Hans Place

Hans Place is a quiet garden square in Knightsbridge, just south of Harrods. It was laid out in the 1770s by architect Henry Holland on land leased from Earl Cadogan. The square is octagonal, modelled on Paris’s Place Vendôme, and most of its 18th-century houses were rebuilt in the late 19th century. During the Second World War the square suffered bomb damage, leading to repairs and new development on the Pavilion Road side. Several buildings, including numbers 14, 16, 17–22 and 23–27, are Grade II listed for their architectural importance. Jane Austen lived at 23 Hans Place in 1814–15 while writing Emma. The Irish Treaty delegation, including Arthur Griffith, Robert Barton and Michael Collins, worked from 22 Hans Place in December 1921. Poet Letitia Elizabeth Landon occupied the top floor of the same house between 1826 and 1837. The square was also home to William Layman, whose widow continued living at 34 Hans Place until 1837. The communal garden, planted with plane, chestnut and lime trees, covers just over one acre and is privately maintained. Today Hans Place is one of London’s most exclusive residential addresses. Its proximity to Harrods and the best shopping in Sloane Street attracts international executives and the super-rich. The square benefits from high levels of street security, with nearby police facilities and private arrangements for Harrods. The garden remains closed to the public, preserving its mature trees and shrubs for residents only.