23-24 Leinster Gardens, London’s Fake Houses
In the streets close to Bayswater tube station you can admire row upon row of Victorian, stucco terraces. But 23 & 24 Leinster Gardens hold a sneaky surprise. They are London’s fake houses!
History of Leinster Gardens
Leinster Gardens was laid out around 1855 and the whole terrace from no.s 19-48 (including the fake houses!) are Grade II listed.
As we can see from the 1828 C and J Greenwood map below, the whole area was fairly rural before housing started popping up.
However, no sooner had this delightful white terrace appeared, there was a problem.
In 1868 the steam-operated Metropolitan Railway was busy working on a western extension. Ploughing through Bayswater, Notting Hill and Kensington.
Five years earlier, in 1863 the Metropolitan Line between Paddington and Farringdon had become the world’s first urban underground railway.
Forget the underground tunnel boring machines of modern infrastructure, the Victorian method was “cut and cover”. This involved excavated huge trenches (13m deep) through the land, laying tracks and then building brick walls and arches over the top.
You can get an idea of the devastation from this print held in the London Transport Museum Collection. It shows construction work on the Metropolitan Line close to Kings Cross.
You can get an idea of the issues facing the Metropolitan Line by looking at this OS map from the 1890s. I’ve outlined the railways tracks in orange so you can appreciate just how doggedly they plough through the area. I’ve circled the location of no.s 23 and 24 in yellow.
As you can imagine, huge compensation payments were issued for the destruction of properties. However, on Leinster Gardens (as well as a payout) and ingenious solution was found for the disruptive railway.
Not wanting to interrupt the clean lines of the terrace, the Metropolitan Railway simply constructed fake houses.
Facing the street is a thin (only 1.5m thick!) facade that’s hiding in plain sight.
It’s easy to miss the fake houses from Leinster Gardens (the only clue something is awry being the blocked out windows and no letter boxes!)
But if you head around the back to Porchester Terrace, it’s rather more obvious.
Peer over the brick wall and you can appreciate the thin facade, propped up by metal supports.
You can find these gaps periodically popping up along inner London railway lines, allowing ventilation for the steam-powered engines.
Today trains still run along the tracks, now part of the Circle and District lines.
London’s fake houses can be found at 23-24 Leinster Gardens and the gap can be admired at along Porchester Terrace.
A great bit of Victorian problem-solving I say! (But I would also love to know how much was paid for the demolition!)
Latest Blog Posts
It’s no surprise that people fail to appreciate Palladium House. Standing opposite the glorious facade of Liberty’s, the majority of people take photos of that wonderful black and white entrance. Now, this isn’t to say that Liberty doesn’t have its own historic credentials (you can......
In the streets close to Bayswater tube station you can admire row upon row of Victorian, stucco terraces. But 23 & 24 Leinster Gardens hold a sneaky surprise. They are London’s fake houses! History of Leinster Gardens Leinster Gardens was laid out around 1855 and......
On the wall of St Paul’s Knightsbridge, there’s a surprising war memorial where all the names are women. It remembers the members of the Women’s Transport Service (later known as FANY). History of FANY The First Aid Nursing Yeomanry was founded back in 1907. It......
Set back from busy Oxford Street is Stratford Place and at the very end you can find Stratford House, the beautiful building that’s now home to the Oriental Club. The club has only been here since 1962 but the history of the building (and the......
Along the busy Wandsworth High Street it’s easy to miss this small brick building. Even if you do take a moment to appreciate the ‘Society of Friends’ sign, you might not realise quite how historic a building it is. Built in 1778, this is the......
Just under two miles away from Battersea Power Station is Lots Road Power Station. Not quite as famous perhaps, but this fascinating place is currently undergoing its own major renovation. Derelict since 2002, It’s being transformed into Powerhouse, a luxury residential address complete with riverside......
Heather Sutton
Kate what a wonderful history of the fake houses at Porchester Terrace and the Circle/Metropolitan Line. Will view these facades with a different look now..
Heather Sutton.
Jane Burnett
Demolition costs, restructuring costs, definitely
an interesting question. Compensation to the neighbours either side? I wonder. Also wondering how the current residents feel as the trains rumble past.
Once again, you have provided a wonderfully interesting story to read!😊