Prince Albert Road (St John’s Wood)

Viceroy Court, NW8

Wellington Place, NW8 Wellington Place, like Wellington Road, is named for the Duke of Wellington who defeated Napoleon at the battle of Waterloo in 1815 (St John’s Wood)

Wellington Place, NW8

Wellington Road, NW8 Wellington Road was named for Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (St John’s Wood)

Wellington Road, NW8

Wells Rise, NW8 This is a street in the NW8 postcode area (St John’s Wood)

Wells Rise, NW8

Winfield House, NW1 Winfield House is located on Outer Circle (Regent’s Park)

Winfield House, NW1

Woronzow Road, NW8 Woronzow Road was named after Count Woronzow, Russian ambassador from 1785-1806 (St John’s Wood)

Woronzow Road, NW8

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