This is one of not only London’s, but Europe’s, most culturally unique neighbourhoods. The area that makes up much of the east side of Stamford Hill is home to many of the 20,000 Hasidic Jews that live in the surrounding district. Only New York has a larger Hasidic Jewish community. The outcome of such a rich and distinct cultural history dating back to the 18th century is a rare place to find large properties for families, good schools and an array of unique restaurants and shops.

It is impossible to understand the history of the neighbourhood without considering its deep Jewish history. Due to its proximity to the River Lea, the location was a hotspot for trade in the late 18th century. Whilst Jewish families had been in the area since this time, it was in the 1920s and 30s that the majority of the Hasidic Jewish community moved in, many fleeing persecution from eastern Europe. Yet this neighbourhood’s history isn’t just religious – in the 1960s and 70s, it was a hotspot for mod culture.

Moses Vita Montefiore, 19th century billionaire, banker and philanthropist, lived and died in the neighbourhood. He had, among many other things, quite a nice personal motto; “think and thank”.

T-Rex lead singer and all-round rock-n-roll legend Marc Bolan used to haunt the area as a teenager, loitering around the amusement arcades and milk bars. Considering its quiet and peaceful nature now, it is surreal to imagine Marc causing such a racket on these streets.

Believe it or not, in the 1960s, this area was an underground hub for Ska music. In 1959 couple Rita and Benny Isen opened up record label R&B records, and even had a label devoted exclusively to swing singer Louis Prima. Louis was the voice behind the Jungle Book’s “I Wanna Be Like You”.

The neighbourhood faces some issues that are distinctly related to the dominance of its proud Hasidic culture. The large sizes of many of the families living in the area have led to strong demand for large homes, resulting in some steep house prices. Additionally, the independent and religious nature of many of the local schools has been at the centre of many local conversations about the community. However, these cons are a small price to pay for what many locals consider a very safe and family- friendly area.

The area was recently awarded £7000 from the Greener City Fund for community tree planting in order to reduce pollution in the area and improve the ecology and biodiversity of the area. The local council has expressed its dedication to expanding housing and education, increasing open and green space, and tackling social exclusion in Stamford Hill, as the area has become increasingly overcrowded. Two large residential developments on either side of this neighbourhood should alleviate some of these concerns. The smaller Quartet development sits on Castlewood Road and will provide 132 new homes across four new buildings. The project also includes additional facilities for Stamford Hill’s community run Jewish ambulance service. West of here near Clissold Park, the Kings Crescent development is currently in its third phase of construction. With 273 homes already built, and an additional 393 to be finished by the end of 2023, this project is set to have a significant impact on the area.