For an area so close to the centre of the capital, Belgravia is little visited by the average Londoner. All I can say is, they are missing out. If you think it’s full of immaculate stucco-clad town houses, looming over leafy squares, you wouldn’t be wrong, but there is much more to it than that.
Architectural and Historical Richness
First of all, like other areas of London where you have streets of 18th or 19th century town houses, you also have streets of mews houses tucked away behind them. These were where the horses and carriages were kept, overseen by the grooms who lived over the shop. All the windows and the stables themselves faced into the mews, less the waft of horse poo assailed the nostrils of the upper-class over their neatly-clipped lawns.
In Belgravia now you are unlikely to see any horses, though plenty of horse power in the shape of Bentleys, Aston Martins and Lamborghinis, but several of the mews contain a rather more pleasing attraction in the form of pubs.
Unique Pub Culture
Probably the best-known is The Grenadier in Wilton Row. It once was the officers’ mess of the Grenadier Guards when they were based in this area. The pub retains a delightful façade, an obligatory ghost – Cedric the guard, who was beaten to death for cheating at cards – and plenty of space outside on the cobbles to enjoy a drink when the weather is good.
Across Belgravia in Kinnerton Street is not one but two pubs. The somewhat ramshackle Nag’s Head is a positive delight, all brown wood, wonky stairs, eclectic objects on the walls, and a great blues soundtrack. A few doors away is the more boisterous Wilton Arms. Truly a pub for everyone.
Head south to Belgrave Mews West for Star Tavern. This pub has a smart exterior, with a cosy bar and dining room inside. How very Belgravia. Until you hear their claim to fame. For this pub was the haunt of master criminals in the 1950s and 1960s. The Great Train Robbery of 1963 was planned here, the largest heist in British history at the time. The robbers stole £2.6m, worth £50m in today’s money. Maybe not quite you expect in this part of London.
And finally on to the appropriately named Groom Place to the Horse and Groom pub. This is a ridiculously charming little street, with pretty little (sadly unaffordable) houses, and window boxes full of flowers. Seating for the pub is spread along the cobbles, so you can sit outside and dream of winning the lottery so that this could be your new local.
Of course there is much more to see and do in Belgravia. Don’t be put off by the image, it really is a rewarding area, full of great architecture, fascinating stories, and of course, some fabulous pubs.
Why not book a Private Secrets of Belgravia Tour with London Guided Walks, and pop in to one or more of these pubs afterwards. You know you’ve earned it!
