Not so long ago, Marylebone was considered a second rate slice of central London, with a lacklustre high street and not much going for it beyond its location within walking distance of Mayfair and Soho.
But clever curation of its shops, bars, and restaurants over the past two decade has turned Marylebone High Street into an ultra-desirable urban village destination. And a ripple of buyers flowing out of more expensive swathes of prime central London, has moved its elegant townhouses, and luxury buildings into the premiere league of London real estate.
Originally a tiny rural hamlet on the banks of the River Tyburn, a long lost tributary of the River Thames which now runs mostly underground.
Marylebone earned its exotic name when a church dedicated to St Mary – St Mary by the Bourne – was built in around 1400.
Centuries later the Earl of Oxford inherited the tract of agricultural land through his wife’s family. He thought it would be just the place to build fashionable housing and commissioned plans. Marylebone’s first elegant townhouses on streets and squares appeared during the 18th century.
It was not only the wealthy who began moving in. Since the 19th century doctors and hospitals began taking over once-residential buildings on Harley Street, and turning them into clinics for the wealthy and influential. Speech therapist Lionel Logue, who famously helped King George VI overcome his stutter, lived and worked there.
During the sixties Marylebone became briefly hip. Paul McCartney wrote Yesterday while living at 57 Wimpole St. Ringo Starr had a flat on Montagu Square, which he rented to Jimi Hendrix and then to John Lennon and Yoko Ono.
In the 1990s the Howard de Walden Estate, Marylebone’s major landowner, began to slowly reimagine the area as a chic enclave. New shops including The Conran Shop and a smart branch of Waitrose supermarket arrived, along with cafes, boutiques, bars, gastropubs, and restaurants.
If you want the London village experience in an outstanding location then Marylebone ticks your boxes.
Sandwiched between Oxford Street and the Marylebone Road, with both Hyde and Regent’s parks within walking distance, Marylebone is closer to the centre of town than more traditional parts of prime central London.
Its family homes are generally redbrick Georgian townhouses; tall and slender homes built in which are sometimes clad in white plaster, with huge windows and high ceilings.
And as Marylebone’s star has risen it has also become the focus of high end developments, notably the 15 storey Chiltern Place completed in 2017.
Prefer period character? There are also classic London mansion apartment buildings and period conversions.
Locals love Marylebone for its relaxed and comparatively peaceful vibe as well as its fantastic range of restaurants and bars, like the celebrity-friendly Chiltern Firehouse, Dinings, where you can sample Japanese tapas, and Trishna, which specialises in Indian coastal cuisine and holds a Michelin star.
Every Sunday morning Marylebone comes alive thanks to its fabulous farmers’ market. Pick up the freshest asparagus in April, the juiciest summer fruits, as well as game, meat and poultry, fresh fish, and an incredible range of organic vegetables. A wonderful place for browsing and people watching.
The Wallace Collection is an elegant art gallery with a hugely diverse collection – expect everything from old masters to rare furniture and timepieces, to militaria.
Originally a piano showroom, Wigmore Hall is one of the most beautiful classical music venues in London with an international reputation for chamber and instrumental music. Its lunchtime concerts are the perfect way to take a break from city life.
The annual Marylebone Summer Festival in June brings fun to the streets of W1 with everything from pop up mini golf to live music, open air exercise classes, and a dog show in Marylebone Church Gardens.
If you become a benefactor of the Wallace Collection you will enjoy benefits including invitations to opening parties, special viewings, and invitations to receptions and events.
Want to discover London’s theatreland beyond the West End? The award winning Marylebone Theatre has a fascinating programme of drama, film, and exhibitions.
The streets and squares of Marylebone offer buyers diverse range of buying options – whether you want a perfect pied a terre or a family home. It is also better value for money than nearby Mayfair.
Most buyers want to be within a short stroll of the high street, which means streets like Wimpole Street and Weymouth Street are in high demand.
One recent client was looking for a London base and wanted a home in a portered building with a lift. Black Brick was able to find him a 2,800 sq ft apartment being discreetly marketed off market. Our client loved the property, and was thrilled when we secured the property at a £150,000 discount from the asking price. At £4.35m he paid around £1,550 per square foot. https://www.black-brick.com/expertise/case-studies/bickenhall-mansions-2/
Proximity to Harley Street means that many medics choose to live in Marylebone so they can walk to work.
Black Brick recently assisted a couple who both have medical careers and had been struggling to find a suitable property in Marylebone for almost a year.
We were able to find them a beautiful mews house, also being sold off market, which was exactly what they wanted. We then guided our clients through a nervous competitive bidding situation; they were thrilled when they secured the property for £3.6m: https://www.black-brick.com/expertise/case-studies/duchess-mews/
Like all of prime central London Marylebone’s property market is highly nuanced. Prices vary between streets, and between buildings – some are extremely well run, others need to be treated with caution.
And although the market has deflated over the past couple of years it is still true to say that the very best properties are often sold off market, with multiple interested buyers. Finding the right home is the first challenge. Securing it can also be tough, but professional advice can result in a winning bid.
Black Brick can also help with everything from finding a surveyor to selecting an interior designer.
The average sale price in Marylebone during 2024 has been just over £1.6m, according to property portal Rightmove. The vast majority of properties sold were flats, selling for an average £1.47m. Terraced houses sold for circa £2.8m, while detached houses, of which there are only a handful, fetched £7.5m.
Like most of the rest of London prices have fallen since the pandemic. In 2020 the average sale price was £2.2m.
The most expensive home currently on the market in Marylebone is a ten bedroom house on Portland Place owned by West Ham boss and tabloid media mogul David Sullivan. Sullivan had originally hoped to get £75m for the Grade II listed property he bought for £27m in 2015, but has since trimmed the asking price down to £65m.
Alternatively you could pick a three bedroom apartment at another of Marylebone’s new buildings, The Bryanston, which overlooks Hyde Park, for £19m.
If you’re thinking of Marylebone, or any Prime Central London location, we can help with every step of the journey. Simply leave you details on our contact form, and an experienced buying agent with excellent local knowledge will be in touch to assist.
We would be delighted to hear from you to discuss your own property requirements. For a non-obligatory consultation, please contact us.
