Kings Road
Encyclopedia
King's Road or Kings Road, known popularly as The King's Road or The KR, is a major, well-known street stretching through Chelsea
and Fulham
, both in west London
, England
. It is traditionally associated with 1960s style
, and fashion figures such as Mary Quant
and Vivienne Westwood
.
, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
, from Sloane Square
in the east (on the border with Belgravia
and Knightsbridge
) and through the Moore Park estate on the border of Chelsea and Fulham
opposite Stamford Bridge
. Shortly after crossing Stanley bridge the road passes a slight kink at the junction with Waterford Road in Fulham
, where it then becomes New King's Road, continuing to Putney Bridge
; its western end is in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
.
to travel to Kew
. It remained a private royal road until 1830, but people with connections were able to use it. Some houses date from the early 18th century. Thomas Arne lived at No. 215 and is believed to have composed "Rule Britannia" there. Ellen Terry
lived in the same house from 1904–1920, and is commemorated by a blue plaque
. Photographer Christina Broom
was born in 1862 at No 8.
In 1876, the world's first artificial ice rink
, the Glaciarium
, opened just off King's Road, and later that year it relocated to a building on the street.
King's Road was home in the 1960s to the Chelsea Drugstore
(originally a chemist with a stylised chrome-and-neon soda fountain
upstairs, later a public house
, and more recently a McDonalds), and in the 1970s to Malcolm McLaren
's boutique
, Let It Rock, which was renamed SEX
in 1974, and then Seditionaries in 1977. During the hippie
and punk
eras, it was a centre for counterculture
, but has since been gentrified
. It serves as Chelsea's high street
and has a reputation for being one of London's most fashionable shopping streets. Other celebrated boutiques included Granny Takes a Trip
and Stop The Shop, a fashion boutique with a revolving floor.
484 King's Road was headquarters of Swan Song Records
, owned by Led Zeppelin
. They left following closure of the company in 1983. King's Road was site of the first UK branch of Starbucks
which opened in 1999.
The road has been represented in popular culture on various occasions: "King's Road" is the title of a song by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
from the 1981 album Hard Promises
and Ian Fleming's James Bond
lived in a trendy unnamed square just off King's Road.
The eastern part of the King's Road is identified in the London Plan
as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.
Tube
At the eastern end of the street is Sloane Square
, and Fulham Broadway
lies at the western end, on the boundary between Chelsea and Fulham. The King's Road, and the area of Chelsea as a whole, is known for having poor links to the London Underground
, however the proposed Chelsea-Hackney line
would rectify this with the construction of a new Chelsea tube station
.
Bus
Buses 11
, 19
, 22
, 49
, 211
, 319, 328
, and C3
all go down the King's Road, yet most of these turn off the street at one point or another. The 11 and the 22 are the only routes which run down the entirety of the King's Road, with the 22 being the only route that runs all the way from Sloane Square to the end of the New Kings Road in Fulham.
Rail
The western end of the King's Road is close to the newly opened Imperial Wharf railway station
on the London Overground
network, with connections to Willesden Junction and Clapham Junction
. Southern
also run direct rail services to and from this station.
River
Chelsea Harbour Pier
is also within easy reach of the western end of the King's Road, with river bus services provided by London River Services
and Thames Executive Charters
to Putney
and Blackfriars
. Further east, the same services are also provided at Cadogan Pier, only a few blocks south of the King's Road near the Albert Bridge
.
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
and Fulham
Fulham
Fulham is an area of southwest London in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, SW6 located south west of Charing Cross. It lies on the left bank of the Thames, between Putney and Chelsea. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
, both in west London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is traditionally associated with 1960s style
1960s in fashion
The 1960s featured a number of diverse trends. It was a decade that broke many fashion traditions, mirroring social movements during the period. In the middle of the decade, culottes, box-shaped PVC dresses and go-go boots were popular...
, and fashion figures such as Mary Quant
Mary Quant
Mary Quant OBE FCSD is a British] fashion designer and British fashion icon, who was instrumental in the mod fashion movement. She was one of the designers who took credit for inventing the miniskirt and hot pants. Born in Blackheath, London, to Welsh parents, Quant brought fun and fantasy to...
and Vivienne Westwood
Vivienne Westwood
Dame Vivienne Westwood, DBE, RDI is a British fashion designer and businesswoman, largely responsible for bringing modern punk and new wave fashions into the mainstream.-Early life:...
.
Location
King's Road runs for just under 2 miles (3.2 km) through ChelseaChelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is a central London borough of Royal borough status. After the City of Westminster, it is the wealthiest borough in England....
, from Sloane Square
Sloane Square
Sloane Square is a small hard-landscaped square on the boundaries of the fashionable London districts of Knightsbridge, Belgravia and Chelsea, located southwest of Charing Cross, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The square is part of the Hans Town area designed in 1771 by Henry...
in the east (on the border with Belgravia
Belgravia
Belgravia is a district of central London in the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Noted for its immensely expensive residential properties, it is one of the wealthiest districts in the world...
and Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge is a road which gives its name to an exclusive district lying to the west of central London. The road runs along the south side of Hyde Park, west from Hyde Park Corner, spanning the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea...
) and through the Moore Park estate on the border of Chelsea and Fulham
Fulham
Fulham is an area of southwest London in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, SW6 located south west of Charing Cross. It lies on the left bank of the Thames, between Putney and Chelsea. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
opposite Stamford Bridge
Stamford Bridge (stadium)
Stamford Bridge is a football stadium in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, West London, and is the home of Chelsea Football Club. The stadium is located within the Moore Park Estate also known as Walham Green and is often referred to as simply The Bridge...
. Shortly after crossing Stanley bridge the road passes a slight kink at the junction with Waterford Road in Fulham
Fulham
Fulham is an area of southwest London in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, SW6 located south west of Charing Cross. It lies on the left bank of the Thames, between Putney and Chelsea. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
, where it then becomes New King's Road, continuing to Putney Bridge
Putney Bridge
Putney Bridge is a bridge crossing of the River Thames in west London, linking Putney on the south side with Fulham to the north. Putney Bridge tube station is located near the north side of the bridge.-History:...
; its western end is in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham is a London borough in West London, and forms part of Inner London. Traversed by the east-west main roads of the A4 Great West Road and the A40 Westway, many international corporations have offices in the borough....
.
History
King's Road derives its name from its function as a private road used by Charles IICharles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
to travel to Kew
Kew
Kew is a place in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in South West London. Kew is best known for being the location of the Royal Botanic Gardens, now a World Heritage Site, which includes Kew Palace...
. It remained a private royal road until 1830, but people with connections were able to use it. Some houses date from the early 18th century. Thomas Arne lived at No. 215 and is believed to have composed "Rule Britannia" there. Ellen Terry
Ellen Terry
Dame Ellen Terry, GBE was an English stage actress who became the leading Shakespearean actress in Britain. Among the members of her famous family is her great nephew, John Gielgud....
lived in the same house from 1904–1920, and is commemorated by a blue plaque
Blue plaque
A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person or event, serving as a historical marker....
. Photographer Christina Broom
Christina Broom
Christina Broom was a British photographer, credited as "the UK's first female press photographer".-History:Born at 8 King's Road, Chelsea, London, the then-Christina Livingston married Albert Edward Broom in 1889...
was born in 1862 at No 8.
In 1876, the world's first artificial ice rink
Ice rink
An ice rink is a frozen body of water and/or hardened chemicals where people can skate or play winter sports. Besides recreational ice skating, some of its uses include ice hockey, figure skating and curling as well as exhibitions, contests and ice shows...
, the Glaciarium
Glaciarium
The Glaciarium was the world's first mechanically frozen ice rink.An item in the 8 May 1844 issue of Littell's Living Age headed "The Glaciarium" reports that "This establishment, which has been removed to Grafton street East' Tottenham-court-road [sic],was opened on Monday afternoon...
, opened just off King's Road, and later that year it relocated to a building on the street.
King's Road was home in the 1960s to the Chelsea Drugstore
Chelsea Drugstore
Opened in 1968, The Chelsea Drugstore was a sleek modern glass and aluminum fronted building on the northwest corner of Royal Avenue and the Kings Road, in west London. Modeled on Le Drugstore on Boulevard St Germain in Paris, the Chelsea Drugstore was arranged over three floors and on most days...
(originally a chemist with a stylised chrome-and-neon soda fountain
Soda fountain
A soda fountain is a device that dispenses carbonated drinks. They can be found in restaurants, concession stands and other locations such as convenience stores...
upstairs, later a public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
, and more recently a McDonalds), and in the 1970s to Malcolm McLaren
Malcolm McLaren
Malcolm Robert Andrew McLaren was an English performer, impresario, self-publicist and manager of the Sex Pistols and the New York Dolls...
's boutique
Boutique
A boutique is a small shopping outlet, especially one that specializes in elite and fashionable items such as clothing and jewelry. The word is French for "shop", via Latin from Greek ἀποθήκη , "storehouse"....
, Let It Rock, which was renamed SEX
SEX (boutique)
SEX was a boutique run by Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood at 430 King's Road, London between 1974 and 1976. It specialized in clothing that defined the look of the punk movement.-History:...
in 1974, and then Seditionaries in 1977. During the hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
and punk
Punk subculture
The punk subculture includes a diverse array of ideologies, and forms of expression, including fashion, visual art, dance, literature, and film, which grew out of punk rock.-History:...
eras, it was a centre for counterculture
Counterculture
Counterculture is a sociological term used to describe the values and norms of behavior of a cultural group, or subculture, that run counter to those of the social mainstream of the day, the cultural equivalent of political opposition. Counterculture can also be described as a group whose behavior...
, but has since been gentrified
Gentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
. It serves as Chelsea's high street
High Street
High Street, or the High Street, is a metonym for the generic name of the primary business street of towns or cities, especially in the United Kingdom. It is usually a focal point for shops and retailers in city centres, and is most often used in reference to retailing...
and has a reputation for being one of London's most fashionable shopping streets. Other celebrated boutiques included Granny Takes a Trip
Granny Takes a Trip
Granny Takes a Trip was a boutique opened in February 1966 at 488 Kings Road, Chelsea, London, by Nigel Waymouth, his girlfriend Sheila Cohen and John Pearse...
and Stop The Shop, a fashion boutique with a revolving floor.
484 King's Road was headquarters of Swan Song Records
Swan Song Records
Swan Song Records was a record label launched by the English rock band Led Zeppelin on 10 May 1974. It was overseen by Led Zeppelin's manager Peter Grant and was a vehicle for the band to promote its own products as well as sign artists who found it difficult to win contracts with other major labels...
, owned by Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
. They left following closure of the company in 1983. King's Road was site of the first UK branch of Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
which opened in 1999.
The road has been represented in popular culture on various occasions: "King's Road" is the title of a song by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers are an American rock band from Gainesville, Florida. They were formed in 1976 by Tom Petty , Mike Campbell , Benmont Tench , , Ron Blair and Stan Lynch...
from the 1981 album Hard Promises
Hard Promises
Hard Promises is the fourth album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers released in May, 1981. Its original working title was Benmont's Revenge...
and Ian Fleming's James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
lived in a trendy unnamed square just off King's Road.
Planning and Transport
PlanningThe eastern part of the King's Road is identified in the London Plan
London Plan
The London Plan is a planning document written by the Mayor of London, England in the United Kingdom and published by the Greater London Authority. The plan was first published in final form on 10 February 2004 and has since been amended. The current version was published in February 2008...
as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.
Tube
At the eastern end of the street is Sloane Square
Sloane Square tube station
Sloane Square is a London Underground station in Sloane Square, in the Chelsea district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is served by the District and Circle Lines and is between South Kensington and Victoria. It is in Travelcard Zone 1....
, and Fulham Broadway
Fulham Broadway tube station
Fulham Broadway is a London Underground station on the branch of the District Line. It is between and stations and is in Travelcard Zone 2. The station is located on Fulham Broadway . It is notable as the nearest station to Stamford Bridge stadium, the home of Chelsea Football Club...
lies at the western end, on the boundary between Chelsea and Fulham. The King's Road, and the area of Chelsea as a whole, is known for having poor links to the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
, however the proposed Chelsea-Hackney line
Chelsea-Hackney Line
The Chelsea–Hackney line is a safeguarded route for an underground railway running from south-west London to north-east London...
would rectify this with the construction of a new Chelsea tube station
Chelsea tube station
Chelsea tube station is a proposed station on the Chelsea-Hackney line . Alternative names for the station are Kings Road , Chelsea Kings Road or simply Kings Road....
.
Bus
Buses 11
London Buses route 11
London Buses route 11 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Go-Ahead London.-History:...
, 19
London Buses route 19
London Buses route 19 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Arriva London.-History:...
, 22
London Buses route 22
London Buses route 22 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Go-Ahead London.-History:...
, 49
London Buses route 49
London Buses route 49 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to London United.-History:Route 49 is a long standing route, once running as far as Crystal Palace...
, 211
London Buses route 211
London Buses route 211 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Abellio London.-History:...
, 319, 328
London Buses route 328
London Buses route 328 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to First Centrewest.-History:...
, and C3
London Buses route C3
London Buses route C3 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Abellio London.-History:...
all go down the King's Road, yet most of these turn off the street at one point or another. The 11 and the 22 are the only routes which run down the entirety of the King's Road, with the 22 being the only route that runs all the way from Sloane Square to the end of the New Kings Road in Fulham.
Rail
The western end of the King's Road is close to the newly opened Imperial Wharf railway station
Imperial Wharf railway station
Imperial Wharf is a railway station in Fulham, near to the boundary with Chelsea in west London on the West London Line. The station is between and stations and services are provided by London Overground and Southern....
on the London Overground
London Overground
London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
network, with connections to Willesden Junction and Clapham Junction
Clapham Junction railway station
Clapham Junction railway station is near St John's Hill in the south-west of Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth. Although it is in Battersea, the area around the station is commonly identified as Clapham Junction....
. Southern
Southern (train operating company)
Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service...
also run direct rail services to and from this station.
River
Chelsea Harbour Pier
Chelsea Harbour Pier
Chelsea Harbour Pier is a pier on the River Thames, in London, United Kingdom. It is located on the North Bank of the Thames, in the Sands End area of Chelsea...
is also within easy reach of the western end of the King's Road, with river bus services provided by London River Services
London River Services
London River Services is a division of Transport for London , which manages passenger transport on the River Thames in London, UK. They do not own or operate any boats but license the services of other operators...
and Thames Executive Charters
Thames Executive Charters
Thames Executive Charters is a river boat company which provides river bus services and cruises on the River Thames in London, United Kingdom. The company also provides private charters with on-board catering and entertainment...
to Putney
Putney Pier
Putney Pier is located on Putney Embankment just to the West of Putney Bridge on the River Thames in London, United Kingdom.The pier is owned and operated by Livett's Launches and it is right at the start of the famous Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Race.There is a commuter service operated...
and Blackfriars
Blackfriars Millennium Pier
Blackfriars Millennium Pier is a pier on the River Thames, in the Blackfriars area of London, United Kingdom. It is served by boats operating under licence from London River Services and is situated on the north bank of the Thames, adjacent to Blackfriars Bridge.The pier is located almost directly...
. Further east, the same services are also provided at Cadogan Pier, only a few blocks south of the King's Road near the Albert Bridge
Albert Bridge, London
Albert Bridge is a Grade II* listed road bridge over the River Thames in West London, connecting Chelsea on the north bank to Battersea on the south bank...
.
See also
- King's HighwayKing's HighwayKing's Highway or Kings Highway may refer to:* King's Highway an ancient trade route from Egypt to Syria* Kings Highway , Australia* King's Highway , United States* King's Highway King's Highway or Kings Highway may refer to:* King's Highway (ancient) an ancient trade route from Egypt to Syria*...
- Sloane RangerSloane RangerThe term Sloane Ranger refers to a stereotype in the UK of young, upper class or upper-middle-class women, or men who share distinctive and common lifestyle traits...
- World's End, Chelsea
- List of eponymous roads in London