Sloane Square

Sloane Square is a small hard-landscaped square on the edge of Belgravia and Chelsea, 2.9 km southwest of Charing Cross. The square was laid out in 1771 by Henry Holland Snr. and Henry Holland Jnr. and named after Sir Hans Sloane, an Anglo-Irish doctor who once owned the land. It sits between two large aristocratic estates, the Grosvenor Estate and the Cadogan Estate. The square was formerly known as Hans Town. On its northern side stands the Sloane Square Hotel. The square is surrounded by ornate private apartments and townhouses, many behind railings, with Gothic, classical and Edwardian architecture. Peter Jones department store, designed in 1936 by Reginald Uren, is a Grade II* listed building known for its early curtain wall and modernist style. The Royal Court Theatre, opened in 1888, has been important for avant-garde theatre since 1956. Nearby, the Cadogan Hall, converted from a church in 2002, is now one of London’s leading classical music venues. In the centre of the square is the Venus Fountain, designed by Gilbert Ledward in 1953, which depicts Venus and a relief of King Charles II and Nell Gwynn. A stone cross, Chelsea War Memorial, stands slightly off-centre and is inscribed with the years of the World Wars. The square’s pedestrian area leads to Pavilion Road, home to luxury brand flagship stores. A short walk down Kings Road is the National Army Museum, and Holy Trinity Sloane Street, known as the "Cathedral of the Arts & Crafts Movement," is just 50 m north.