3:09pm Thursday 14th January 2010
Thanks largely to its prime location, on a hill above the city, Hampstead has long been one of the most desirable places to live in London.
The unique charm and rich history of this village within the metropolis has been captured in a new book that includes all of the area’s most famous locations, such as the Heath, St John’s Church and Spaniard’s Inn to little-known, even forgotten corners.
The Hampstead Book – The A-Z of its History and People, by Steven Denford, is a fascinating reference book that covers not just Hampstead itself, but all of the area that was once the Metropolitan Borough of Hampstead, such as Belsize Park, Kilburn and Swiss Cottage.
The book details how the presence of fresh water was important to the early settlement of Hampstead, and describes the springs and wells that have existed in the area. There was once even a ducking pool situated near what is now Richborough Road in Cricklewood.
In Tudor times, the royal laundry was sent to Hampstead, and was put out to dry on the Heath. The book recounts how a skipper on the Thames once remarked that this made it look like the highest points of Hampstead were snowcapped.
Hampstead became fashionable in the 18th Century as a spa, and the book chronicles important moments in the development of the area, such the opening of the underground line, which brought day trippers to the Heath.
With the help of many illustrations, the book chronicles how the area has changed over the years, for example, the building that houses the New End Theatre was once a mortuary, while in the 18th Century volunteer soldiers used the Heath for military manoeuvres.
The list of famous residents who have lived in the area would make a book in itself – John Constable, DH Lawrence and Sigmund Freud, to name but a few. There is even mention of a cartoon depicting a plaque commemorating “the only house in Hampstead where nobody famous has lived”. The Hampstead Book – The A-Z of its History and People, by Steven Denford is published by Historical Publications
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