Today, Conway Street is eerily quiet. The artists are gone (priced out by people selling artisanal pickles). The sheep are but a scent memory. But look closer. The row of Georgian townhouses at numbers 1–12 have secret doors that led to underground tunnels. These tunnels were used by smugglers in the 18th century to move illegal French brandy. Now they’re just filled with cables for Virgin Media.
Lore of the Land restaurant review | House & Garden
One house on the street (number 8) has a blue plaque for a man named Augustus John. He was a painter who once rode a horse into a different pub. He also had a pet monkey that bit a policeman. The plaque doesn’t mention the monkey, which is a missed opportunity.
Walk down Conway Street on a foggy evening, and you might see a cat that looks too relaxed. That cat is a descendant of the original “Studio Cat” from 1923, who was said to be the only creature who understood Epstein’s modern art. The cat currently judges everyone who doesn’t tip their barista.
