Brook Green is an architecturally significant area of West London. Named after

the attractive and actively protected open space in the southern half of the Brook Green Conservation

Area, it is bordered by Kensington, Shepherd’s Bush, Hammersmith, Holland Park

and Brackenbury Village.

Local life here focuses on its excellent schools, the shops, cafes and restaurants of Blythe Road,

Shepherd’s Bush Road and, of course, the green itself. Despite its central location,

it has a distinct village feel. The green spaces and the families who choose to reside here create a

particularly sought after and quiet pocket of London with a strong sense of community.

K E L M S C O T T P R E S S

B R O O K G R E E n ’ S A R T S & C R A f T S h i S T O R y

T h e K e l m s c o T T P r e s s h a s b e e n s a i d T o b e T h e c u l m i n a T i o n o f a l i f e T i m e o f w o r K

b y T h e 1 9 T h c e n T u r y d e s i g n e r , s o c i a l r e f o r m e r a n d w r i T e r w i l l i a m m o r r i s .

l o o K i n g T o r e v i v e T h e s K i l l s o f h a n d P r i n T i n g a n d r e s T o r e T h e q u a l i T y a c h i e v e d

b y T h e P i o n e e r s o f P r i n T i n g i n T h e 1 5 T h c e n T u r y, i n J a n u a r y 1 8 9 1 w i l l i a m m o r r i s

a n d w i l l i a m b o w d e n f o u n d e d T h e K e l m s c o T T P r e s s i n P r e m i s e s c l o s e T o

K e l m s c o T T h o u s e , m o r r i s ’ s l o n d o n r e s i d e n c e .

T h e b o o K s a r e r e n o w n e d f o r T h e i r f l o r i a T e d b o r d e r s a n d m o r r i s ’ s o w n

T y P e f a c e d e s i g n f o r T h e P r e s s , T h e r o m a n “ g o l d e n ” T y P e – b o T h o f w h i c h c a n b e

s e e n o n T h e c o v e r o f T h i s l i T T l e g u i d e . T h e c h a u c e r , T h e P r e s s ’ s m o s T f a m o u s b o o K ,

w a s c o m P l e T e d s h o r T ly b e f o r e h e d i e d b u T T o d ay o n e o f T h e P r e s s e s u s e d i n i T s

P r i n T i n g i s o n P e r m a n e n T d i s P l ay a T K e l m s c o T T h o u s e .

By the 19th century properties featured bay windows, balconies with intricate detailing, decorated parapets, tall chimney stacks and corner turrets topped with cupolas.

The high mistress’s house of st Paul’s girls’ school, just off the green on rowan road, is especially striking. dating from 1913, it was designed by gerald horsley, an architect heavily infl uenced by the work of the muchadmired christopher wren. his adaptation of the queen anne style wren masterpiece, the royal hospital, is portrayed here through the arts and crafts detailing that coincides beautifully with its surroundings.

History & Origins

The name brook green was fi rst established in 1493 and is derived from the stamford brook which fl owed through the small village forming the boundary between hammersmith and fulham. during this time, marshland dominated the area, but no more than one hundred years later, the hamlet acted as an outlying farm to the local manor, with an annual fair held there throughout much of the 18th century.

in the 1600s, a group of english nuns returned from exile in munich and set up a convent at the great house in hammersmith attracting a strong catholic presence in the area. by the turn of the century, the great majority of the properties in the present conservation area were built and their historic association with catholicism remained.

by the 19th century, properties featured bay windows, balconies with intricate detailing, decorated parapets, tall chimney stacks and corner turrets topped with cupola (small domes). similar characteristics can be seen in many of the grand houses in the area, including the old osram lightbulb factory on hammersmith road (now converted into residential fl ats). The buildings in the area have common design elements such as similar exterior detailing and fi nishes.

K E L M S C O T T h O U S E

T h i s w a s T h e s e c o n d h o m e o f T h e

f a m o u s a r T i s T , w r i T e r a n d T e X T i l e

d e s i g n e r w i l l i a m m o r r i s . h e r e n a m e d

i T T o m a T c h h i s o T h e r h o u s e i n

g l o u c e s T e r — K e l m s c o T T m a n o r .

Delving a little deeper…

brook green is a particularly popular area for the modern london family and young professionals. not only are blue plaque buildings abundant in the area, marking the homes of many famous writers and composers such as gustav holst, but the area boasts an array of modern entertainment, industry and culture. internationally recognised corporations such as l’oréal and coca cola have also established their headquarters nearby, while the iconic Kensington olympia hosts an assortment of exhibitions and conferences throughout the year.

blythe house, built in 1899, is a listed building located on blythe road. its imposing red brick construction was once the headquarters of the Post offi ce savings bank, but is now used as an archive facility for the victoria and albert, science and british museums, with ninety of its rooms used for the

science museum alone. it remains a building of huge importance and architectural signifi cance and is considered a landmark of the area by the brook green locals.

Small Community, Outstanding Education

schools and religious institutions are a major draw to the area and have been for over a century. schools remain central to the constant regeneration of the area and the catholic community, attracting many families to this patch of west london. larmenier and sacred heart rc Primary on brook green and st augustine’s rc Primary on disbrowe road are both rated “outstanding” by ofsted, and avonmore Primary, on avonmore road, is rated “good with outstanding features”. bute house, a girls’ preparatory school on luxemburg gardens is also held in particularly high regard in the area.

french families are known to move to the neighbourhood specifi cally for l’ecole française de londres Jacques Prévert. fronting on to the green itself, this school provides children aged four to eleven with an education rated “outstanding” by ofsted. many of its pupils progress onto the college otherwise known as the lycée français.

B Ly T h E h O U S E

b u i l T i n 1 8 9 9 , b ly T h e h o u s e w a s o n c e T h e

h e a d q u a r T e r s o f T h e P o s T o f f i c e s a v i n g s

b a n K , b u T i s n o w u s e d a s a n a r c h i v e f a c i l i T y

f o r T h e v i c T o r i a & a l b e r T , s c i e n c e a n d b r i T i s h

m u s e u m s . i T r e m a i n s a b u i l d i n g o f h u g e

i m P o r T a n c e a n d a r c h i T e c T u r a l s i g n i f i c a n c e .

S T P A U L’ S S C h O O L

S t P a u l’ S G i r l S ’ S c h o o l w a S f o u n d e d i n

1 9 0 4 , u S i n G P a r t o f t h e e n d o w m e n t o f

t h e f o u n d a t i o n S e t u P b y J o h n c o l e t , t o

c r e a t e a G i r l S ’ S c h o o l t o c o m P l e m e n t t h e

b o y S ’ S c h o o l t h a t h e h a d f o u n d e d

i n t h e S i x t e e n t h c e n t u r y .

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Places To Love

St Paul’s School A n E d U C ATi O n d E S Ti n ATi O n

one of a number of desirable schools in the brook green area. This grand architectural landmark has many notable ‘old Paulinas’ — sophie raworth,

rachel Johnson and rachel weisz to name just a few.

Brackenbury Wine RoomsA M O d E R n T W i S T O n A C L A SS i C since the opening of the fulham and Kensington wine bars, they’ve aquired a repution as one of london’s best wine bars. in 2010, they were named newcomer of the year by decanter magazine.

exploring the streets of brook green, surprises can be found for all the family, with independant schools, glorious shops, and a plethora of pubs and eateries.

Kerbisher & Malt S E A S i d E i n Th E C iT y

with the award for ‘best contemporary fish and chip shop’ under its belt,

Kerbisher & malt truly do serve the best fresh fi sh and chips in london. Throw in some mushy peas on the side and follow

with Jude’s ice cream.

3

5 — P e n t o l i n a 6 — e c o l e f r a n c a i S e J a c Q u e S P r e v e r t7 — b ly t h e h o u S e8 — o ly m P i a e x h i b i t i o n c e n t r e

1 — w e S t 1 2 S h o P P i n G c e n t r e2 — t h e h av e l o c k t av e r n3 — G r e e n f l o r i S t4 — t h e f i S h m o n G e r ’ S k i t c h e n

1

2

5

Betty Blythe TE A , h O LLy WO O d S T y LE

vintage tea room betty blythe, named after the iconic 1920’s fi lm star, brings a quintessentially

english quality to brook green’s café culture.

The Bird In HandCO nTE M P O R A Ry CU i S i n E

restaurateur Jasper gorst has transformed this restaurant and

dining room into a leader in british and italian classic dishes

with a contemporary spin. be sure to check out the carefully

curated wine and spirit list.

The Popeseye Steak House

d OW n TO E A R Th G R U B

This quirky neighbourhood bistro serves up humble, no fuss dishes

using its award winning meats. The Popeseye steak house seemingly takes a leaf out of henry ford’s book

— you can have any meal you like as long as it’s steak and chips.

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Leisure Time & Village Life

blythe road and shepherd’s bush road off er an array of independent shops, cafés, restaurants and bars, popular with the brook green residents and with the after work crowds. The havelock on masbro road is a local favourite gastropub best known for its bavette steak and ever changing menu. similarly, the bird in hand, also on masbro road, is renowned for its friendly atmosphere and fi ne selection of hand pulled ales. alternatively, a number of eateries and high street shops can be found down the road in hammersmith town centre.

The Havelock on Masbro Road is a local favourite gastropub best known for its bavette steak and ever changing menu. Similarly, the Bird In Hand is renowned for its friendly atmosphere and fi ne selection of hand pulled ales.

several shops stand out as particular favourites amongst the locals. look out for holloways of ludlow for kitchen design, architectural ironmongery and lighting; the fishmonger’s Kitchen, a reputable fi shmonger; and brook’s café for takeaway

lunch specials, all on shepherd’s bush road. furthermore, the unusual gifts at honeybunch and the delicious baked goods from betty blythe’s Tea shop, both on blythe road, add to the village atmosphere and community nature of the area.

for the youngsters and the fashion savvy, westfi eld, one of london’s largest shopping centres, is a mere stone’s throw away, showcasing everything from high street brands to top fashion designers and a vast variety of restaurants and family entertainment. for the active residents, within close vicinity is one of the country’s top racket clubs, the famous queen’s club with its 27 outdoor and 10 indoor courts. The british open is held there every year.

The area also benefi ts from excellent overground and underground transport facilities and easy access to heathrow and gatwick airports, perfect for commuters working more centrally or towards the east.

q U E E n ’ S C L U B

f o r T h e a c T i v e r e s i d e n T s , w i T h i n c l o s e

P r o X i m i T y i s o n e o f T h e c o u n T r y ’ s T o P r a c K e T

c l u b s . T h e f a m o u s q u e e n ’ s c l u b , w i T h i T s 3 7

c o u r T s , b o T h l a w n a n d i n d o o r , i s h o m e T o

T h e b r i T i s h o P e n e v e r y y e a r .

E C O L E f R A n C A i S E J A C q U E S P R E v E R T

f o u n d e d i n 1 9 7 4 , “ t h e f r e n c h S c h o o l” i S

a n o t h e r f i n e e x a m P l e o f w h y f a m i l i e S l o v e

b r o o k G r e e n . i t P r o v i d e S f r e n c h

e d u c a t i o n t o c h i l d r e n a G e d b e t w e e n 4 - 1 1 ,

w i t h a n a v e r a G e o f o n ly 2 6 0 P u P i l S .

The Green

brook green is common land and the only public open space in the brook green and addison wards. it consists of four acres to the east of shepherd’s bush road and includes the small (half acre) triangular area just opposite known as little brook green. The area boasts an array of mature and impressive london plane trees dominating the border areas, along with a fully equipped children’s play area, public tennis courts, numerous benches and a dog exercise area.

The area boasts an array of mature and impressive London plane trees dominating the border areas, along with a fully equipped children’s play area, public tennis courts, numerous benches and a dog exercise area.

much improvement of brook green has been undertaken, especially in recent years. in 2008, a £200,000 refurbishment programme was announced, including improvements to the tennis courts, fencing, pathways and grass areas.

since then, the friends of brook green, a registered charity who have been successful in establishing a consensus on how the green should develop, have secured a silver Park award for falling crime levels. future plans include the renewal and expansion of the playground, a new pavilion with toilets, better lighting and improved drainage.

signifi cantly, the majority of the buildings which overlook the green have small, attractively planted front gardens enclosed by walls or railings. The local authority recognises these gardens as important components of the open character of the green.

W E W O U L d L O v E y O U R f E E d B A C K

i s T h e r e a n y T h i n g w e h a v e m i s s e d ? y o u r f a v o u r i T e s h o P, r e s T a u r a n T

o r a n y T h i n g e l s e y o u w o u l d l i K e T o s e e f e a T u r e d i n T h i s g u i d e ?

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a n d s ay h e l l o !

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Useful Contacts

Brook Green is a richly diverse and stimulating area, offering residents

a well-rounded peaceful way of life. It is close enough to central London to enjoy

all the benefits, yet distant enough to maintain its village feel and sense of community.

It will without a doubt continue as one of London’s most desirable addresses commanding particularly high prices for

both sales and lettings.

If you are thinking of selling or letting your home, or simply would like some advice,

please do not hesitate to contact our Brook Green office on 020 7603 5181.

B R O O K G R E E n

5 9 b ly T h e r o a d , l o n d o n w 1 4 0 h P

T 0 2 0 7 6 0 3 5 1 8 1 E b r o o K g r e e n @ b e c T i v e . c o . u K

W W W . B E C T i v E . C O . U K

f i n d u s o n