Mayfair’s origins can be traced back to the manor of Eia, which was largely rural until the early 18th century. Harkening back to the medieval era, the manor extended for miles throughout the countryside. However, its identity began to change once local officials began hosting an annual spring fair on-site starting in Stuart Era. Referred to as the “May Fair,” the event gradually grew to feature a variety of exciting live performances like jugglers, revelers, and animal handlers. So popular were the festivities that many Londoners took to calling the entire area “Mayfair.” Following the conclusion of the last May Fair celebration during the mid-1700s, the region quickly began to lose its rural character in favor of its recognizable urban one. The changes specifically occurred after the influential Grosvenor family acquired the site through marriage, who immediately recognized its potential for hosting largescale residential neighborhoods. Working alongside noted architect Thomas Barlow, the Grosvenor's crafted numerous upscale dwellings at key housing developments like Hanover Square, Berkeley Square, and the eponymously named “Grosvenor Square.” Grosvenor Square became a symbol of Georgian society and estate planning, having come to feature several intricately designed townhouses, as well as a beautifully landscaped garden.  

Then during the Georgian and Regency eras, Mayfair became synonymous with elegance and high society. The location had specifically come to attract the London-based aristocracy, with many titled families residing there seasonally. The most popular place within Mayfair was the already illustrious Grosvenor Square, which had grown close to many important facilities such as St. James Palace, Westminster Palace, and the iconic Piccadilly thoroughfare. By the end of the 18th century, Mayfair had been fully transformed into one of London’s most exclusive spots. Amazingly, Mayfair retained its prestigious reputation for many years, even as the peerage system in England went into decline during the early 20th century. This brilliant neighborhood remained one of the most affluent and desirable places to live in all of London. Indeed, Mayfair’s city blocks are lined with all kinds of luxurious hotels, storefronts, and restaurants today, making it a premier global destination for tourism. (One of the greatest symbols of its enduring appeal is the fact that it serves as the most expensive property square on the London Monopoly board.) Cultural heritage travelers are especially certain to enjoy is experiencing the district’s rich character, given its proximity to other historic areas like St. James, Knightsbridge, and Marylebone.  

Mayfair is part of a much larger region within London known as “Westminster.” Situated right in the heart of London along the Thames, the origins of Westminster can be traced to the early Middle Ages. Among the first known settlements to inhabit the area were a conclave of Benedictine monks, who were offered a small church to administer amid the English Heptarchy. The area soon gained a strong affiliation with local religious customs, inspiring King Edward the Confessor to construct a sprawling monastery upon the site during the mid-11th century. Dedicated to the Christian figure Saint Peter, the massive complex was first known as “West Minster” before eventually assuming the more recognizable identity of “Westminster Abbey.” Edward the Confessor begun the development of an equally impressive residential complex next to the nascent church called the “Palace of Westminster.” Together, both structures quickly became deeply immersed in English political custom, rising to serve as the main administrative centers for the English Royal Family. Westminster Abbey emerged as the official site for royal coronations, while Westminster Palace functioned as the main home of England’s reigning monarch for generations.  

A vibrant town appeared around the two buildings over the following centuries, growing to the size of an actual city by the 16th century. Unfortunately, a series of fires managed to devastate substantial portions of the Palace of Westminster, leading to its redesign over the next three centuries. Nevertheless, the two structures remained important fixtures in English, and eventually British society, with the palace itself even coming to host all Parliament. (The Royal Family left for a different estate around the same time Parliament began to occupy the premises.) Westminster continues to act as the political epicenter for the United Kingdom, functioning as home to numerous government agencies and institutions. This fascinating historic site is now an internationally renowned holiday destination, due to the many historical landmarks that sit within its borders. In addition to Westminster Abbey and the Palace of Westminster, the area is also home to Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, and 10 Downing Street. Westminster Abbey and the Palace of Westminster are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites, symbolizing the incredible contributions each structure has made to greater British history.      

The greater architectural style that characterizes the appearance of Flemings Mayfair is known as “Georgian.” Georgian architecture is among the most predominant forms in the British Isles, constituting the features for all kinds of buildings ranging from grand municipal structures to quaint country manors. Its name is a reference to its origins, having first appeared during the reign of King George I in the early 1700s. The style would remain popular in Great Britain for the next several decades, before dissipating around the death of his distant relative, King George IV. But while the form’s moniker refers to Hanoverian monarchs, they had little to do with its spread. Instead, the work of great English architects Inigo Jones, James Gibbs, and Christopher Wren significantly established what would become known as the “Georgian” style. Inspired by the Roman architectural elements of antiquity, professionals like Jones, Gibbs, and Wren began to integrate it into their own blueprints.  

Most of those early architects embraced the great Andrea Palladio’s historic interpretations of Classical architecture, which first manifested at the height of the Italian Renaissance. The first iteration of Georgian-style architecture was known as “Palladianism,” which encouraged proportion and symmetry based on exact mathematical ratios. Palladianism also embraced Palladio’s strict use of Roman-era stylistic themes. Architects across the United Kingdom began to loosen their observance of Palladio’s philosophy as the 18th century progressed. Those artisans began to look more directly at the ancient buildings they sought to emulate, giving rise to the more ubiquitous Classic Revival (or “Neoclassical”) architectural style. Their new structures featured additional motifs from ancient Grecian societies and even a few from medieval Europe. The style remained immensely popular, even spreading across the Atlantic to influence the British Empire’s American and Canadian colonies. In fact, the Americans formed their own unique spinoff of Georgian architecture in the wake of the American Revolutionary War, which they called “Federal” or “Adams” style.