Mews

[coccinelle]

I'm reading a book which mentions mews in London. I'm not familiar with this term but have looked it up to find it means stables. Can anybody tell me how stables became a posh area of London? very curious....

[Baldric]

Bit of info here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mews

[EcclesCake]

A mews is effectively a cul de sac and consequently has no traffic passing the door.....a luxury in Cities.

There were a number of popular 70's programmes that featured Mews houses, I'll be damned if I can remember any though :-(

[naomi24]

Space is at a premium in London. Garages hold their price too.

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2012/may/01/parking-525000-garage-knightsbridge

[coccinelle]

Baldric that's what I read but just states what they were and what they are now. Eccles; is the fact these are cul de sacs enough for the rich to own a stable?

[Hypognosis]

Buckingham Palace used to have stables adjoining it. Some of these are now mews properties.

Try Google streetview.

Or there's that 1980s advert for the VW Golf...

[naomi24]

coccinelle, they were stables owned by big houses - now they're individual homes.

[boxtops]

They bear no resemblance to stables now, coccinelle (except some still have the external doors) - they're very posh converted dwellings these days.

[smoneybags]

There still is a mews at Buckingham Palace where all the carriages are kept. It is open to the public. I've been there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mews

[Mosaic]

I believe Emma Peel lived in a mews cottage in The Avengers.
The attraction of these will have been - small in size but central; not an apartment but a whole property; likely to have been connected to the mains when they were servants' accommodation, so easy to do up. Many of these were lock-up garages until central London property prices soared post-war.

[rockyracoon]

Have a look here Cocc, I wouldn't sniff at one :)

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=mews+london&;client=safari&hl=en-gb&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&;sa=X&ei=mOhzUse6AcmrhQeIiIDQAQ&ved=0CDIQsAQ&;biw=768&bih=928

[boxtops]

nor would I, rocky!

[rockyracoon]

Mind you some of them look purpose built.

[boxtops]

The origin of the expression is interesting, from Related Posts... http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Phrases-and-Sayings/Question42319.html

[coccinelle]

Interesting: next time I'm in London I'm going to have to see these 'stables'. Where exactly can I see them? The ones stated in the book are in Belgravia. As i say I don't know London...

[EcclesCake]

They are dotted about all over London.

They are a Des Res but I'd miss the natural light.

[naomi24]

Few are devoid of natural light. Google 'mews house Belgravia images'.

[coccinelle]

Incredible the prices of these homes...

[mikey4444]

My maternal grandparents lived in a Mews near London Zoo, in the 40's and fifties. This was in effect the chauffeurs home, which by the time I was born, was over a garage, rather than a stable. There was nothing "posh" about these places...far from it, they were low grade, damp homes. But now, 60-odd years later, these places fetch huge sums of money and are now full of yuppies !

[coccinelle]

Hey, mikey; this is what I'm now intrigued with....

[VHG]

Here is some photos of mews in London

http://www.pask.org.uk/Photographs/6_Queens_Terrace_Mews_Kensington.jpg

http://www.lurotbrand.co.uk/images/street_gallery/large/Lancaster%20Mews/lancaster%20mews-01.jpg