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MARYLEBONE

A Brief History

‘Bourne’ was Saxon for ‘brook’, and the area became known as St Mary-le-bourne. The church is gone but the Tyburn’s route can be traced by the contours of Marylebone Lane. In the 14th century, the Middlesex Gallows, or Tyburn Tree, was erected near what is now Marble Arch and, for 400 years, the area was known as a place of execution.

Marylebone Property

A great example of urban village living, Marylebone’s charm owes much to its Georgian ‘grid-style’ layout, stunning period architecture and highly desirable garden squares. Away from the hustle and bustle of the West End, this quiet enclave represents a unique environment.

Luminaries

The poet Lord Byron was born here in 1788 (behind where John Lewis now stands) and Admiral Lord Nelson had several Marylebone addresses at around the same time. Charles Dickens at a home in Devonshire Terrace where he lived for 11 years from 1839. [Sir] Paul McCartney wrote the Beatles’ classic, ‘Yesterday’, in his attic room at 57 Wimpole Street, in 1965. More recently, pop celebs such as Madonna and Noel Gallagher have bought homes here.

Marylebone is family friendly and, with Regent’s Park on the doorstep, locals can enjoy Regent’s Park’s extensive sporting facilities, including tennis, cricket, football, rugby and athletics, as well as the boating lake and the Open Air Theatre. Marylebone’s central location means that residents have easy access to London’s best shops, services, restaurants and theatres, and can enjoy excellent transport links across town to the City and beyond.

What’s On

Where to start? Well, the private members’ club Home House is probably the perfect place to meet friends and colleagues. It was built as a ‘palace of entertainment’ in the 18th century and has served the purpose well ever since. Equally exclusive – but open to everyone – is the Wallace Collection, a museum which houses one of the world’s finest collections of fine and decorative arts, assembled principally by the Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace. Marylebone has strong musical connections, too, and you can be sure of the highest standard of performance at both the Royal Academy of Music and the Wigmore Hall. Everyman Baker Street is the local cinema – and look out for the Marylebone Village Summer Fayre in June, which is always a fun day.

Schools

Popular schools include Wetherby Preparatory School, Wetherby Senior School, Queen’s College Preparatory School, King Solomon Academy, St Marylebone C of E School, St Vincent’s Catholic Primary, Hampden Gurney C of E Primary, St Mary’s Bryanston Square C of E Primary, Marylebone Village Nursery School, Great Beginnings Montessori Nursery School, and Hope Montessori Nursery. The specialist performing arts school, Sylvia Young Theatre School, offers high-level academic and vocational studies and has taught celebrities such as Amy Winehouse and Rita Ora.