Over the last 300 years, the land around Portland Village was transformed from open farmland into the bustling streets we now enjoy.  Our Village sits astride two neighbourhoods – Marylebone and Fitzrovia – with their border running along Great Portland Street. 

Today the area hosts many residential, commercial and educational buildings as well as a number of first-class hospitals. All Saints, Margaret Street, All Souls, Langham Place and St Marylebone’s are churches of considerable architectural and historical importance. The Central Synagogue was built here in 1855.  The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) also lies close to the heart of our village.  Many embassies and notable hotels can also be found here.

The broadcast media are also well represented. The BBC with Broadcasting House and various other communication entities have their headquarters here.  There are also a variety of excellent restaurants, bars and shops to suit different tastes and moods. Moreover, the area is one of the best-connected in London offering many choices of underground lines and bus routes.

Famous former residents include Dante Gabriel Rossetti and his sister Christina Rossetti, the painter Sir Peter Francis Bourgeois, the writer William Gerhardi, and the founder of The Proms, Sir Henry Joseph Wood.  Other notable local residents include the American journalist and broadcaster Edward R Murrow, World War II hero Wing Commander Forest Frederick Edward Yeo-Thomas, the television writer Ernest Dudley and the Austrian writer Stefan Zweig.

The area combines the tranquillity of a village with the vibrancy of the centre of a very cosmopolitan city. Its proximity to Regent’s Park, the area’s tree-lined streets and squares in combination with the energising bustle of London’s West End make Portland Village unique.  The Association’s aim is to protect and enhance the amenities of our area.