84-629: The Upper Flask was a tavern near the top of Hampstead hill in the 18th century which sold flasks of water from the spa at Hampstead Wells . It was located in Heath Street . It was the summer meeting place of the great literary and political figures of the Kit-Kat Club such as Walpole . The tavern business ceased in the 1750s and the grand house subsequently became the private residence of ladies and gentlemen such as Lady Charlotte Rich , George Steevens and Thomas Sheppard . It took its name from
168-476: A care home and before that a maternity hospital ), across busy Heath Street (A502). Originally a small dew pond called the Horse Pond, it was renamed after a waypoint stone and is artificially fed. It has an exposed location, closely surrounded by roads, which limits its recreational use. It is the heath's best known body of water, and many people's introduction to Hampstead Heath's ponds. Highgate Ponds are
252-528: A hunter-gatherer community around 7000 BCE. Objects like cinerary urns and grave goods discovered near Well Walk , dating back to 70–120 CE, suggest the possibility of a Roman settlement or road in the vicinity. Early records of Hampstead can be found in a grant by King Ethelred the Unready to the monastery of St. Peter's at Westminster (AD 986), and it is referred to in the Domesday Book (1086) as being in
336-458: A band of London clay . Its highest point is at 134 metres (440 ft). As the sand was easily penetrated by rainwater which was then held by the clay, a landscape of swampy hollows, springs and man-made excavations was created. Hampstead Heath contains the largest single area of common land in Greater London, with 144.93 hectares (358.1 acres) of protected commons. Public transport near
420-634: A butterfly house and a putting green . Unlike most of the rest of the heath, Golders Hill Park is fenced in, and is closed at night. Ken Wood and North Wood are a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest called Hampstead Heath Woods , designated by Natural England . The heath is policed by the Hampstead Heath Constabulary , part of the City of London Corporation . Its constables are: called upon to enforce Byelaws, Common Law and Criminal Law, protect City of London property and provide
504-614: A consequence, Hampstead has an eclectic mix of restaurants ranging from French to Thai. After over a decade of controversy and legal action from local residents, McDonald's was finally allowed to open in Hampstead in 1992, after winning its right in court, and agreeing to a previously unprecedented re-design of the shop front, reducing the conspicuousness of its facade and logo, It closed in November 2013. Popular local eateries also include street food vendors, such as La Creperie de Hampstead, which
588-491: A consortium of groups and societies collectively called "Dam Nonsense". However, with the dam project being now completed, many locals have begun to accept the changes as wildlife begins to soften the border between the artificial and the natural in this area. To the north east of the heath is a derelict site within the conservation area comprising the grounds and mansion of the former Caen Wood Towers (renamed Athlone House in 1972). This historic building, currently in disrepair,
672-573: A cost of £45,000 plus £2,000 for legal fees. The Board also agreed to compensate the copyholders for the loss of their rights. In 1871 the Hampstead Heath Act was passed, stating that it would be "of great advantage to the inhabitants of the Metropolis if the Heath were always kept unenclosed and unbuilt on, its natural aspect and state being as far as may be preserved." Pressure then grew to purchase
756-487: A deliberate attempt to change the image of a developing location, the Vale of Health , was recorded in 1801. The Extension is an open space to the north-west of the main heath. It does not share the history of common and heathland of the rest of the heath. Instead it was created out of farmland, largely due to the efforts of Henrietta Barnett who went on to found Hampstead Garden Suburb . Its farmland origins can still be seen in
840-545: A line from Charing Cross to Hampstead, terminating at a station in Heath Street. That line would follow the course of existing streets and was therefore uncontroversial. The proposed extension, however, would involve tunnelling under part of the Heath. The Heath & Hampstead Society opposed the scheme on the basis that the tunnels would drain the sub-soil and that the vibration of passing trains would damage trees. The campaign received support from The Times , which published
924-726: A number of listed buildings, such as Burgh House , Kenwood House , the Spaniard's Inn , and the Everyman cinema. With some of the most expensive housing in London, Hampstead has had many notable residents , both past and present, including Helena Bonham Carter , Agatha Christie , T.S. Eliot , Jon English , Sigmund Freud , Stephen Fry , Ricky Gervais , Jim Henson , George Orwell , Harry Styles and Elizabeth Taylor . As of 2004, Hampstead has been home to more Prime Ministers , and contains more millionaires within its boundaries, than any other area of
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#17328585906351008-448: A response to any incident that may disrupt the enjoyment of users of these sites . From their inauguration until 24 May 2018 some constables worked with general purpose dogs, all licensed to NPCC/Home Office standards. They have been responsible for patrolling the Heath since 1992. The heath is home to a range of activities, including 16 different sports. It is used by walkers, runners, swimmers and kite-flyers. Running events include
1092-443: A return to Hampstead Heath as part of an initiative by the City of London Corporation . The initiative aimed to enhance biodiversity through controlled grazing, utilizing a flock of five rare-breed Norfolk Horn and Oxford Down . This followed a successful trial in 2019 which was the first instance of sheep grazing on the Heath since the 1950s. Part of the heath sits astride a sandy ridge that runs from east to west and rests on
1176-588: A second bill. This specifically excluded the Heath from development, but it did not exclude the 60 acres (24 ha) East Park Estate which lay between the eastern part of the Heath and Lord Mansfield's estate at Kenwood and Parliament Hill Fields. This bill also attracted opposition, on the grounds that if building was allowed on the East Park Estate, the East Heath would be surrounded by houses and its natural beauty would be lost. This bill also failed. Sir Thomas
1260-535: A series of eight former reservoirs , on the heath's east (Highgate) side, and were originally dug in the 17th and 18th centuries. They include two single-sex swimming pools (the men's and ladies' bathing ponds), a model boating pond, and two ponds which serve as wildlife reserves: the Stock Pond and the Bird Sanctuary Pond. Fishing is allowed in some of the ponds, although this is threatened by proposals to modify
1344-409: A strongly-worded editorial opposing the railway. But the claims were refuted by the railway company, who argued that the tunnels would be passing through impermeable clay at a depth of more than 200 feet (61 m) and would therefore have no effect on the Heath's ecology. The bill was passed by Pariament, receiving its royal assent on 18 November 1902. The line, from Charing Cross to Golders Green,
1428-410: Is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest , designated by Natural England . The Vale of Health is a hamlet accessed by a lane from East Heath Road; it is surrounded entirely by the heath. In 1714, one Samuel Hatch, a harness maker, built a workshop and was granted some land. By 1720, he had a cottage at what was subsequently called Hatch's or Hatchett's Bottom . A new name, regarded as
1512-465: Is a chain of ponds – including three open-air public swimming pools – which were originally reservoirs for drinking water from the River Fleet . The heath is a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation , and part of Kenwood is a Site of Special Scientific Interest . Lakeside concerts are held there in summer. The heath is managed by the City of London Corporation , and lies mostly within
1596-622: Is an area in London , England, which lies 4 miles (6 km) northwest of Charing Cross , forming the northwest part of the London Borough of Camden , a borough in Inner London . It borders Highgate and Golders Green to the north, Belsize Park to the south and is surrounded from the northeast by Hampstead Heath , a large, hilly expanse of parkland. Hampstead is known for its intellectual, artistic, liberal, and literary associations. It contains
1680-473: Is considered by some to be the focal point of the heath, with the highest part of it known to some as "Kite Hill" due to its suitability for kite flying . The hill is 98.1 metres (322 ft) high and is notable for its excellent views of the London skyline. The skyscrapers of Canary Wharf and the City of London can be seen, along with St Paul's Cathedral and other landmarks, all in one panorama, parts of which are protected views . The main staff yards for
1764-515: Is in both zones 2 and 3 . Hampstead station serves the north western part of the wider district, near Hampstead's traditional centre. All the other three stations in the area are located to the south. In the 1860s, the Metropolitan and St John's Wood Railway was authorised to build a branch line from Swiss Cottage to Hampstead with its terminus to be located at the junction of Flask Walk, Well Walk and Willow Road. Financial difficulties meant that
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#17328585906351848-420: Is often frequented by domestic and global celebrities. Hampstead's rural feel lends itself for use in film, a notable example being The Killing of Sister George (1968) starring Beryl Reid and Susannah York . The opening sequence has Reid's character June wandering through the streets and alleyways of Hampstead, west of Heath Street, around The Mount Square. The Marquis of Granby pub, in which June drinks at
1932-497: Is on the West Heath Road in movies 101 Dalmatians (1996.) and 102 Dalmatians (2001.) The 2021 census showed that the population of Hampstead Town ward was 77.7% white (46.7% British, 28% Other, 2.4% Irish). The largest non-white group, Asian, claimed 8.9%. The religious data of the area showed that 32.6% was Christian, 37.9% irreligious and 11% Jewish. 2.7% of the population was unemployed and seeking work; this compared to 5.1% for
2016-514: Is part of the Hampstead and Kilburn constituency, formed at the 2010 general election . It was formerly part of the Hampstead and Highgate constituency. Since July 2022 the area has been represented on Camden Council by Conservative Party councillor Stephen Stark and Liberal Democrat councillor Linda Chung. The area has a significant tradition of educated liberal humanism, sometimes referred to (often disparagingly) as "Hampstead Liberalism". In
2100-544: Is represented by one Liberal Democrat and one Conservative councillor. South Hampstead is a competitive Labour and Conservative marginal, and Belsize is competitive between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives, whereas Frognal is a safe Conservative ward. Hampstead Town (including the area of Hampstead Village and South End Green ) has seen a number of tightly fought Conservative and Liberal Democrat contests, and
2184-468: Is served by routes 13 , 113 , 187 , 268, C11, and N113 . Cycling infrastructure in Hampstead is poor. In early 2016, Transport for London (TfL) consulted with the public on a new " Cycle Superhighway " (CS11) between Swiss Cottage and the West End , which provide an unbroken, predominantly traffic-free cycle route from Hampstead to Central London. The scheme was cancelled following court action from
2268-517: The City of Westminster in 2018. There are bus lanes along the A41/Finchley Road that cyclists are allowed to use. A shared-use path runs from Parliament Hill to Jack Straw's Castle / Highgate through the centre of Hampstead Heath. The A41 / Finchley Road passes north–south through Hampstead. The road links the area directly to Marylebone and Oxford Street to the south. The route runs northbound to Golders Green , Brent Cross ,
2352-456: The London Borough of Camden with the adjoining Hampstead Heath Extension and Golders Hill Park in the London Borough of Barnet . Archaeological discoveries on Hampstead Heath, including tools from the Mesolithic , pits, postholes, and charred stones, point to the presence of a hunter-gatherer community around 7000 BC. Documentary evidence of Hampstead Heath dates from 986, when Ethelred
2436-574: The London Overground with passenger services operated by Transport for London ), and expanded further after the Charing Cross, Euston & Hampstead Railway opened in 1907 (now part of London Underground 's Northern line ) and provided fast travel to central London . Much luxurious housing was created during the 1870s and 1880s, in the area that is now the political ward of Frognal & Fitzjohns. Much of this housing remains to this day. In
2520-451: The M1 motorway , and Watford . The A502 /Hampstead High Street runs from Camden Town in the south, through Hampstead, to Golders Green and Hendon in the north-west. The Royal Free Hospital and A&E is in Hampstead. Hampstead Heath Hampstead Heath is an ancient heath in London, spanning 320 hectares (790 acres). This grassy public space sits astride a sandy ridge, one of
2604-643: The Middlesex hundred of Ossulstone . Outlying hamlets developed at West End and North End . In addition Pond Street formed the southern limit of the settlement for many centuries. The growth of Hampstead is generally traced back to the seventeenth century. Trustees of the Well started advertising the medicinal qualities of the chalybeate waters ( mineral water impregnated with iron) in 1700. A pump room and assembly room were established on Well Walk , supplied by water from springs in nearby Well Road . Elegant housing
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2688-553: The Spaniard's Inn , Spaniard's Road, where highwayman Dick Turpin took refuge; The Old Bull and Bush in North End; and The Old White Bear (formerly Ye Olde White Bear). Jack Straw's Castle , on the edge of the Heath near Whitestone Pond , has now been converted into residential flats. Others include: Hampstead has served as a testing ground for a number of cafes and restaurants that later became successful chains. Those include Giraffe World Kitchen , Gail's and 'Bagel Street'. As
2772-765: The UK Weather Records with the Highest 155-min total rainfall at 169 mm. As of November 2008 this record remains. The average price of a property in Hampstead was £1.5 million in 2018. Hampstead became part of the County of London in 1889 and in 1899 the Metropolitan Borough of Hampstead was formed. The Town Hall on Haverstock Hill, which was also the location of the Register Office, can be seen in newsreel footage of many celebrity civil marriages. In 1965,
2856-457: The highest points in London , running from Hampstead to Highgate , which rests on a band of London Clay . The heath is rambling and hilly, embracing ponds, recent and ancient woodlands, a lido , playgrounds, and a training track, and it adjoins the former stately home of Kenwood House and its estate. The south-east part of the heath is Parliament Hill , from which the view over London is protected by law. Running along its eastern perimeter
2940-485: The wider borough . Hampstead station is on one underground line, the Northern Line which has connections to other lines at Camden Town and Kings Cross & St Pancras stations and Embankment among others. The London Overground ( North London line ) also runs through Hampstead Heath and Finchley Road & Frognal . Stations in Hampstead include: All stations are in London fare zone 2 , except Hampstead, which
3024-441: The "Upper FlasK". Later, the company included John Keats , Leigh Hunt and Percy Bysshe Shelley . They would drink their ale under an old mulberry tree in the grounds and one of the members, Sir Richard Blackmore , wrote: Or when, Apollo -like, thou'st pleased to lead Thy sons to feast on Hampstead's airy head: Hampstead, that, towering in superior sky, Now with Parnassus does in honour vie. The Upper Flask appears in
3108-567: The 1960s, the figure of the Hampstead Liberal was notoriously satirised by Peter Simple of the Daily Telegraph in the character of Lady Dutt-Pauker , an immensely wealthy aristocratic socialist whose Hampstead mansion, Marxmount House, contained an original pair of Bukharin 's false teeth on display alongside precious Ming vases, neo-constructivist art, and the complete writings of Stalin. Michael Idov of The New Yorker stated that
3192-520: The 1980s. The NHS sold off this part of their estate in 2004 to a private businessman who is currently redeveloping much of the site; however the House and its gardens fall within the conservation area of Hampstead Heath. Parliament Hill Fields lies on the south and east of the heath. It officially became part of the heath in 1888. It contains various sporting facilities including an athletics track, tennis courts and Parliament Hill Lido . Parliament Hill itself
3276-585: The 20th century, a number of notable buildings were created including: Cultural attractions in the area include the Freud Museum , Keats House , Kenwood House , Fenton House , the Isokon building , Burgh House (which also houses Hampstead Museum), and the Camden Arts Centre . The large Victorian Hampstead Town Hall was recently converted and extended as an arts centre. On 14 August 1975 Hampstead entered
3360-634: The Corporation argued that it risked legal action by the Health and Safety Executive if it allowed such swimming, since the Executive had refused to give assurances to the Corporation that it would not be prosecuted under the Health and Safety at Work Act . The swimmers successfully challenged this in the High Court , which in 2005 ruled that members of the swimming club had the right to swim at their own risk, and that
3444-503: The Corporation would not be liable under the Act for injuries as a result. In January 2011 the City of London announced a scheme which it said would improve the safety of the dams, to guard against damage that might result from a very large, but rare storm hitting London. The proposed engineering modifications of the dams were aimed at ensuring that three dams complied with the 1975 Reservoir Act. With
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3528-569: The Earl of Warwick; the writer and practical joker, George Steevens ; and the MP for Frome , Thomas Sheppard . Steevens bought the place in 1771 and lived there until his death in 1800. His magnum opus during this time was his fifteen-volume edition of Shakespeare's plays which was published in 1793. He worked on this in a concentrated effort for about 18 months, commuting each day by foot from Hampstead to Isaac Reed 's offices at Staple Inn . At this time,
3612-428: The East Park Estate and the 200 acres (81 ha) Parliament Hill Fields, but no funds were available for this. A public fund-raising campaign was launched, led by the philanthropist Baroness Burdett-Coutts and the campaigner Octavia Hill . This succeeded in raising the required £300,000, and in 1899 the East Park Estate and Parliament Hill Fields were added to the Heath. The Heath was further extended in 1898 with
3696-515: The East Park Estate. Work was started on an access road, a wall and a gamekeeper's hut, remnants of which still survive. However, because of landslips and problems of water penetration, attempts to build a viaduct to carry the road failed and the entire project was abandoned. In 1866 the Hampstead Heath Protection Fund Committee was formed, a forerunner of the Heath & Hampstead Society which still campaigns to protect
3780-520: The Heath, overlooking west London. Parliament Hill also features in Notes on a Scandal (2006) together with the nearby areas of Gospel Oak and Camden Town . Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) features the old Hampstead Town Hall on Haverstock Hill. The film Scenes of a Sexual Nature (2006) was filmed entirely on Hampstead Heath, covering various picturesque locations such as the 'Floating Gardens' and Kenwood House . A musical specifically focusing on
3864-541: The Heath, period harpsichord recitals at Fenton House, Hampstead Scientific Society and Hampstead Photographic Society. The largest employer in Hampstead is the Royal Free Hospital , Pond Street , but many small businesses based in the area have international significance. George Martin 's AIR recording studios, in converted church premises in Lyndhurst Road , is a current example, as Jim Henson's Creature Shop
3948-530: The Heath. In 1869 Sir Thomas died and the estate passed to his brother, Sir John Maryon Wilson. By now there was considerable pressure for public ownership of the Heath. This was led by the Commons Preservation Society , which had been formed in 1865 with the specific aim of protecting common land. In 1870 the Metropolitan Board of Works agreed to buy the Heath on behalf of the public at
4032-638: The London Borough of Camden in 1965. Since then, it has become a major tourist destination within Camden, owing to its many historical sites and high street . The name comes from the Anglo-Saxon words ham and stede , which means, and is a cognate of, the Modern English "homestead". Archeological findings from Hampstead Heath , including Mesolithic flint tools, pits, postholes, and burnt stones, indicate
4116-583: The Pond Street side of Hampstead Green. Deconsecrated in 1978 and stripped of much of its assets it was boarded up and subsequently invaded by squatters. In 1998 it was leased to the St Stephen's Restoration and Preservation Trust which, after 11 years of fundraising and grants returned it to the community as a centre for education, weddings, public meetings and social celebrations together with occasional classical music concerts. Winning an English Heritage award for
4200-516: The United Kingdom. Inhabited since at least when the Anglo-Saxons ruled Britain, Hampstead is one of the oldest areas in London. From the 17th century it became popular as a resort away from the capital, especially for the affluent. The areas has been contained within many metropolitan governments since the 13th century, ending with the dissolution of the Metropolitan Borough of Hampstead into
4284-447: The Unready granted five hides of land at "Hemstede" to the Abbot of Westminster. This same land is later recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as held by the monastery of St. Peter's at Westminster Abbey , and by then is known as the "Manor of Hampstead". Westminster held the land until 1133 when control of part of the manor was released to Richard de Balta; then during Henry II 's reign
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#17328585906354368-511: The area show no mound other than a 17th-century windmill. The Hampstead Ponds are three ponds in the heath's south-west corner, towards South End Green . Hampstead Pond No. 3 is the mixed bathing pond, where both sexes may swim. In 2004 the City of London Corporation , rejected a proposal by the Hampstead Heath Winter Swimming Club to allow "early-morning, self-regulated swimming in the mixed sex pond on Hampstead Heath";
4452-471: The area, Les Bicyclettes de Belsize (1968), tells the story of a young man's cycle journey around Hampstead. After crashing into a billboard poster, he falls in love with the fashion model depicted on it. In February 2016, principal photography for Robert Zemeckis' war film Allied starring Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard, began with the family home located on the corners of Christchurch Hill and Willow Road in Hampstead. Cruella de Vil Mansion (Sarum Chase)
4536-402: The bill included a provision to build on the Heath, it attracted considerable opposition. This came partly from individuals who held certain rights under the ancient system of copyhold , and also from influential figures who valued the Heath as a natural asset and a place of recreation. The bill was passed by the House of Lords but was rejected by the House of Commons. In 1830 Sir Thomas lodged
4620-581: The community "was the citadel of the moneyed liberal intelligentsia, posh but not stuffy." As applied to an individual, the term "Hampstead Liberal" is not synonymous with " champagne socialist " but carries some of the same connotations. The term is also rather misleading. As of 2018, the component wards of Hampstead (South Hampstead, Frognal, Hampstead Town and Belsize) have mixed representation. Frognal ward elects two Conservative councillors, Belsize ward elects three Liberal Democrat councillors, South Hampstead elects three Labour councillors, while Hampstead Town
4704-592: The dams. The ponds are the result of the 1777 damming of Hampstead Brook (one of the Fleet River 's sources), by the Hampstead Water Company, which was formed in 1692 to meet London's growing water demands. "Boudicca's Mound", near the present men's bathing pond, is a tumulus where, according to local legend, Queen Boudicca (Boadicea) was buried after she and 10,000 Iceni warriors were defeated at Battle Bridge. However, historical drawings and paintings of
4788-475: The flasks of spring water which were sold there, like the Lower Flask and The Flask in nearby Highgate . The Upper Flask was the most select of these, being in a grand Jacobean house near the summit of Hampstead hill, where it commanded good views of London and the surrounding villages. It was patronised by Whig grandees and literati who attended the famous Kit-Kat Club and removed its summer meetings to
4872-444: The form of old field boundaries, hedgerows and trees. The Hill Garden and Pergola lie to the west of Inverforth House (formerly The Hill), and were laid out from 1906 by Thomas Hayton Mawson as private gardens for Lord Leverhulme . After neglect in recent decades the garden and pergola are in the care of the City of London Corporation , are being restored, and are open to the public but locked at night. Several buildings within
4956-588: The garden are individually listed at grade II* or grade II. Those at grade II* include: the summerhouse at the western end of the pergola, which has extensive views over Hampstead Heath towards Harrow on the Hill ; a summerhouse to the south of the garden; the southern pergola and terrace; the Cruciform pergola; a bridge; the Central Temple summerhouse; and the western pergola. The structures listed at grade II are:
5040-524: The heath includes: Buses serve several roads around the heath. The heath's 320 hectares (790 acres) include a number of distinct areas. Hampstead Heath has over 25 ponds; most of these are in two distinct areas: the Highgate Ponds and the Hampstead Ponds. Whitestone Pond is a roughly triangular pond, centrally located on the heath's south side and north-northwest of Queen Mary's House ( formerly
5124-442: The house was fenced in and its grounds included a fine lawn and pleasant trees. Eventually, the site was donated by Lord Leverhulme for Queen Mary's Maternity Home which was constructed in place of the old building and opened there in 1922. 51°33′39″N 0°10′44″W / 51.5607°N 0.1788°W / 51.5607; -0.1788 Hampstead Hampstead ( / ˈ h æ m p s t ɪ d , - s t ɛ d / )
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#17328585906355208-521: The land for development, but under the terms of his father's will, Sir Thomas could neither sell any of the land nor grant leases on it for periods greater than 21 years, thus making it unsuitable for building. In 1829 Sir Thomas tried to circumvent the will by promoting a bill in Parliament which would have allowed him to grant leases of up to 99 years. This was a straightforward procedure and would normally have been passed without difficulty. But because
5292-537: The late 1990s and shows the true role of this building in wartime service. The building sustained 2 near misses from V-1 flying bombs in late 1944, causing damage and injuries to staff. The RAF Intelligence School remained in Caen Wood Towers until 1948, when the building was handed over to the Ministry of Health. It was then used as a hospital and finally a post-operative recovery lodge, before falling into disrepair in
5376-468: The management of the heath are located at Parliament Hill Fields. In the south-east of the heath, on the southern slopes of Parliament Hill, is the Gospel Oak Lido open air swimming pool, with a running track and fitness area to its north. Parliament Hill Fields was successfully defended from development in the late 19th Century by Octavia Hill and the Commons Preservation Society . The area to
5460-468: The metropolitan borough was abolished and its area merged with that of the Metropolitan Borough of Holborn and the Metropolitan Borough of St Pancras to form the modern-day London Borough of Camden . For some, the area represented by Hampstead today consists principally of the (electoral) wards of Hampstead Town and Frognal & Fitzjohns; others espouse a broader definition, encompassing South Hampstead , Belsize Park and West Hampstead . Hampstead
5544-451: The north and east of Hampstead, and separating it from Highgate , is London's largest ancient parkland, Hampstead Heath , which includes the well-known and legally-protected view of the London skyline from Parliament Hill. The Heath, a major place for Londoners to walk and "take the air", has three open-air public swimming ponds ; one for men, one for women, and one for mixed bathing , which were originally reservoirs for drinking water and
5628-540: The north of the heath is the Kenwood Estate and House – a total area of 50 hectares (120 acres) which is maintained by English Heritage . This became part of the heath when it was bequeathed to the nation by Lord Iveagh on his death in 1927, and opened to the public in 1928. The original house dates from the early 17th century. The orangery was added in about 1700. One third of the Kenwood estate (Ken Wood and North Wood)
5712-668: The opening of the film, was actually The Holly Bush, at 22 Holly Mount. Another example is The Collector (1965), starring Terence Stamp and Samantha Eggar , where the kidnap sequence is set in Mount Vernon. Some scenes from An American Werewolf in London (1981) are shot on Hampstead Heath , Well Walk and Haverstock Hill. More recently Kenwood House is the set of the "film-within-the-film" scene of Notting Hill (1999). Outdoor scenes in The Wedding Date (2005), starring Debra Messing , feature Parliament Hill Fields on
5796-413: The passage of the 2010 Flood and Water Management Act the City of London was advised that all the dams on the heath would need to comply with the reservoir safety regulations. The proposed works in 2011 included recommendations to improve the water quality of the lake, which had suffered from algae blooms. The proposals for the pond dams were extensively modified in 2012–2014. The proposals were challenged by
5880-625: The pond and its architectural surround; and the garden terrace steps. Golders Hill Park is a formal park adjoining the West Heath. It occupies the site of a large house that was bombed during World War II. It has an expanse of grass, with a formal flower garden , a duck pond and a separate water garden that leads to a separate area for deer , near a recently renovated small zoo . The zoo has donkeys , maras , ring-tailed lemurs , ring-tailed coatis , white-cheeked turacos and European eagle-owls , among other animals. There are also tennis courts ,
5964-493: The popular novel, Clarissa , written by Samuel Richardson , in 1748. The eponymous heroine stays there while seeking to escape from the villain Lovelace, who threatens her virtue. In the 1750s, the proprietor Samuel Stanton, died. The property went to his relations who used it as a private house known as Upper Bowling Green House after the nearby bowling green . Subsequent residents included Lady Charlotte Rich , daughter of
6048-507: The project was cancelled in 1870. There is a major bus terminus near Hampstead Heath station (near the Royal Free Hospital ), served by London Buses routes 24 and 1 . Routes 46 , 268 , C11 , and N5 also serve the Royal Free Hospital. Hampstead tube station and High Street are served by routes 46, 268, 603 , and N5. Route 210 runs along the northernmost rim of Hampstead, stopping at Jack Straw's Castle . Finchley Road
6132-614: The purchase of Golders Hill Park for £38,000 from the estate of Sir Thomas Spencer Wells . In 1904 following a campaign led by Henrietta Barnett , Wyldes Farm was purchased from Eton College . This land too was added to the Heath, and it is now known as the Heath Extension. The rest of Wyldes Farm was purchased by Henrietta Barnett to found the Hampstead Garden Suburb . Another fund-raising campaign led by Arthur Crosfield enabled part of Kenwood to be purchased. This land
6216-463: The restoration of buildings at risk, the website www.ststephenstrust.co.uk has further information. Hampstead was once home to many art galleries but few are now left. The Catto Gallery has been in Hampstead since 1986 and has represented artists like Ian Berry , Philip Jackson , Chuck Elliott, Walasse Ting , and Sergei Chepik over the years. Hampstead is well known for its traditional pubs , such as The Holly Bush , gas-lit until recently;
6300-462: The sources of the River Fleet . The bridge pictured is known locally as 'The Red Arches' or 'The Viaduct', built in fruitless anticipation of residential building on the Heath in the 19th century. Local activities include major open-air concerts on summer Saturday evenings on the slopes below Kenwood House , the FT Weekend Festival, book and poetry readings, fun fairs on the lower reaches of
6384-536: The ward has had mixed representation in recent decades. During the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum , 75% of voters across the London Borough of Camden voted to remain in the EU. Following the result many commentators used Hampstead as an archetype of the type of area that preferred to remain in the EU. This point was often made in alliterative contrast to poor post-industrial northern towns such as Hartlepool and Hull , that preferred to leave. To
6468-521: The west and north west of the village and including the Heath. From 1808 to 1814 Hampstead Heath hosted a station in the shutter telegraph chain which connected the Admiralty in London to its naval ships in the port of Great Yarmouth . In 1821 Sir Thomas Maryon Wilson, eighth baronet, inherited the estate from his father. The construction of the Finchley Road through Hampstead promised to open up
6552-602: The whole of the manor became privately owned by Alexander de Barentyn, the King's butler. In 1767, the Manor of Hampstead and the estate which went with it came into the possession of the Wilson family following the marriage of General Sir Thomas Spencer Wilson, sixth baronet, to Jane Weller, niece and heir of the Revd. John Maryon. The estate consisted of 416 acres (168 ha), being mainly farmland to
6636-460: Was added to the Heath in 1922. Finally, Kenwood House and its adjacent ground were incorporated into the Heath in 1928 following a bequest by their owner, the Earl of Iveagh . A fresh controversy arose in 1900 when the Charing Cross, Euston and Hampstead Railway submitted a parliamentary bill for an underground railway line between Hampstead and Golders Green . The company already had powers to build
6720-471: Was before it relocated to California. The area has some remarkable architecture, such as the Isokon building in Lawn Road, a Grade I listed experiment in collective housing, once home to Agatha Christie , Henry Moore , Ben Nicholson and Walter Gropius . It was recently restored by Notting Hill Housing Trust . St Stephen's Rosslyn Hill (Church of England) was built in 1869 by Samuel Sanders Teulon on
6804-593: Was built in 1872 for Edward Brooke, aniline dye manufacturer (architect, Edward Salomons ). In 1942 the building was taken for war service by the Royal Air Force and was used to house the RAF Intelligence School, although the 'official' line was that it was a convalescence hospital. The Operational Record (Form 540) of RAF Station Highgate (currently in the National Archives, Kew ) was declassified in
6888-525: Was built in New End road, New End Square and Church Row . Although Hampstead Wells was initially most successful and fashionable, its popularity declined in the nineteenth century due to competition with other fashionable London spas. The spa was demolished in 1882, although a water fountain was left behind. Hampstead started to expand following the opening of the North London Railway in the 1860s (now
6972-731: Was opened in 1907. It now forms part of the London Underground Northern line . The City of London Corporation has managed the heath since 1989. Before that it was managed by the Greater London Council (GLC) and before that by the London County Council (LCC). In 2021 Quiet Parks International , a non-profit organisation whose aim is to identify locations around the world that remain free from human-made noise for at least brief periods, gave Hampstead Heath "Urban Quiet Park" status. In September 2023 sheep made
7056-424: Was to spend most of the rest of his life trying to obtain permission to grant leases for building. The matter became a cause célèbre , with the opposition being led by such influential figures as John Gurney Hoare and Lord Mansfield. Although unable to grant leases for building, there was nothing to prevent Sir Thomas from undertaking his own building work. In the mid 1840s, he drew up plans to build 28 villas on
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