The area lies tucked between Paddington station and the north-eastern cusp of Hyde Park. The plethora of beautiful small parks that scatter the neighbourhood gives plenty of green tranquillity to the neat rows of Victorian houses that line this area of central London. It’s this prime central location that also makes it home to many upscale hotels along Sussex Gardens. There’s arguably no better location to enjoy a gentle walk in Hyde Park and end it with a cold beer at local pub The Victoria.

This neighbourhood’s history is somewhat macabre. Known as Tyburnia in the 19th century after a small brook that used to flow through the area, Tyburnia was synonymous with public executions. The “Tyburn Tree” was actually a form of gallows, specifically designed for mass executions. The tree enabled 24 prisoners to be hanged simultaneously, and the area produced several euphemisms for capital punishment. Our favourite is “dancing the Tyburn jig”. Cheery. However, since those days, the area has flourished as an affluent region of London. For example, St George’s Fields, which used to be a burial site in the 1700s, is now considered “one of the capital’s loveliest post-war estates”.

One of the most infamous people executed at Tyburn was Jack Sheppard, Highwayman extraordinaire and escapologist. He and his sidekick, Elizabeth Lyon, could be considered a Georgian Bonnie and Clyde. It was said that his hanging attracted an audience of 200,000 people.

Another victim to Tyburn was Claude Duval – yet another highwayman. He was particularly famous for his flirty ways and luck with the ladies; apparently women wept at his funeral. His epitaph is said to have read “Here lies Du Vall, Reader, if male thou art, Look to thy purse. If female, to thy heart. Much havoc has he made of both”.

There’s a secret pet cemetery inside of Hyde Park that is closed to the public. It’s called the Victoria Lodge garden and around 300 pets were buried here around the 1880s.

Speaker’s corner is also located in this neighbourhood. George Bernard Shaw, Karl Marx and Winston Churchill have all stood up on a soapbox at the famous free speech spot.

The high influx of tourism brings distinct challenges to this area. One of these is the congestion, particularly around Marble Arch. Eyebrow-raising house prices also go without saying in this affluent area. That said, Westminster Council has taken action to ensure that 30% of all housing development constitutes affordable housing. Locals also thrive from the access to greenery that is rare in other parts of the city and more than makes up for the tourist-heavy areas of the neighbourhood.

The delivery of the Elizabeth Line, which incorporates Paddington station, makes this area even more accessible and desirable than it already was. The council has also implemented the Paddington Opportunity Area regeneration project, which aims to provide at least “1,000 new homes and 13,000 additional jobs identified in the London Plan.” A number of large-scale, high-value (and high-rise) developments have already been incorporated by the City of Westminster for the Opportunity Area, including the redevelopment of the former Sorting Office to ‘Paddington Square’, with Sellar Property Group transforming the London Street site into a striking 360,000 sq ft office scheme with over 75,000 sq ft of retail and restaurant uses.