Pembroke Walk in Kensington retains rare 1902 artists’ studios

Pembroke Walk, a narrow cul-de-sac off Pembroke Road in Kensington, holds one of London’s few surviving early 20th-century artists’ studio buildings. The studios, constructed in 1902, stand at the far end of the street, their bronze-clad upper floor distinguishing them from the surrounding mews-style houses.

The walk was not always a dead end. An 1868 map shows it as an unnamed passage running between the rear gardens of larger houses. By 1895, those gardens were being built on, and by the 1930s, the northern side of the passage was fully lined with housing, including the studios.

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A studio with a sculptor’s history

The Pembroke Walk Studios consist of three buildings: two cottage-style houses flanking a central studio block. The studio’s upper mansard floor, clad in bronze, gives it a modern appearance despite its age. It was designed to accommodate artists, with large windows and high ceilings.

Gilbert Ledward, a sculptor known for his war memorials, lived in the studios from 1924 to 1939. Another resident, Grace Orchardson, made headlines in 1913 when she was taken to court for assaulting her husband while drunk, as reported by ianVisits.

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A quiet street with no immediate changes

Today, the studios and the surrounding houses are private residences. The street retains a quiet, residential character, with many homes displaying plants outside. There are no current planning applications or council proposals affecting Pembroke Walk, according to a search of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s planning portal.

The street’s evolution reflects a common London pattern: gardens gradually built on to create more housing. What remains unusual is the survival of the original studio block, now a private home rather than a working artists’ space.