18-27, KENSINGTON GATE W8

A terrace of eight houses, numbered 18 to 27, was built in 1847 by C. Bean as part of a larger development along Kensington Gate. The houses are part of a unified design with numbers 1 to 17 and 28 to 9. They are faced in stucco and are in extremely well-preserved condition. Each house is three stories high with basements. A prominent feature is the porch of each house, which is supported by Ionic columns and capped with a projecting cornice. Above the porch is a balustraded parapet featuring balusters described as "vaguely Jacobean". The ground floors are horizontally grooved, while the first-floor windows have architraves and entablatures. The second floor has a band course at sill level, with windows topped by keystones. Above this is a frieze decorated with a Greek key pattern, followed by a projecting modillion cornice and another balustrade incorporating open fretted panels. The basement forecourts are enclosed by substantial cast iron railings.