Area Spotlight – Holland Park

By Mountgrange Heritage March 2024

Holland Park, W8

As an area Holland Park has the beautiful park itself at its heart which is the lifeblood of the local community.  The shops and cafes on Holland Park Avenue and Clarendon Cross provide a true village feel with the legendary Lidgate’s butcher shop, Speck delicatessen and Nicolas French wine merchant being the trio of our absolute go-tos. Colloquially referred to as ‘Millionaire’s Row’, Holland Park is among the most expensive residential areas with treelined streets of Victorian villas in London and residents include the Beckhams and Robbie Williams and is home to the embassies of several countries including Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Greece, Jordan, Russia and Lebanon.

Holland Park & Japanese Kyoto Garden

Waterfall long exposure with maple trees and bridge in Kyoto Japanese green Garden in Holland Park green summer zen lake pond water in London, UK

Holland Park is spread across 54 acres of what used to be the grounds of Cope Castle, a large Jacobean mansion hidden in the woods. Sir Walter Cope built it in the early 17th century. He became Chancellor of the Exchequer under King James 1. It was renamed Holland House after the Earl of Holland’s wife Lady Rich inherited the property. Holland House was badly damaged during World War II. One wing was saved and is used as a youth hostel. A section of the front terrace was saved. This is used for the park’s summertime open-air theatre productions and classical concerts.

The Kyoto Garden was designed and built by an eminent Japanese Garden designer and his team. It was created to celebrate the Japan Festival in London in 1992. Holland Park is the Royal Borough’s largest park. It has 22.5 hectares of gardens, children’s play facilities, sports areas, a cafeteria and large areas of woodland abundant with wildlife

Holland Park is also the base of the Royal Borough’s Ecology Service. The Ecology Centre at Holland Park runs a series of events, activities and educational visits for schools as well as a wildlife club for children.

Restaurants and Pubs


Explore the culinary delights of Holland Park, where you’ll find an array of eateries and pubs offering diverse options, like the upscale British cuisine of The Belvedere and the traditional pub fare of The Mitre.

Opera Holland Park


Surrounded by the beautiful formal gardens and wilded woodlands of Holland Park the canopied open-air auditorium is the perfect place to enjoy critically acclaimed opera in the heart of London. 

operahollandpark.com

Culture


Shops

Education

Holland Park School: An outstanding state secondary school, providing exceptional education and opportunities for its students.

Norland Place School: Renowned for its outstanding primary education, Norland Place School nurtures young minds and fosters a love of learning.

Miss Delaney’s Nursery School: A legendary nursery school with a rich history of providing a nurturing environment for young children to learn and grow.