– written by Kate, our London Account Manager

In my time at Veeve, scouting some of the best homes to list, I’ve discovered dozens of mews tucked away which demand you to stop and take a photo. As a countryside girl at heart these quiet cobbled streets offer a place of calm, somewhere that feels more like a village than the middle of a capital city. 

Mews houses were originally built around stables, with horses and carriages housed on the ground floor and accommodation for stable staff above. They were often tucked behind Georgian and Victorian townhouses. Today, the horses have largely disappeared and many of the old stable buildings have become some of London’s most desirable homes.  

There are mews all over London, but some of my favourites are tucked around Kensington, South Kensington, Chelsea, Bayswater and Notting Hill. I’ve listed some favourites below, together with some of our mews properties which are available to book: 

Kynance Mews, Kensington: Tucked behind a beautiful arched entrance, Kynance Mews is particularly magical when the wisteria is out in spring.

Cranley Mews, Chelsea: Pretty, peaceful and quintessentially Chelsea. It is also known for its summer street party, when the normally quiet mews comes alive. There have also been rumours linking the singer Adele to a house here.

Stanhope Mews South, South Kensington: You may recognise this one from the big screen. Stanhope Mews South was used as a filming location for Kingsman: The Secret Service.

St Luke’s Mews, Notting Hill: Perhaps the most famous mews on the list. St Luke’s Mews became instantly recognisable after appearing in Love Actually, as the location for one of the film’s most memorable scenes.

Bathurst Mews, Paddington: For me, this one has an added bonus: horses. Bathurst Mews is home to Hyde Park Riding Stables, so if you’re lucky you may see riders heading out towards Hyde Park.

The best way of exploring these mews is a 2-hour stroll if the weather is good. Start around Kensington, wander through Kynance Mews, then make your way towards South Kensington and Stanhope Mews South before continuing down towards Chelsea and Cranley Mews. Pop into some cafes enroute and if you have the time, you can extend the walk towards the King’s Road, where you’ll find plenty of places to stop for lunch or a glass of wine before heading home.

If you really want to feel as though you’ve escaped the city, start early - before the traffic, tourists and commuters have properly arrived.

One of my favourite London walks begins in Hyde Park. Early in the morning, you can sometimes catch the Household Cavalry exercising their horses, with the sound of hooves and the occasional canter along Rotten Row.

From there, you can make your way towards Buckingham Palace and the Royal Mews.

The Royal Mews is still a working royal stable and houses the horses and carriages used for royal ceremonial occasions. The Windsor Greys and Cleveland Bays are among the horses kept there, while inside you can see extraordinary historic coaches including the Gold State Coach.

There’s something lovely about following the story of the London mews backwards: from the pretty little residential streets where former stables are now beautiful homes, to the working royal stables that still keep the tradition alive.

Some of our mews properties available to book:

South Kensington Mews Hideaway

Bathurst Mews II

Brunswick Mews II

St Luke's Mews III