Marylebone

MARYLEBONE BY COLIN PITT

First published 2020 Pembroke Publishers, Main Road, Hockley, Essex, SS5 4QY. © Colin Pitt 2020 The right of Colin Pitt to be identified as the Author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

Introduction Marylebone, one of London’s small Metropolitan Boroughs, amalgamated with Westminster and Paddington creating a newer, larger City of Westminster in 1965. Marylebone is home to many institutions including Lord’s Cricket Ground, Madam Tussaud’s and the BBC. Well-known churches include St. Mary, Marylebone Road and All Soul’s in Langham Place. Edgware Road began at the crossroads at Tyburn where a gallows operated in the centuries before Marble Arch was erected there. St. John’s Wood grew up around 1820 alongside a settlement called Portland Town with pretty houses, classical villas and Regent’s Park. This book takes a tour of the borough looking as well at some of the fascinating mews behind the grand houses and villas.

MARYLEBONE Chagford Street was known as New Street Mews until 1929. Bentley Motors produced cars from Chagford Street from 1912 to 1920. 4

MARYLEBONE Marylebone Town Hall (1914 - 1921) and Public Library (1939) were designed by Sir Edwin Cooper. 5

MARYLEBONE The Great Central Railway opened its London terminus in 1899, diesel powered trains have replaced the old steam locomotives. 6

MARYLEBONE Marathon House, ex Castrol House, at 174 Marylebone Road was built in 1960 by Gollings, Melvin, Ward and Partners. The fifteen storey building took advantage of the relaxation of 1950’s building restrictions that limited buildings to a height of 100 feet. 7

MARYLEBONE In choosing a parishoner as architect, the Vestry selected Thomas Hardwick of Berners Street. With St. John’s Wood Chapel well advanced Hardwick was appointed to design the New Road chapel in April 1813. Thomas Hardwick’s design went out to tender in June 1813 and the lowest bidder was Richard Wade. By June 1814 the Vestry decided Hardwick should aggrandize the chapel into a church. The final cost in 1817 was estimated at around £62,000. Sculptor Henry Westmacott was commissioned to model the capitals for the columns and pilasters. Consecration, originally scheduled for 31 December, took place on 4 February 1817. The public face of St. Mary towards Marylebone Road with an approach from the north was acquired when Nash’s York Gate was laid out. 8

MARYLEBONE Above the church and garden can be seen from the south-east. 9

MARYLEBONE St. Mary, Marylebone Road was built in 1813 by Thomas Hardwick. 10

MARYLEBONE The interior originally had two levels of galleries on three sides. The upper galleries on the north and south sides were removed in the late nineteenth century by Thomas Harris. 11

MARYLEBONE BY COLIN PITT A fascinating look at Marylebone including Baker Street, Madame Tussauds, the Wallace Collection, Marylebone Road, The Landmark Hotel, The Langham Hotel and All Souls, Langham Place as well as many of Marylebone’s hidden mews. PEMBROKE £14.99/$25.95 PUBLISHERS ISBN 978-1-901977-62-2 02595 9 781901 977622 Pembroke Publishers, Main Road, Hockley, Essex SS5 4QY. www.pembrokepublishers.co.uk 12