5 miles from central London, this neighbourhood is sandwiched between Tottenham and Stoke Newington in the western half of the multicultural and residential area of Stamford Hill. As home to Europe’s largest Hasidic community, it is unsurprising that many of the area’s amenities are targeted towards Jewish residents, with countless synagogues and specialist supermarkets dotted amongst the typical London mish-mash of large Edwardian houses and post-war flat blocks. Despite having no nearby tube stations there are numerous bus routes which pass through the area, and Stamford Hill station provides Overground services across the city meaning that commuting into town is incredibly straight forward. There is little by way of green space, but the Woodberry Wetlands are a stunning place to escape from the hustle and bustle of the area’s hectic streets, and Finsbury Park and Clissold Park are just a short walk away. There is a great deal of local schools for kids of all ages, and its reasonably affordable rents mean that the area is popular with families, young professionals, and students alike, all of whom help create the area’s uniquely diverse population.

Stamford Hill was once part of the ancient Roman road of Ermine Street which carried goods from York and Lincoln down into London. The road has remained in use ever since its conception, but its surface deteriorated until the local parish was forced to set up a Turnpike Trust in 1713, which charged passersby a toll for the road’s upkeep. The area remained almost entirely rural apart from a small number of large houses with extensive grounds for wealthy city merchants and financiers, up until the introduction of the railway in 1872 and the tram system shortly after. This kicked off a large building project which established the current layout of the area and many of the shops along Dunsmure Road, which attracted a large number of upwardly mobile Jewish Londoners who wished to escape the poverty and overcrowding of the East End. The growing Hasidic population later encouraged more Jewish refugees from around the world fleeing Nazi persecution and the intense bombing of Stepney during the Blitz. After the war a great deal of housing was built to accommodate the rapidly-growing population, most of which still survives today.

One of the most significant figures in architectural history, Sir Ebenezer Howard (1850-1928), lived at 50 Durley Road for much of his life. Howard founded the garden city movement after he published To-Morrow: A Peaceful Path to Real Reform in 1898, which sought to produce a self-sufficient, utopian city where people lived in harmony with nature. He wished to reduce the urban population’s alienation from their natural environment through a process of cooperative socialism and a rejection of urban capitalism, and hence avoid such issues as poverty, overcrowding and pollution that afflict the modern city. His ideas produced numerous communities, the first being Letchworth, and later Welwyn, and since his death the towns of Stevenage and Milton Keynes amongst many others across the globe, and his publications remain incredibly influential in city planning today.

Stamford Hill has its own volunteer first-aid and community watch groups, known as the Hatzola and Shomrim respectively. The Shomrim in particular have been subject to some controversies but have also done worked to lower public crime in the area, and have helped protect local mosques from racist attacks earning them a commendation from the Hackney Police.

The Woodberry Wetlands are a designated Site of Metropolitan Importance and a wonderful nature reserve on the site of the East Reservoir. Owned by Thames Water and run by the London Wildlife Trust, the site is a perfect resting place for migrating birds and a great habitat for local wildlife, which was finally opened to the public in 2016.

Stamford Hill residents often complain of the lack of any Underground train service to the area, meaning that the local bus services are incredibly busy, particularly at peak times, and often get stuck in traffic. However, as one resident pointed out, within the area there is a great selection of large supermarkets that stock a diverse range of products to cater for the multicultural population, and there is accessibility to lots of green space, such as Abney Park, Springfield Park and Clapton Common. Furthermore, it is close to Stoke Newington and Dalston, which both possess an abundance of restaurants, pubs, and clubs.

Overcrowding and a lack of adequate housing is a problem that affects the entirety of London, but is acutely apparent in Stamford Hill as the area’s Charedi community has an average household size of 5.7 people. Therefore, the Hackney Council are working to assist the affordable conversion of existing houses into larger, more hospitable homes for big families, as well as constructing new affordable units where possible. The Kings Crescent project on Green Lanes, to the east of this postcode, is a good example of this drive to provide more housing stock. The first phase was completed in 2017, providing 273 homes, and the following two phases will be completed by 2023, providing 393 homes and a new community centre.