Blithfield Street, W8

Blithfield Street, W8

Blithfield Street is a quiet cul-de-sac running north from Stratford Road.

The houses are three-storey terraced Victorian houses immediately abutting the pavement, painted in many different colours. The street is tree-lined and is particularly attractive when the blossom comes out in the Spring. Some of the houses have exterior shutters and first floor balconettes which gives the street a particularly attractive ‘villagey’ feel.

There is a neighbourhood restaurant called Stratfords at the end of the street with many good local shops.

(See Nokes Estate for a short history of the Abingdon Villas and Scarsdale Villas area.)

In 1868, Thomas Hussey was given permission to build on the site of the bowling green behind the Devonshire Arms public house. He built this as a cul-de-sac off Stratford Road in 1869. There were 17 houses in all, and it catered for the poorest members of the community. 176 people were crammed into the 17 houses of Blithfield Street.

s went through the middle of the Halls’ terraces and many of the houses were knocked down after the line was built and covered over. Jeremiah Little, a well known local builder, rebuilt many of the houses in about 1871. Nos. 6-12 (even) and 11-17 (odd) were among those rebuilt.

This forms part of a guide to Kensington Streets which first appeared on the, now defunct, Kensington Living website.

All rights and copyright to the original material is retained by that website.