The area originated as a Saxon and medieval settlement in the manor of Lillestone close to the Roman Watling Street. It was described as a hamlet in the Domesday book of 1086, centred around Bell Lane (now Bell Street). Part of the area was developed by the Portman Estate after they acquired the land in 1553. Lisson Green, formerly north of Bell Street, was mentioned by Samuel Pepys in his diaries in 1666. New Road (now MaryIebone Road) first proposed in 1755, opened to traffic in 1757. The urbanisation of Lisson Green was complete by 1836, including the erection of Christ Church, Cosway Street in 1824-5 designed by Thomas Hardwick and completed by his son Philip. Other remnants include No. 6 Rossmore Road (c.1800) and Nos. 99-101 Ashmill Street (c. 1820-30). In Victorian times the area evolved as a residential area for those ‘in service’ as well as attracting artists and writers.
The land-use character of the area is predominantly residential with retail uses at street level in Bell Street and Lisson Grove, education buildings to the west of Cosway Street and the Nightingale Hospital in Lisson Grove.
The area grew up as part of the outward expansion of London, principally as a result of development of the Portman Estate. Much of the area was subsequently redeveloped, evolving a pattern of straight terraces interspersed by larger monolithic buildings. In Harewood Avenue, a typical terrace of stock brick with stucco dressings complements the buildings facing Broadley Terrace arid Rossmore Road. St Edward’s Convent to the south, is a large mid-nineteenth century Gothic building arranged around a courtyard and faced in ragstone under a state roof. Bell Street includes a number of Victorian terraces with shop units on the ground floor and, at No. 52, a bold modern art gallery by Tony Fretton completed in 1991.
Streets of the City of Westminster