What you need to know about Earl's Court
Earl's Court is located between South Kensington, the Boltons, and Abingdon, forming part of the southern element of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The West London line separates Earl's Court from the borough of Fulham and Chelsea to the south. The area once housed pleasure grounds of the same name and the Earl's Court Exhibition Centre, which was a popular venue until it was finally closed in 2014.
In 2020, properties in Earl's Court commanded an average price of £1,286,640, making it the most affordable area in the borough. Flats accounted for the majority of properties sold in the area, reaching £1,016,734 on average. Terraced properties in Earls Court averaged £3,392,692, with semi-detached properties reaching an average price of £8,650,000.
Property prices in Earl's Court have decreased by 5% since 2019, which means they are now similar to the previous peak seen in 2018 when the average property fetched £1,277,456.
What is living in Earl's Court like?
As Earl's Court is located within walking distance of the likes of Kensington High Street, Hyde Park, the V&A Museum, Kensington Gardens, the Royal Albert Hall, and Holland Park, many view the area as an attractive place to put down roots.
It is a relatively small neighbourhood, which contributes to the community feel that sets it apart from the hustle and bustle that can be experienced in other parts of the capital. Notably, Earl's Court has a flourishing restaurant and bar scene as well as being home to an array of eateries, cafés, and delicatessens which means that there truly is something for everyone here.
Property in the area is varied and includes everything from luxury apartments to leafy residential streets. Earl's Court is also home to many garden squares, including Whetherby Gardens, Bolton Gardens, and Earl's Court Square which was created in 1872 and consists of stuccoed terraced and Jacobean Revival style properties. In 1975, the Square was awarded conservation area status. There are also a variety of notable mews, including Hesper Mews, Spear Mews, and Old Manor Yard.
Living in Earl's Court pros and cons
Pro: Rich history
Throughout the 20th century, Earl's Court was known for being the home of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, the London Electronics College, and the Royal Ballet School. Earl's Court Square was also home to the Poetry Society which saw the unfolding of the 'Battle of Earl's Court' which saw modernist and traditionalist poets fight for British poetry's future.
There are an array of blue plaques adorning the walls of buildings in Earl's Court, showcasing the range of notable figures who have resided in the area over the decades. Children's author and naturalist Beatrix Potter has a plaque on the site close to where her home stood before World War II bombing destroyed it. A plaque dedicated to renowned writer Agatha Christie can be seen in Cresswell Place, and Alfred Hitchcock's plaque can be spotted on the wall of 153 Cromwell Road.
Con: ULEZ
Earl's Court is within the ULEZ zone, which was implemented to reduce air pollution in the city. Vehicles that do not conform to ULEZ emissions guidelines will be subject to a daily charge of £12.50.
Conversely, owners of electric vehicles will be pleased to learn that there are numerous on-street charging points across the Earl's Court area provided by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
Pro: Transport connections
There are three London Underground stations in the Earl's Court area. Earl's Court tube station is served by the Piccadilly and District lines which facilitate connectivity to the likes of Upminster and Piccadilly Circus. Gloucester Road tube station is served by the Piccadilly, District and Circle lines, the latter of which runs from Hammersmith to Edgware Road. West Brompton station is served by the Wimbledon branch of the District line as well as the London Overground. Paddington Station can be reached in under 15 minutes and travellers can arrive at Heathrow airport in a little over half an hour.
There are several bus routes running through Earl's Court, including the C3, 74, and 328, which make travel to Victoria, Baker Street, and Clapham Junction a breeze. Earl's Court Road is a one-way arterial road running southward. Warwick Road runs northward, and the Cromwell Road facilitates the movement of traffic between central London to Heathrow Airport.
Pro: Excellent schools
Earl's Court is popular among young families because of its close proximity to several schools that have secured coveted 'Outstanding' Ofsted ratings. These include Bousfield Primary School in South Bolton Gardens, St Barnabas and St Philip's CofE Primary School on Earl's Court Road, and Servite RC Primary School on Fulham Road. There are also several independent schools in the area, including Collingham, Wetherby Kensington, and Falkner House.
Is Earl's Court a safe place to live?
In the period between December 2019 and November 2021, there were 2,356 offences reported in the Earl's Court area. As is the same in the district's surrounding areas, theft and violent crime are the most common types of offences recorded in Earl's Court with 585 and 647 reports respectively. Do remember that Earl's Court attracts a fair number of tourists, which invariably contributes to the number of reported thefts that occur each year.
July 2021 saw the most incidents recorded with 125 reports made. A similar figure was recorded in September 2021, but since then crime in the Earl's Court area has reduced with 78 crimes recorded in November 2021.
Which celebrities live in Earl's court?
In addition to the array of blue plaque dedications that can be found across Earl's Court, the area has also been home to myriad other famous faces over the years including poet William Butler Yeats who spent time living at 58 Eardley Crescent in the 1880s. Singer Dusty Springfield once called Spear Mews home and Pink Floyd's Syd Barrett lived at 29 Wetherby Mansions in Earl's Court Square during the 1960s and 1970s.
Between 1979 and 1981, 60 Coleherne Court was home to Diana, Princess of Wales after her parents purchased it as an 18th birthday present. She later noted that the 3-bedroom flat was where she spent some of the happiest times of her life. Today, a number of well-known people are residents of Earl's Court, including musician Gary Barlow and entertainer John Barrowman.
Things to consider when moving to Earl's Court
Compared to some of its neighbouring areas, Earl's Court has a laid-back atmosphere that attracts a variety of different people, including young families who want to access the best schools in the area and young professionals keen to live life at a slightly slower pace while still being able to access the rest of the city with ease.
It is important to factor in travel times to the city when moving further out. For example, Westminster is 3.6 miles from Earl's Court with public transport offering a journey time of 20 minutes, cycle routes taking 25 minutes, and car journeys taking up to 30 minutes.
Garden square properties often command premium prices and it's not difficult to see why, but there are a variety of different types of property hitting the market all the time so keeping your options open is key. Additionally, although the area is known for its high property prices, remember that doesn't automatically mean you will be priced out of the market.