Sloane Square is one of London’s most glamorous destinations for shopping, culture and dining…or just watching the world go by.
Before 1777 there was no Sloane Square or Sloane Street and the King’s Road was a private road accessible only to the monarch and his entourage. Travelling to and around Chelsea was very difficult and a huge inhibition to development. A traveller wanting to get from Knightsbridge to the Kings Road, a distance of about ¾ of a mile (as the crow flies) would have to trudge across a patchwork of fields. And that’s if they dared to go at all. The route would take them dangerously close to the infamous Five Fields area to the east (a marshy no man’s land, renowned for highwayman and brigands).
This picture all changed with Henry Holland’s trend setting Hans Town development in the latter part of the 18th century. He created Sloane Square at its hub – the intersection of the King’s Road with a new road in Sloane Street which connected Chelsea to Knightsbridge, and laid out the surrounding streets. Sloane Square has evolved hugely since then, however it maintains its status as the bustling hub of this stylish area.
Fast becoming a buzzing fashion destination in its own right, the flagship stores on Sloane Square now include Rag & Bone, Club Monaco, Hugo Boss and the iconic department store Peter Jones.