Renting property in Hampstead, London NW3
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Why rent property in Hampstead?
Situated in the London Borough of Camden, four miles north west of the centre of London, Hampstead is known for being one of the trendiest regions of modern London and is often recognised for attracting artists, musicians, writers and media people including a few famous faces such as Lord Byron, Sigmund Freud, George Orwell and Stephen Fry.
Hampstead is probably most well known for its ancient heath parkland, Hampstead Heath. With its uninterrupted views across London, three public swimming pools and many open air concerts, the Heath continues to attract local people as well as people from all over London.
Property in Hampstead
Flats and apartments in Hampstead's NW3 postcode are some of the best, and most expensive, in London. Luxury houses were the first properties to be built in the area that is now known as the political ward of Frognal and Fitzjohns, during the 1870s and 1880s and much of this housing remains to this day. Later, a plentiful supply of Victorian properties including red brick mansion blocks and two and three bedroom terraces with small gardens were built. Most of the mansion blocks have now been divided providing a range of options for people looking for a rental apartment in Hampstead. More recently traditional large houses have also been redeveloped and refurbished to create more modern living spaces.
The area has some remarkable examples of architecture, one being the Isokon building in Lawn Road, a Grade I listed experiment in collective housing and which was once home to Agatha Christie, Henry Moore, Ben Nicholson and Walter Gropius. The property was recently restored by Notting Hill Housing Trust.
During the 20th century, a number of notable buildings were built including:
- Hampstead tube station (1907), incidentally the deepest station on the entire London Underground network
- Isokon building (1932)
- Hillfield Court (1932)
- 2 Willow Road (1938)
- Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre (1964)
- Swiss Cottage Central Library (1964)
Hampstead is a fantastic place to live with its close proximity to the Heath and great schools. It is country living but just ten minutes away from central London.
Transport links in Hampstead
Hampstead is located in Zone 2 of the London underground network and benefits from three London underground stations including Hampstead which is served by the Northern line, Finchley Road served by the Jubilee and Metropolitan lines and Swiss Cottage also served by the Jubilee line. Hampstead also has fast access to different parts of London via Hampstead Heath overground railway station and Finchley Road and Frognal railway services. Numerous bus routes pass through Hampstead offering direct access to the West End and the City.
History of Hampstead
The area now known as Hampstead began life as a Saxon village. The name "Hampstead" comes from two Saxon words "ham" and "stede", which means "home farm". For centuries the village was just like many others in England, a quiet place where local people grew crops and grazed animals.
However, it was in the late 17th century that this started to change. Hampstead, like many villages near London, slowly became more and more developed as wealthy people came to realise the benefits of the slower pace of life but still wanted to be near the amenities of the city. When the plague of 1665 and the fire of 1666 hit central London the movement of people out of the city to these smaller villages dramatically increased and the development of these areas followed.
In the 18th century Dr Gibbons discovered that water from the spring in Hampstead had healing properties and the town became a spa town and the population in Hampstead continued to grow rapidly.
By the 19th century Hampstead Heath had become a playground for wealthy Londoners. Fortunately in 1871 the Heath was purchased by the Metropolitan Board of Works who preserved it as a public park and banned any development on it. This is a rule that continues to this day. Hampstead officially became part of the county of London in 1889 and Hampstead Garden Suburb was created after 1907.
Today Hampstead remains an affluent suburb of London.
Attractions in Hampstead
Hampstead offers a wide variety of activities to cater for most tastes. Open air concerts are held on the slopes below Kenwood House during the long summer Saturday evenings, whilst book and poetry readings and fun fairs are often to be found on the lower areas of the Heath. Fenton House hosts period harpsichord recitals and the Hampstead Scientific Society and the Hampstead Photographic Society are open to the public.
Hampstead Heath
Hampstead Heath park occupies an area of 791 acres yet is just four miles from the centre of London. Made up of the grounds of several houses that formerly occupied the area, Hampstead Heath boasts a racecourse, an adventure playground and is even home to a flock of Flamingos. Parts of the Heath have a high elevation offering stunning views across London.
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill offers fantastic views of London and the surrounding countryside. The name of this location has two origins: some believe that Guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators used the hill as their vantage point to look across towards parliament when waiting for it to explode or, the more likely source of the name, is that Parliament Hill was used as a point of defense during the English Civil War for troops loyal to parliament.
Golders Hill Park
Golders Hill Park is home to an animal sanctuary where visitors can get close to deer and native birds. There are children's events and live concerts held here during summer.
Kenwood House
Kenwood House is a neo-classical mansion situated to the north of Hampstead Heath. Built in the early 17th century the house is now owned by English Heritage and houses one of the most valuable and rare collections of paintings owned by the state.
Fenton House Museum
Hidden away in the winding streets of Hampstead village, this late 17th century house contains a wide variety of artifacts including stunning porcelain, needlework and Georgian furniture as well as paintings and drawings by the Camden Town Group, and the Benton Fletcher collection of early keyboard instruments.
Hampstead Museum
Hampstead Museum's collections include original pieces by artists such as Helen Allingham, George Charlton, CRW Nevinson and Donald Towner as well as samples of Marcel Breuer's Isokon furniture, the Mayor of Hampstead's chair and the flag of the first scout troop in the country.
Shopping in Hampstead
Walking along Hampstead High Street you will find many of the major high street department stores you would expect as well as the flagship stores of numerous brands and a range of small independent shops and boutiques.
Every Christmas Hampstead High Street turns into a winter wonderland as it is decorated with festive lights which are turned on by a celebrity in mid to late November and they remain on until the 6th January.
Restaurants in Hampstead
Louis Patisserie
A quaint Hungarian patisserie, Louis Patisserie serves quality pots of tea, creamy confections and delicate sandwiches.
Osteria Omelia
Surrounded by a beach house style decor, diners at Osteria Omelia are offered an authentic Italian menu of freshly made pasta from the Emilia-Romagna region.
The Green Room
The Anglo French owners of this charming restaurant provide a warm welcome, a range of Italian and French bistro classics and an excellent wine list.
Manna
This chic vegetarian restaurant serves a variety of exceptional meat-free dishes from around the world.
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