thumb|325px|Lancaster Gate in 1866.

Lancaster Gate is a mid-19th century development in the Bayswater district of central London, immediately to the north of Kensington Gardens.

History

It consists of two long terraces of houses overlooking the park, with a wide gap between them opening onto a square containing a church. Further terraces back onto the pair overlooking the park and loop around the square. Until 1865 the terraces were known as Upper Hyde Park Gardens, with the name Lancaster Gate limited to the square surrounding the church. The development takes its name from Lancaster Gate, a nearby entrance to Kensington Gardens, itself named in honour of Queen Victoria as Duke of Lancaster.

The terraces are stuccoed and are in an eclectic classical style featuring English Baroque details and French touches. The last service in the church was on 6 March 1977, and demolition began on 15 August 1977; only the tower and spire survive. The rest of the building was replaced by a housing scheme called Spire House in 1983. The terraces overlooking the park were designed by Sancton Wood and those around the square by John Johnson.

Lancaster Gate is also an electoral ward of Westminster City Council. The population at the 2011 Census was 13,195.

<gallery class="center" widths="250px" heights="225px">

File:Paddington Met. B Ward Map 1916.svg|A map showing the Lancaster Gate wards of the Metropolitan Borough of Paddington as they appeared in 1916.

File:Lancaster Gate 2.jpg|The Lancaster Gate of Kensington Gardens

File:Spire House (formerly Christ Church, Lancaster Gate) front (= South face).jpg|South face of Spire House (formerly Christ Church, Lancaster Gate)

File:London - Lancaster Gate - View South on Spire House 1983 (former Christ Church).jpg|Spire House

File:London - Lancaster Gate - View North on statue & former Christ Church Spire.jpg|Memorial to Reginald Brabazon, 12th Earl of Meath (South face), artist Joseph Hermon Cawthra, (Spire House in background)

File:Brabazon memorial Lancaster Gate, portrait and main inscription.jpg|Meath memorial, detail of bas-relief portrait and main inscription

File:Back (North side) of Brabazon memorial, Lancaster Gate.jpg|Back (North face) of Meath memorial, showing view of Kensington Gardens to the south

File:Brabazon (Meath) memorial, Lancaster Gate, West face.jpg|West face of Meath memorial (viewer facing east).Inscription reads "Duty, Sympathy, Self-Sacrifice"</gallery>

See also

  • Craven Hill Gardens
  • Douglas House
  • Lancaster Gate tube station
  • Leinster Gardens

References

Notes

Bibliography

  • Cherry, Bridget and Pevsner, Nikolaus (1999) The Buildings of England. London 3: North West London: Penguin
  • Lancaster Gate Guide