Chester Square

Chester Square is a long, narrow garden square in Belgravia, one of three squares laid out by the Grosvenor family in the 19th century. The square takes its name from Chester, the nearest city to the family’s ancestral home at Eaton Hall. Most of the terraced houses on the north and south sides are Grade II listed for their architectural quality. The communal gardens, kept private for residents, are also Grade II listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. A section of the square provided the backdrop for the video of Morrissey’s song ‘Suedehead’. The square’s Anglican church, St Michael’s, was built in 1844 and opened two years later. Designed by Thomas Cundy the younger in late Decorated Gothic style, the church uses Kentish Ragstone for its exterior. The Ecclesiologist magazine criticised the opening, calling it an unsuccessful attempt to adapt Christian styles for Protestant use. The church has remained a local landmark since its consecration. Its presence adds to the square’s quiet, ordered atmosphere. Among the square’s residents are former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who lived at No. 73 until shortly before her death in 2013. Other notable figures include poet Matthew Arnold, actor Tony Curtis, chefs Nigella Lawson and Yehudi Menuhin, and Dutch Queen Wilhelmina, who used No. 77 as her headquarters during the Second World War. The gardens and terraces remain a peaceful retreat in central London, lined with plane trees and bordered by wrought-iron railings.