Park Crescent, London
{{Other uses|Park Crescent (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox historic site
| name = Park Crescent
| image = The west curve of Park Crescent, London - geograph.org.uk - 1524047.jpg
| caption = Much of the north-to-west facing façade of the east half of the crescent in 2009
| type = Protected architecture
| locmapin = United Kingdom London Westminster
| coordinates =
| location = south of Regent's Park.
| built = 1812-1821
| architect = John Nash
| architecture = Regency architecture
| owner = Crown Estate
| designation1 = Grade I listed building
| designation1_offname = 98, Portland Place W1
8-14, Park Crescent W1
1-6, Park Crescent W1
| designation1_date = 5 February 1970
| designation1_number = 1225956
| designation2 = Grade I listed building
| designation2_offname = Numbers 18 to 26 (including the former Number 27)
| designation2_date = 10 September 1954
| designation2_number = 1225959
| designation3 = Grade II listed building
| designation3_offname = East Lodge in Corner of Crescent Gardens
| designation3_date = 5 February 1970
| designation3_number = 1225957
| designation4 = Grade II listed building
| designation4_offname = West Lodge in Corner of Crescent Gardens
| designation4_date = 5 February 1970
| designation4_number = 1225960
| designation5 = Grade II listed building
| designation5_offname = Railings around Crescent Gardens
| designation5_date = 5 February 1970
| designation5_number = 1225961
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2015}}
Park Crescent is at the north end of Portland Place and south of Marylebone Road in London. The crescent consists of elegant stuccoed terraced houses by the architect John Nash, which form a semicircle. The crescent is part of Nash's and wider town-planning visions of Roman-inspired imperial West End approaches to Regent's Park. It was originally conceived as a circus (circle) to be named Regent's Circus but instead Park Square was built to the north. The only buildings on the Regent's Park side of the square are small garden buildings, enabling higher floors of the Park Crescent buildings to have a longer, green northern view.
It was built under the patronage of the Prince Regent. As the freeholder, the Crown Estate co-organises repairs, maintains the gardens and has a minor, overarching interest, entitled to lease renewal premiums and any agreed ground rents.{{Cite press release |title=Great Capital Partnership sells... |date=June 2013 |url=https://www.gpe.co.uk/news-media/news/2013/great-capital-partnership-sells-park-crescent-west-for-105-million/}}
Both terraces and the communal garden have statutory protection in the highest, rarest categories. This is Grade I listed status: on the National Heritage List for England and on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens (as part of Regent's Park).{{NHLE|num=1225956|desc=98, Portland Place W1, 8-14, Park Crescent W1, 1-6, Park Crescent W1|access-date=2 November 2018|mode=cs2}}{{NHLE|num=1225959|desc=Numbers 18 to 26 (including the former Number 27)|access-date=2 November 2018|mode=cs2}}{{NHLE|num=1000246|desc=Regent's Park|access-date=2 November 2018|mode=cs2}}
History
At an early stage, Nash proposed the construction of a "circus" (meaning a circular development), entailing another crescent to the north, but Park Square was constructed instead.
Work on Park Crescent started in 1806, but in the difficult economic conditions of the Napoleonic Wars, the builder Charles Mayor went bankrupt after six houses had been built. It was completed only in 1819 to 1821.page 183, John Nash A complete catalogue, Michael Mansbridge, 1991, Phaidon Press Famous residents in the nineteenth century included Lord Lister, who, prior to his elevation to the peerage was created a baronet, of Park Crescent in the Parish of St Marylebone in the County of Middlesex.{{London Gazette |issue=25300 |date=28 December 1883 |page=6687 }}
The interiors of the buildings have been completely rebuilt. After the Second World War, Park Crescent was in poor condition (as were other Nash terraces near Regent's Park). The Gorell Report on the future of the Regent's Park terraces recommended that the facades of Park Crescent should be saved.{{Cite web |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/lords/1957/aug/01/nash-terraces-around-regents-park |title=NASH TERRACES around Regent´s Park |work=Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) |year=1957}} In an example of facadism, they were restored in the 1960s, when the leases came up for renewal, and they are protected as grade I listed buildings. However, behind the curve of the crescent, the Crown Estate built new structures, sometimes for office rather than residential use. As a result of the listed status of the facade, interior features which are visible from the street, such as light fittings, have to respect the Regency design of the facade.
The complex has been fully rebuilt according to the design of Nash's original facade, replacing the 1960s restoration, which has been regarded as botched.{{Cite web |last=Birch2021-04-16T05:00:00+01:00 |first=Amanda |title=Ahead of the curve: Park Crescent rebuilt |url=https://www.building.co.uk/focus/ahead-of-the-curve-park-crescent-rebuilt/5111295.article |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=Building |language=en}}
The Crescent has housed institutions such as International Students House, London and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators. However, there has been a trend back to residential use. Many of the houses are now converted into expensive flats.[http://www.houseprices.co.uk/park-crescent-london-w1/ Park Crescent, London W1 — House prices].
Garden
The semicircle is divided into two halves by Portland Place. Between the arms of the crescent is a private garden, which is recognised as being of historic interest. (The Register of Parks and Gardens entry for Regent's Park was amended in November 2008 to include Park Crescent and Park Square).{{Cite web |url= http://www.londongardensonline.org.uk/gardens-online-record.asp?ID=WST077 |title=Park Crescent |website=London Gardens Online}}
The garden is opened each year as part of the London Open Garden Squares Weekend, an initiative of the London Parks & Gardens Trust.
The east and west lodges of the garden facing the Marylebone Road are listed Grade II.{{NHLE|num=1225957|desc=East Lodge in Corner of Crescent Gardens|access-date=2 November 2018|mode=cs2}}{{NHLE|num=1225960|desc=East Lodge in Corner of Crescent Gardens|access-date=2 November 2018|mode=cs2}} The railings around the garden are also listed Grade II, as is the cattle trough opposite No. 14 Park Crescent.{{NHLE|num=1225961|desc=Railings around Crescent Gardens|access-date=2 November 2018|mode=cs2}}{{NHLE|num=1225958|desc=Cattle trough on gardenside pavement, opposite number 14|access-date=2 November 2018|mode=cs2}}
Statue
{{Main|Statue of the Duke of Kent}}
File:Park Crescent, London, March 2016 01.jpg (1824) by Sebastian Gahagan.]]
Just inside the garden railings, facing the top of Portland Place, is a bronze statue of Queen Victoria's father, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn.[http://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/prince-edward-duke-of-kent Statue: Prince Edward Duke of Kent], London remembers website Sculpted by Sebastian Gahagan and installed in January 1824, the statue is seven feet two inches tall and represents the Duke in his Field Marshal's uniform, over which he wears his ducal dress and the regalia of the Order of the Garter.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7oUNAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA50|page=50|title=Lives & Portraits of Public Characters |volume= 3 |publisher=J. Cumberland|year=1828|location=London}}
Related structures
=Mews=
There are mews behind the crescent; Park Crescent Mews East and West.
=Subterranean structures=
- A large ice house predates the crescent.{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/dec/28/chilling-discovery-archaeologists-uncover-lost-ice-house-under-london-street |title=Chilling discovery: ice house |last=Addley |first=Esther |date=December 2018}}
- An unusual and original local feature is the "Nursemaids' Tunnel", an early example of an underpass, linking the gardens of Park Crescent to the gardens of Park Square on the other side of Marylebone Road.[http://www.opensquares.org/detail/ParkSq.html Park Square NW1] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180302013635/http://www.opensquares.org/detail/ParkSq.html |date=2 March 2018 }}, [http://www.opensquares.org/ Open Garden Squares].
- Regent's Park tube station has two ramps/stairs but a sole entrance, on the Marylebone Road side of the garden.
File:Plan for Portland Place and Regent's Circus, 1814.jpg|Regent's Circus (top) as originally conceived in 1814.
File:The Crescent, Portland Place, Rudolph Ackermann 1822.jpg|Painting showing an old name: The Crescent, Portland Place by Rudolph Ackermann, 1822.
File:Statue of The Duke of Kent, Park Crescent - geograph.org.uk - 1268877.jpg|Statue cast in 1824 of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent by Sebastian Gahagan.
File:St Marylebone Met. B Ward Map 1916.svg|A map showing the Park Crescent ward of St Marylebone Metropolitan Borough as it appeared in 1916; note re-warding was intended as a regularly-changing demographic action, for roughly equal apportionment of voters, so each has a fair total of voters or residents to councillors. For a few, London's are turned to for self-identity, rivalling postcodes, the original Anglican parish scheme, key amenities such as Tube stations or similar zones of housing; but they can be completely redrawn and renamed.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Park Crescent, London}}
{{Coord|51.5229|N|0.1462|W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=title|format=dms}}
- https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/unbuilt-london-the-regents-circus-19275/
{{Authority control}}
Category:Crescents (architecture)
Category:Garden squares in London
Category:Georgian architecture in the City of Westminster
Category:Grade I listed buildings in the City of Westminster
Category:Grade I listed houses in London
Category:Grade I listed parks and gardens in London
Category:Houses completed in 1821
Category:John Nash (architect) buildings