Renting property in South Kensington, SW7
Residential Land has hundreds of flats in London for rent. If you are looking to rent property in South Kensington, SW7, please contact us here.
Why rent in South Kensington?
South Kensington which occupies the SW7 postcode area, is located south of Hyde Park and is sandwiched between the larger Kensington area to the west and the trendy Chelsea to the south.
South Kensington is home to many of London's museums including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum. To the east, lie Brompton Road and the famous Harrods department store and the whole area shows off some of London's most beautiful architecture.
Property in South Kensington
South Kensington has some of London's finest architecture, not only belonging to the museums, but also in the residential properties in South Kensington. There are gracious terraces and squares of Victorian stuccoed houses, many with their own private gardens where access is granted only to residents.
The Victorian age saw houses in this upper class area increase and become even more grand in their designs. However, nearly all of these large white houses have now been divided into apartments and studio flats to rent or buy.
From the small mews houses with cobbled streets and the Victorian properties divided into flats, to the new build apartments, South Kensington offers a fascinating combination of fashionable modern London life and stately, grandiloquent Victorian architecture.
Residential Land own a number of properties to rent in South Kensington which they rent out: Pembroke Road offers commercial units on the ground floor and basement with modern one bedroom apartments occupying the upper floors; Roland House, with its gym and sauna, offers studio flats and one, two and three bed apartments in a purpose-built block; and Draycott Place" which offers a different style of property, a terracotta mansion house, is divided into nineteen one and two bedroom apartments to let.
Transport links in South Kensington
Located in the central zone of London's public transport network, Kensington benefits from easy access to all other areas of the city. There are three tube stations in the local area including High Street Kensington which is on the District and Circle lines, Gloucester Road on the District, Circle and Piccadilly lines and South Kensington which is also served by the District, Circle and Piccadilly lines. These train links connect Kensington to the West End in about 10 minutes, and in the other direction to Heathrow Airport in about 40 minutes. There are many bus routes running through this area along Old Brompton Road and Kensington Gore.
History of South Kensington
The area now known as Kensington was used as agricultural land supplying London with a range of fruits and vegetables until development began in the mid 19th century, when following the 1851 Great Exhibition in Hyde Park, the South Kensington museums were founded. Built under the direct inspiration of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband, these museums paved the way for wider development in the area which soon spread to land adjacent to Kensington as landowners made the most of the new roads that had been built.
The absorption of South Kensington into the London metropolis was sealed by the arrival of the underground station to Gloucester Road and South Kensington in 1868, which stimulated the development of more residential properties in South Kensington as the area became more accessible.
Attractions in South Kensington
Natural History Museum
Originally housed in Bloomsbury, the collection was moved to the existing site of the Natural History Museum when the museum was built in the 1860s. Dating back to the middle of the 18th century, the collection, which was started by premier London physician Dr. Hans Sloane, contains animal and human skeletons, snake skins, a huge variety of plants and many artifacts from across the globe.
Science Museum
Covering five floors of the building neighbouring the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum chronicles man's search for answers. This museum contains such a vast amount of information that it is impossible to absorb it all in a single sitting, though a mere taste can prove thoroughly rewarding.
The museum has an overwhelming array of machines and hardware on display and bears a true reflection of Britain's proud history of technological advancements. Despite the complex subject matter, the Science Museum uses interaction and information to show the process of these scientific discoveries, how the conclusions were reached, and what effect they have on our lives.
Victoria and Albert Museum
First established in 1852, the Victoria and Albert Museum is home to art spanning the last two thousand years of history and aims, as was its original reason for opening, to make art accessible to the entire nation and to inspire Britain's young artists and designers.
Baden Powell House
Built as a tribute to the founder of the Scouting movement, Lord Baden-Powell, Baden-Powell House is now a Scouting hostel as well as a conference centre in South Kensington. The house is owned by The Scout Association primarily for accommodation purposes, but also to house some Baden-Powell and Scouting memorabilia including the original Baden-Powell painting by David Jagger and Baden-Powell's "Last Message to Scouts".
London Oratory
Although actually called the Oratory of St. Philip Neri, the London Oratory by which it is better known, is located on Brompton Street, South Kensington. Building on the structure began in 1878, but was not completed until 1896 although many would agree that the wait was worth it, as the building boasts some breathtaking architectural features including a Baroque dome and an impressive Nave, which is only dwarfed by Westminster Abbey and York Minster.
Shopping in South Kensington
South Kensington is a shopper's paradise rivaling any other area of London for choice. If it is fashion that you are after, you will find all the top designer outlets around Sloane Avenue and Fulham Road. Plus, there are hundreds of antiques shops in the area too as well as a huge range of the usual high street shops that sell everything from food and wine to ironmongery, stationery and flowers.
Restaurants in South Kensington
Bumpkin
Bumpkin, a warm and cosy restaurant that has been decorated with farmhouse chic furniture and eclectically upholstered chairs, offers a menu that revolves around the availability of fresh produce from the local markets.
Bistro Fifteen
Located inside the Pelham Hotel in South Kensington, Bistro Fifteen is a restaurant catering to London's posh and privileged. Serving traditional British cuisine, it is a superb spot for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Poissonnerie de l'Avenue
This old fashioned fish restaurant with nautically themed oil paintings and lobster-motif carpet serves impeccably fresh fish from its adjoining fishmonger.
Tendido Cuatro
A spin-off of the famous Spanish restaurant Cambio de Tercio, Tendido Cuatro in South Kensington, serves traditional quality tapas with attentive service.