Sandwiched between Camden High Street to the west and the Regent’s Canal to the east, this area is located smack bang in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Camden Town. Most people think of Camden as teenage goths acting as attractions for slow-moving groups of tourists buying cheap fingerless gloves. However, this part of town is in fact located slightly to the south of many of Camden’s negatives, yet maintains much of the unique, vibrant character that the neighbourhood is famous for. Much of this area is residential, with a combination of huge Edwardian terraces split into as many flats as landlords can get away with, fine Georgian and Victorian town houses, and a number of large but accommodating post-war blocks and estates. While the area contains some of London’s busiest main roads - Camden Road, Camden High Street and St Pancras Way - they bring with them numerous conveniences and entertainment venues, such as KOKO and The Blues Kitchen. The neighbourhood also boasts fantastic transport links, with Camden Road to the north and Mornington Crescent to the south, providing Northern Line tube services throughout the city. The Regent’s Canal provides an easy route down to King’s Cross and further into east London, as well as a quiet escape from the noisy highstreets, which can also be found in the peaceful St. Martin’s Gardens.

Originally part of a rural hamlet in the manor of Kentish Town, the area was a popular resort just a few miles outside of central London until Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden, obtained an Act of Parliament in 1788 which allowed him to develop some fields.

The Regent’s Canal was opened to traffic in 1820, turning what was once just a handful of buildings into a poor but thriving industrial centre. Additionally, the arrival of Euston Station in 1837, and King’s Cross in 1852, opened the area up to those priced out of the centre. The cheap rents made the area popular to Irish immigrants who had been forced out of Ireland due to the terrible famines in the mid 19th century. Once Camden Town and Mornington Crescent tubes opened in 1907, more and more people were drawn to the canal and industrial works. Heavy bombing and the drop in railway and canal trade after the Second World War threw the area into a steep decline and made what was already a poor, undesirable locality even worse. However, the cheap rents brought with them students and artists, who kickstarted the regeneration of Camden into a hub of creativity. This regeneration has led to the redevelopment of wharf buildings into venues, workshops, studios and markets, helping transform the area into what we know it as today.

The 19th century French poets, Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine, lived together at 8 Royal College Street in 1873. During their time in Camden, they not only wrote some of their most important work, but also spent countless nights in Soho’s French district. The rocky relationship came to a close in Belgium when Verlaine shot Rimbaud in the arm with a 7mm revolver. The house is now a thriving arts and poetry foundation and an important location for London’s LGBT history.

One of the country’s most prominent music venues, Koko, is located to the south of the area, towards Mornington Crescent Station. Designed by W.G.R. Sprague and opened in 1900 as The Camden Theatre, it had an original capacity of 2,434, and was one of the largest theatres outside the West End, playing host to all manner of famous theatre and musical performances. It has seen The Rolling Stones on its stage, was the venue for the filming of Monty Python’s Flying Circus in 1970, and was even the location of Madonna’s first ever UK performance. Having changed its name a number of times over the years, and falling into a poor state by the end of the 90s, the venue was restored and reopened in 2004 and has since hosted numerous shows including a secret Prince gig in 2007.

The greatest impact that will be seen from any new developments will be the building work associated with the consutrction of High Speed 2 (HS2), which will pass through Camden and use Camden’s Euston Station as its London terminus. A project without precedent in a more modern context, it is unclear the real impact that the development will have on this highly urbanised area. Camden Council has predicted a huge increase in housing as well as in traffic throughout the area. Congestion, noise and air pollution caused by the construction works has already proven to be a major concern and complaints amongst residents, especially those living near the site. The HS2 initiative has also led directly to the demolition of council housing to make the room necessary for the development. HS2 was expected to finally become operational (for its link to Birmingham) in the end of 2026 but that has now been pushed to between 2029 and 2033.