Portman Estate

The Portman Estate is a property estate in Marylebone, Central London. It lies between Oxford Street and Edgware Road, and includes Portman Square, Manchester Square, and some parts of Baker Street and Gloucester Place.

The Portman Estate in London was originally an area of 270 acres (1.1 km2) and was acquired in 1532 by Sir William Portman of Somerset (1498 – 1557), who later became Lord Chief Justice. Initially, Sir William took assignment of a lease in respect of 11 fields and the manor of Lilleston, Middlesex. The lease had 30 years left to run and was purchased for £70 subject to an annual rental of £8. He subsequently bought the freehold of the property in June 1554 under the reign of Queen Mary. Reputedly, Sir William needed the land as a source of goat’s milk for his ailing wife and to rest cattle en route to market from his vast Dorset and Somerset Estates.

More information on the Wikipedia page.