Melbury Road runs between Addison Road and Kensington High Street. It is named after the original home of the Earls of Ilchester in Dorset.
Edward Fox-Strangways, the Fifth Earl of Ilchester, bought the estate from Lady Holland in the late 19th century. Lady Holland was allowed to continue living there. When she died, the Earl of Ilcester decided to use the land of Little Holland House to create an estate of individual, architect-designed, houses called Melbury Road.
It consists of some magnificent artist-studio houses designed by Norman Shaw and Halsey Ricardo. The south side formed a 19th century artists’ quarter.
Along the street, Tower House is an example of a magnificent and unique medieval design. Constructed between 1876 and 1881, it was developed with a fifteenth-century French Gothic design by architect William Burges.
Every room was originally decorated in accordance with a unique theme drawn from nature – there were rooms dedicated to themes such as the Sea, Animals, astronomy and astrology. Some of Holland Park’s trees still adorn the garden today, as a part of the incomplete yet remarkable legacy of William Burges. Although he passed away just three years after taking residence in 1881, his ambitious project left behind an architectural legacy.
In 1969, Richard Harris acquired the house and then in 1973 Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin outbid David Bowie and purchased it for £350 000. Page welcomed the cult filmmaker Kenneth Anger to move into his basement and complete the post-production of his movie Lucifer Rising. However, Anger soon grew weary of living in what he described as Page’s “evil fantasy house”.
6 Melbury Road was built for George Frederick Watts who had been living at Little Holland House before it was pulled down so he gave that name to his new house. It was replaced by a block of flats, called Kingfisher House, in 1965.
8 Melbury Road meanwhile was built in the Queen Anne style during 1875–6 by architect Norman Shaw for the illustrator Marcus Stone. Stone upset his neighbours by installing three entrance gates – one for models, one for servants and a last for family members and friends. The film director Michael Powell later lived in the house for twenty years from 1951 to 1971 and shot scenes for his film Peeping Tom here.
In 1923, the MI6 spy agency – short of funds – moved to 18 Melbury Road. Within a year, they had raised the money needed to move back to Westminster.
Benjamin Britten lived in 22 Melbury Road between 1948 and 1853, writing The Little Sweep, Spring Symphony, Billy Budd and Gloriana here.
Woodside at No. 31 was described by Ed Glinert as “an English country mansion stranded in deepest West Kensington”. It was a 1875 house built by Norman Shaw – who pioneered the development of the red-brick suburban house – for painter Sir Luke Fildes. Every year Fildes would host ‘Show Sunday’ where the Victorian London art scene would gather. Later it became the home of film director and odd socialite Michael Winner.
Melbury Road also contains the former homes of Val Prinsep, Marcus Stone, Sir Hamo Thornycroft, William Burges, G F Watts and William Holman Hunt.
