Musing on Mews

From conversations

on conservatories

to musings on mews....

I am a professed

Anglophile,

loving everything

traditionally

British....

Like this

and these

and those!

I have read
{and loved}

many books by

authors hailing

from the

British Isles.

One term that

I never really

understood was

"mews."

For example,

She lived in

a flat in

Dunworth Mews....

Dunworth Mews

So today,

I'm musing

on

Mews-ez!

{Actually,

the plural term

for mews is

mews, but

more on that

in a minute.}

According to

Wikipedia:

Mews is a chiefly British term formerly describing 
a row of stables, usually with carriage houses below
 and living quarters above, built around a paved yard or court, 
or along a street, behind large city houses, such as those of London, 
during the 17th and 18th centuries. The word may also refer 
to the lane, alley or back street onto which such stables 
open. It is sometimes applied to rows or groups of
 garages or, more broadly, to a narrow passage
 or a confined place.

The term mews

originated from

the name of a building

used to house

birds used in

falconry.  It is a

word similar to

deer.....the singular

and plural are one

and the same.

Although the term

mews was coined in

London, you will

find mews neighborhoods

as far away as

Canada and the

United States,

with Washington

Mews in Greenich

Village, New York

City being a prominent

example.

Washington Mews, NYC

When automobiles

were introduced in

the late 19th century,

the mews lost their

use as stables for

horses. 

And, following

the two world wars,

the population of

people who could afford

the type of homes with

a mews declined sharply.

Mews house, Wales

Although some mews

were torn down, most

were converted to

houses. 

Mews houses are

now considered to

be quite fashionable as

they are usually

found in or near

wealthy old

neighborhoods.

So, re-fill your

teacup and let's

a-mews ourselves

{sorry...couldn't

resist!} with a

few more glimpses

of mews.

Interiors....

Mews sitting room

Mews turned London restaurant

Mews kitchen

Mews living room

And  exteriors...

For the country mouse

and the city mouse

It always amazes me to think

that every  house on every street

is full of so many stories;

so many triumphs and tragedies

and all we see are yards and driveways.

~ Glenn Close

Don't forget to
enter my
Feathering the Nest
giveaway,
here!

[images:

tea pot - P&H

rest: google images]

Posted in mews , musings