Notting Hill Gate to Bayswater walk

The walk between Notting Hill Gate and Bayswater station begins at busy Notting Hill Gate itself but then gets rapidly quieter with a trip up Pembridge Gardens.

Pembridge Gardens – dating from the 1850s – was developed by Francis and William Radford. Houses here were designed for the \”well-to-do\” with servant areas such as the kitchens in the basements.
At the top end of Pembridge Gardens, turn right into Pembridge Square. Pembridge Square was developed between 1856 and 1864, mainly by Bayswater builders Francis and William Radford. In 1972, the Pembridge Association was set up to protect the conservation area here.

Walking in the same direction, Pembridge Square becomes Moscow Road. Moscow Road’s origins can be traced back to the early 19th century when Edward Orme, a renowned painter, publisher, and property developer, played a pivotal role in its development between 1814 and 1815. The street owes its name to Tsar Alexander, who participated in the visit of the Allied sovereigns to England, marking the victorious aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars. Adjacent to Moscow Road, another street was named Petersburgh Place as a tribute.

Throughout the 19th century, Moscow Road became a vibrant hub for the Greek diaspora in London, attracting a significant Greek community. In 1879, the Greek Orthodox Saint Sophia was established as a church on the road and later transformed into a cathedral in 1922, serving as a spiritual landmark for the Greek population.

I took a voluntary detour around Hereford Road, Prince’s Square and Ilchester Gardens, returning to Moscow Road after the ‘three sided’ detour.

Moscow Road then continues to Queensway and Bayswater station.

 

 

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