Princes House

Covent Garden WC2B
C3E
Mixed use building

Key Details

Address
35-39 Kingsway, London WC2B 6TP
Local Authority
City of Westminster
County
Greater London
Country
England
Completion
1920
Use Classes
C3, E
Website

Overview

Princes House is a mixed-use building on Kingsway in London WC2.

Princes House was originally constructed in the early 1920s. The building with a Neo-classical stone façade and paned windows comprises 20 private residences and 34 serviced residences.

The famed surrounding area of Covent Garden was originally known as ‘Convent Garden’ in the 1500s for being the vegetable garden of the monks of Westminster Abbey until, in 1536, King Henry VIII seized the land as part of the dissolution of the monasteries.

In 1630s Francis Russell, the fourth Earl of Bedford, built a house for himself in Covent Garden on the North side of the Strand. In a bid to make money out of his property, the Earl then commissioned Royal Architect Inigo Jones to build a square with houses, and almost as an afterthought, he directed Jones to build a church - because the aristocrats had to go to church somewhere. As a result, the impressive, St. Paul’s Church has been at the centre of Covent Garden life ever since.

The resulting square was the first piazza in London, and for most people, its construction marks the true beginning of Covent Garden’s history.

Markets began gathering at Covent Garden’s new square as early as 1656, though the population was still sparse, composed mostly of wealthier tenants. Being relatively new and out-of-the-way, Covent Garden had the fortune to skirt the worst of the plague in 1665, and it avoided the Great Fire of London entirely in 1666. This meant, however, that scores of Londoners leaving the destroyed City of London found themselves migrating to the West End, and inevitably to Covent Garden resulting in the Market exploding with activity.

The first theatres in Covent Garden were Theatre Royal on Drury Lane, and the Royal Opera on Bow Street, each theatre had a letters patent, granted by King Charles II, allowing them to be the only London theatres able to perform spoken drama. This made Covent Garden London’s theatrical centre, attracting droves of theatregoers who packed the streets. Covent Garden is known today as London’s cultural hub of the theatre district, with a choice of over 20 theatres.

2012 - Eastern & Oriental acquires the freehold office property.

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Site & Location

Princes House is very well connected being just a short walk away from a selection of underground stations including Holborn 0.23m (Central, Piccadilly Line), Covent Garden 0.26m (Piccadilly Line), Temple 0.32m (District Circle), Chancery Lane 0.38m (Central), and Leicester Square - 0.48 (Northern, Piccadilly).

Transport

TUBE
Temple Underground StationCircle, District
BUS
Aldwych / Kingsway1, 168, 188, 59, 68, 91, N1, N171, N68, N91, X68

Team

Company
Type
Year
Developer
Lettings
2022

Timeline

News, events, milestones and offers from the new development
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News from the companies

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Disclaimer

Information on this page is for guidance only and remains subject to change. Buildington does not sell or let this property. For more information about this property please register your interest on the original website or get in touch with the Connected Companies.