25-647: Sloane Square is a small hard-landscaped square on the boundaries of the central London districts of Belgravia and Chelsea , located 1.8 miles (2.9 km ) southwest of Charing Cross , in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea . The area forms a boundary between the two largest aristocratic estates in London, the Grosvenor Estate and the Cadogan . The square was formerly known as 'Hans Town', laid out in 1771 to
50-611: A central point at Charing Cross (in the City of Westminster ), which is marked by the statue of King Charles I at the junction of the Strand , Whitehall and Cockspur Street , just south of Trafalgar Square . The central area is distinguished, according to the Royal Commission , by the inclusion within its boundaries of Parliament and the Royal Palaces, the headquarters of Government,
75-402: A complete set of windows by Sir Edward Burne-Jones , the most extensive he ever created. Sloane Square Underground station ( District and Circle lines) is at the south eastern corner of the square and the lines cross under the square to the north west. The River Westbourne is carried over the tube station platforms in plain view, in a circular iron aqueduct. The Venus Fountain in
100-536: A plan of by Henry Holland Snr. and Henry Holland Jnr. Both the square and Hans Town were named after Sir Hans Sloane (1660–1753), an Anglo-Irish doctor who, jointly with his appointed trustees, owned the land at the time. The bulk of Chelsea, especially the east end more local to Sloane Square, is architecturally and economically similar to South Kensington , Belgravia , St James's , and Mayfair . The largely retail at ground floor Kings Road with its design and interior furnishing focus intersects at Sloane Square
125-706: A renovation of the existing square, so the crossroads plan has been shelved. Since then, independent proposals have been put forward for the square. A short walk down Kings Road from the Square is the National Army Museum . Holy Trinity Sloane Street , the Church of England parish church of 1890 (50m north of the Square) is sometimes known as the "Cathedral of the Arts & Crafts Movement on account of its fine fittings. These include
150-770: Is a street in Chelsea in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea , London. It runs parallel to Sloane Street and is accessed from Sloane Square in the southern end and Basil Street in the northern end. Following a consultation with the local community in the middle of 2015, Cadogan pledged to create a destination for independent, artisan traders behind the new George House development on Sloane Street. Established fashion and beauty boutiques were joined by new artisan food shops in November 2016. 51°29′49″N 0°9′35″W / 51.49694°N 0.15972°W / 51.49694; -0.15972 This London -related article
175-433: Is described as "a unique cluster of vitally important activities including central government offices, headquarters and embassies, the largest concentration of London's financial and business services sector and the offices of trade, professional bodies, institutions, associations, communications, publishing, advertising and the media". For strategic planning, since 2011 there has been a Central London sub-region comprising
200-591: Is the innermost part of London , in England , spanning the City of London and several boroughs . Over time, a number of definitions have been used to define the scope of Central London for statistics, urban planning and local government. Its characteristics are understood to include a high-density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally, nationally and internationally significant organisations and facilities. Road distances to London are traditionally measured from
225-731: The Herbert Commission and the subsequent passage of the London Government Bill , three unsuccessful attempts were made to define an area that would form a central London borough . The first two were detailed in the 1959 Memorandum of Evidence of the Greater London Group of the London School of Economics . "Scheme A" envisaged a central London borough, one of 25, consisting of the City of London, Westminster, Holborn, Finsbury and
250-685: The Law Courts , the head offices of a very large number of commercial and industrial firms, as well as institutions of great influence in the intellectual life of the nation such as the British Museum , the National Gallery , the Tate Gallery , the University of London , the headquarters of the national ballet and opera, together with the headquarters of many national associations, the great professions,
275-411: The 1961 census. It consisted of the City of London, all of Westminster, Holborn and Finsbury; and the inner parts of Shoreditch, Stepney, Bermondsey, Southwark, Lambeth, Chelsea, Kensington, Paddington, St Marylebone and St Pancras. The population was estimated to be 270,000. 51°30′N 0°08′W / 51.50°N 0.13°W / 51.50; -0.13 Pavilion Road Pavilion Road
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#1732844650236300-470: The City of London, the whole of Finsbury and Holborn, most of Westminster and Southwark, parts of St Pancras, St Marylebone, Paddington and a small part of Kensington. The area had an estimated population of 400,000 and occupied 8,000 acres (32 km ). During the passage of the London Government Bill an amendment was put forward to create a central borough corresponding to the definition used at
325-539: The Metropolis or in any provincial city, and the enormous office developments which have taken place recently constitute a totally new phenomenon. Starting in 2004, the London Plan defined a 'Central Activities Zone' policy area, which as of 2008 comprised the City of London, most of Westminster and the inner parts of Camden, Islington, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Southwark, Lambeth, Kensington & Chelsea and Wandsworth. It
350-484: The area has grown piecemeal, including in infill , under strict character and aesthetic demands of local urban planning . Elements of almost every street were reinstated, in similar style, after the London Blitz . In sociology, a small social class of London has since the 1980s been cast and to some extent outcast as Sloane Rangers or Sloanies, relatively young, underemployed and ostentatiously well-off members of
375-521: The boroughs of Camden , Islington , Kensington and Chelsea , Lambeth , Southwark , Westminster and the City of London . From 2004 to 2008, the London Plan included a sub-region called Central London comprising Camden, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Southwark, Wandsworth and Westminster. It had a 2001 population of 1,525,000. The sub-region was replaced in 2008 with a new structure which amalgamated inner and outer boroughs together. This
400-461: The centre of the square was constructed in 1953, designed by sculptor Gilbert Ledward . The fountain depicts Venus , and on the basin section of the fountain is a relief which depicts King Charles II and Nell Gwynn by the Thames , which was used in relation to a house located close by that Nell Gwynn had used. In 2006, David Lammy put forward a proposal to have the fountain grade II listed , which
425-648: The employee-owned John Lewis chain. The other is the Royal Court Theatre first opened in 1888 which was important for avant-garde theatre in the 1960s and 1970s when the home of the English Stage Company . 100m from the Square in Sloane Terrace, the former Christian Science Church was built in 1907 and converted in 2002 for concert hall use as Cadogan Hall . It is now one of London's leading classical music venues. In 2005 revised landscaping of
450-464: The firm Slater Moberly and Uren in 1936 and now a Grade II* listed building on account of its early curtain wall and modernist aesthetic, pioneering in the UK for a department store . The building was carefully restored 2003–2007 with internal upgrading in line with the original designs by John McAslan and Partners . This included making the three storey atrium full-height. Peter Jones now operates as part of
475-503: The inner parts of St Marylebone, St Pancras, Chelsea, Southwark and Lambeth. The boundary deviated from existing lines to include all central London railway stations , the Tower of London and the museums, such that it included small parts of Kensington, Shoreditch, Stepney and Bermondsey. It had an estimated population of 350,000 and occupied 7,000 acres (28 km ). "Scheme B" delineated central London, as one of 7 boroughs, including most of
500-646: The residential, neatly corniced and dressed façades of Sloane Street leading from the Victoria Embankment promenade to the small district of Knightsbridge . On the northern side of the square is the Sloane Square Hotel . Estates on all sides are made up of ornate, luxuriously furnished private apartments set behind railings — a minority of these remain combined to form large townhouses, primarily in amongst those of rows of not more than four storeys. Gothic, classical and Edwardian architecture mix;
525-570: The square was proposed, involving a change to the road layout to make it more pedestrian friendly. One option was to create a central crossroads and two open spaces in front of Peter Jones and the Royal Court. The pedestrian area leading to Pavilion Road now houses the flagship stores of many luxury brands including Brora and Links of London . This option was put out to consultation, and the results in April 2007 showed that over 65% of respondents preferred
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#1732844650236550-485: The trade unions, the trade associations, social service societies, as well as shopping centres and centres of entertainment which attract people from the whole of Greater London and farther afield. In many other respects the central area differs from areas farther out in London. The rateable value of the central area is exceptionally high. Its day population is very much larger than its night population. Its traffic problems reach an intensity not encountered anywhere else in
575-590: The upper classes who linguistically have their own evolving lexicon , sloane(y) speak, spoken in received pronunciation . Some are heavily engaged investors in charities, new businesses and the arts, particularly with the influx of and integration with young, wealthy, foreign-born Chelsea residents. The endurance of this class is reflected in an occasional dramatic work or fly on the wall documentary such as Made in Chelsea . The square has two notable buildings. Peter Jones department store designed by Reginald Uren of
600-413: Was altered in 2011 when a new Central London sub-region was created, now including the City of London and excluding Wandsworth. The 1901 Census defined Central London as the City of London and the metropolitan boroughs (subdivisions that existed from 1900 to 1965) of Bermondsey , Bethnal Green , Finsbury , Holborn , Shoreditch , Southwark , Stepney , St Marylebone and Westminster . During
625-704: Was successful. Also in the square, positioned slightly off-centre, is a stone cross that is known as Chelsea War Memorial . Made of Portland stone , and designed by an unknown architect, the cross has a capped head on a tapered shaft above a moulded three stage octagonal base. A large bronze sword is affixed to its west face. The cross is surmounted on a plinth which is inscribed with the following: INVICTIS PAX IN MEMORY OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF CHELSEA WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR MDCCCCXIV MDCCCCVIII AND MCMXXXIX MCMXLV THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY THEIR SOULS TO THEIR GOD. The monument has also been Grade II listed , since 2005. Central London Central London
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