Black Squares Hub

Montpelier Square is a residential garden square located in Knightsbridge, London, within the City of Westminster. The buildings surrounding the square were constructed in the 19th century, featuring brickwork often covered with stucco. Many of these properties, particularly those facing the central garden, are designated Grade II listed buildings, recognizing their architectural and historical significance.

The square itself, excluding small porches, measures approximately 260 feet by 200 feet, with a central private garden covering 0.2 hectares. Historically, the area was part of Kensington Gore. In recent times, Montpelier Square has been recognized as a desirable location for influential figures, with a 2007 Evening Standard article highlighting it as a 'street of success' favored by corporate power brokers. Property values reflect its prestige, with average house prices reaching £8.2 million in 2018.

The homes encircling Montpelier Square were erected in the 19th century. Constructed primarily from brick, their facades are partially adorned with stucco. A significant portion of the buildings, specifically those directly overlooking the square, have been granted Grade II listed status within England's heritage designation system. This listing applies to all classical houses facing the square, including those that have been converted into apartments. The architectural merit of these properties, numbered from 1 to 17 and 17a to 43, is formally recognized on the National Heritage List for England. While the southern approach at 44 Montpelier Street is listed, numbers 44 to 47, forming the eastern approach, are not.

Montpelier Square has been home to a diverse array of notable individuals. In the late 19th century, writer Robert S. Hitchens resided there. The square later became associated with literary figures such as Arthur Koestler, who, along with his wife Cynthia, tragically died by suicide at No. 8 in 1983. Actress and dancer Leslie Caron was born at No. 29 in 1910, and in the 1960s, she lived at No. 31, a period famously captured in a TIME magazine article. The square also saw residents like actor Walter Lacey and architect Matthew Digby Wyatt in the mid-19th century. In 1856, associates of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, including Wilfred Heeley, William Morris, Edward Burne-Jones, and William Fulford, gathered and lodged at what is now No. 18. Writer Helen Cecelia Black visited Mrs. Lovett Cameron at her home there, documenting its interior. In the 1960s, No. 3 was the residence of Victor Lownes, known for hosting parties attended by figures like Christine Keeler, Roman Polanski, Stuart Whitman, and The Beatles. More recently, dancer Michael Flatley sold his property there in 2015.