Situated in Shoreditch, but remaining relatively residential, Crondall Street is a quiet oasis within walking distance of the restaurants, smart gastropubs, and artisan coffee shops of fashionable East London. The neighbourhood borders both Kingsland Road to the east and Old Street to the south, meaning that not only is it perfectly located close to all the amenities one can expect from the main shopping streets, but also that some of the area’s best connected stations – Old Street tube and Hoxton Overground – are just a short trip away. The leafy, almost suburban streets are made up of a fascinating mish-mash of architectural styles, mainly small Victorian terraces (which were once slum housing) and red brick factory buildings (some of which are now trendy art spaces), but also post-war council buildings and more modern luxury apartments. This variety of housing, the 9,000 strong population of Hackney Community College, and the area’s historic multiculturalism makes this neighbourhood an incredibly diverse and interesting place to be.

Originally named after a ‘Sewer Ditch’, a watercourse used to drain various undesirable liquids from a boggy wasteland, Shoreditch and its surrounding areas have come a long way since their ancient origins. As it was located just outside the jurisdiction of the City but close enough for Londoners to easily travel to, the area became very popular with Jacobean theatre companies who could put on bawdy plays reasonably safe from the puritanical moralists who looked to shut them down. As the fun-seeking population grew with the advent of the railways in the nineteenth century, the area became well known as a theatre district that could rival the West End. However, Shoreditch began to degenerate partly because it was unable to keep up with housing demands, and by the late 1800’s it was synonymous with crime, poverty and disorder. The devastation caused to the area by the Blitz sent the district into an even steeper decline, yet after the war, the cheaper rent offered to those who didn’t mind the reputation moved into the area and began its famously diverse and artistic community, as well as its notorious gentrification.

The English surgeon, palaeontologist and political activist, James Parkinson, owned a practice at 1 Hoxton Square, and was an advocate of the under-privileged, agitator for universal suffrage, and an outspoken critic of the Pitt government. Most famously though, he was the first individual who systematically identified the symptoms of ‘Shaking Palsy’, which is now known as Parkinson’s Disease, and began the ongoing trajectory towards finding a cure for the illness.

With versions by a range of artists such as Elvis, Aretha Franklin, The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, and Rod Stewart, ‘Amazing Grace’ was composed in the neighbourhood. What became one of the anthems of the Civil Rights Movement and, ultimately one of the world’s most famous hymns, was penned by The Reverend John Newton who lived at 13 Charles Square in the late eighteenth century.

It could also be argued that the neighbourhood is somewhat responsible for baked beans, spam, and all other tinned food after Peter Durant, a merchant of Hoxton Square, was granted the patent for the idea of preserving food in tin cans by King George III in 1810. While some may think that this important technological advance could have happened anywhere, I think that the area’s creative environment acted as the perfect breeding ground for such innovation.

The popularity of Shoreditch and the surrounding areas in recent times has led to a huge influx of tourism, office building, and people looking to find a home in the fashionable district. This population increase has not only led to rising rents for residential and office buildings but according to many local residents has caused day to day overcrowding at street level, particularly at the weekend. However, as a local café worker said of this area, its residential layout means that there are always quiet places to get away from the hustle and bustle of busy Shoreditch, such as Aske Gardens or the Hoxton Community Garden.

Given the area’s position in Shoreditch, this neighbourhood is likely to see more of the high density development and skyscrapers that are spreading across this part of London. The 40 Hyde Road development is arguably the most significant scheme underway in the postcode, with the complex housing a new leisure centre, secondary school, as well as 481 new homes on the northern side of Shoreditch Park. Sitting between Hyde Road and Regent’s canal will sit two further residential schemes, providing a combined total of over 225 additional homes by the time both are finished in 2026. This abundance of planned development is set to change the face of the neighbourhood, joining the recently completed Curzon cinema at 55 Pitfield Street.