Cornwall Gardens

Cornwall Gardens is a testament to the grand scale of Victorian urban development. Before it became a prestigious residential square, this land was a quiet market garden owned by the Broadwood family, famous for their piano manufacturing business. The family decided to develop the property in the mid nineteenth century, transforming their agricultural holdings into the rows of elegant, white stucco townhouses you see today. Development took nearly two decades to complete, beginning in 1862 and finishing in 1879. The project was strictly managed to ensure total visual harmony, with a consistent architectural style enforced by the estate surveyor, Thomas Cundy the third. Even as different builders took on various sections of the street, they were required to adhere to a rigid plan that dictated everything from the elevation of the buildings to the inclusion of uniform bay windows.