The Boltons makes up the majority of this neighbourhood, covering a great deal of West Brompton and the north of Chelsea. The area is generally comprised of Regency-era Italianate terraces, though there are some large detached houses. In general, the already posh area gets more posh the further north and east you go. Brompton Cemetery dominates the western part of the area, providing the largest open space here. There is also Redcliffe Square Gardens to the centre of the postcode sector. Another unique feature of the area is a private garden square in a ‘lune’ shape, centred on the St. Mary-the-Boltons Church. The street is the third most-expensive in the United Kingdom. Overall, the area exudes a posh neighbourhood vibe, with shops and pubs focused on Fulham Road and Queens Gate next to the Bolton. There is also a small theatre near Brompton Cemetery. Unlike other parts of west London, the Boltons’ residences are typically occupied, with a flourishing community.

The neighbourhood was built in the mid-1800s as a residential estate by Robert Gunter the elder, on an area which used to be market gardens. The church and the ‘lune’ square was designed by architect and journalist George Godwin, for the equivalent of £590,000 in 2016 money. Some 1100 houses, 2 churches, 90 odd mews and 5 pubs survive today from the building period between 1850 and 1880. The term ‘going to the Boltons’ referred to going to school in Chelsea for a period after WWII, as there were schools on either side of Boltons Place, including Bousfield Primary School, which still exists today.

Rosalind Franklin lived here from 1951 until her death in 1958 at Donovan Court. She was a chemist and X-ray crystallographer who pioneered the study of the molecular structures of DNA and RNA. Despite the tremendous impact of her works, appreciated even during her lifetime, her contributions were largely recognised only after her death, which happened at the young age of 37, of ovarian cancer.

The Boltons is an extremely expensive part of London, and while there are some cheaper residences further down (as well as more modest stores to the south on Fulham Road), overall the area and its restaurants and stores are unaffordable to most Londoners.

The area’s houses, selling for tens of millions, have been increasingly subdivided, with much of it consisting of internal renovations, as façade changes are regulated by heritage concerns. The Bolton Association has been set up by residents to protect the nature of the neighbourhood, as well as offer views on licensing, traffic, parking and crime prevention – hundreds of applications a year, according to the website.