King's Road

King's Road

King's Road, looking east towards Sloane Square
Length	1.9 mi (3.1 km)
Location	Chelsea, London, England
South end	Sloane Square
West end	Waterford Road
Other
Known for	Sloane Square tube station, Saatchi Gallery

King's Road or Kings Road (or sometimes The King's Road, especially when it was the King's private road until 1830), is a major street stretching through Chelsea and Fulham both in west London. It is associated with 1960s style, and fashion figures such as Mary Quant and Vivienne Westwood. Sir Oswald Mosley's Blackshirt movement had a barracks on the street in the 1930s.

King's Road runs for just under 2 miles (3.2 km) through Chelsea, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, from Sloane Square in the east (on the border with Belgravia and Knightsbridge) and through the Moore Park estate on the border of Chelsea and Fulham opposite Stamford Bridge. Shortly after crossing Stanley bridge the road passes a slight kink at the junction with Waterford Road in Fulham, where it then becomes New King's Road, continuing to Fulham High Street and Putney Bridge; its western end is in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.

King's Road derives its name from its function as a private road used by King Charles II to travel to Kew. It remained a private royal road until 1830, but people with connections were able to use it. Some houses date from the early 18th century. No. 213 has a blue plaque to film director Sir Carol Reed, who lived there from 1948 until his death in 1978. Thomas Arne lived at No. 215 and is believed to have composed "Rule Britannia" there. Ellen Terry lived in the same house from 1904–1920, and also Peter Ustinov; the house is commemorated by a blue plaque also. Photographer Christina Broom was born in 1862 at No 8.