The Boltons

The Boltons is a garden square in Brompton, London, made up of two curved residential streets that frame an elliptical central green space. A church sits within the garden and divides the lawn, while grand Victorian houses line the perimeter of the entire composition.

The land was owned by William Bolton in 1795 before James Gunter purchased it in 1807 and set the stage for mid-19th-century residential development. The layout emerged from new thinking in urban planning that aimed to weave green space into housing neighborhoods.

The garden and its surrounding homes form a retreat within the city where residents can step outside and find greenery without leaving their neighborhood. The arrangement shows how 19th-century planners thought about mixing homes with garden spaces to make city life more pleasant.

The square can be visited during daylight hours when the central green space is accessible and you can view the architectural layout from the public areas. The curved street layout offers changing viewpoints of the church and surrounding houses as you walk around the perimeter.

Architect George Godwin designed an unusual lens-shaped arrangement where the two facing crescents of houses create a rare geometric harmony. This approach to urban design was uncommon in its time and shows innovative thinking in Victorian architecture.

Location: Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

GPS coordinates: 51.48920,-0.18417

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:40