Spanning from Mornington Crescent through Camden Town into the Primrose Hill area, this neighbourhood area is an incredibly varied and interesting part of town. The bustling, touristy streets of central Camden give way to the pub-lined, student-inhabited market street of Parkway, which itself reaches towards the affluent, leafy suburban terraces of Primrose Hill where the Victorian and Edwardian houses can reach prices of up to £20 million! Camden High Street lies on the eastern border of this neighbourhood and the diverse residential roads are supplemented by the numerous amenities and conveniences that have set up shop just off the main drag, such as the famous Jewish Museum and the boutiques that benefit from the less touristy crowd and cheaper rents.

The northern half of the neighbourhood borders the Regent’s Canal and Regent’s Park, which itself provides a huge rural escape in the heart of the city, and Primrose Hill to the north gives jaw-dropping panoramic views of London that can’t be beat! While the variety of living conditions condensed into one small area of London does mean that there is little community feel, it does, alongside its fantastic transport links and nearby schools and universities, mean that the area is incredibly diverse and appealing to a wide range of individuals and families looking to move to a vibrant and reasonably- accommodating part of town.

Originally the area was deep woodland, the northern end of which was granted to Eton College by Henry VI, and used as a huge hunting chase by Henry VIII. Most of the trees were cleared by Oliver Cromwell during the interregnum so that the land could be leased to farmers to raise government funds. It remained rural until the early 19th century when Mornington Crescent was developed at the southern end of the area providing housing for well-to-do folk who wanted to enjoy a taste of the countryside while remaining close to London. When the canal was introduced to the north, it brought with it industrial buildings, workers, and the Victorian terraces to house them.

The railways, too, contributed to the rapid industrialisation of the area, near to which a number of Overground and Underground stations were positioned. Much of the southern and eastern parts of the area were badly damaged during the bombing raids of the Second World War, encouraging the dispersal of many of the wealthy residents and the building of a lot of Post War apartment blocks which were needed to house the dense population made homeless by the conflict. During the 1960s the area towards Primrose Hill became popular amongst wealthy bohemian artists, and, while the house prices have skyrocketed over the past few decades, it still maintains its artistic, free-spirited reputation today.

The area’s wealthy, bohemian reputation has encouraged a number of famous musicians to the neighbourhood over the past few decades. Two of the most influential British front men, Morrissey and Noel Gallagher have had houses in this affluent part of town. Morrissey, best known for being the front man of critically acclaimed pioneers of Indie music, The Smiths, and more recently a curmudgeonly provocateur, lived at 18 Regent’s Park Terrace at the height of his fame, while Noel Gallagher, lead guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for Oasis, lived at 83a Albert Street between 1993 and 1995.

The Dublin Castle, situated on Parkway, has been heavily involved in the area’s rich cultural history since its construction in 1856. Originally built to serve rail workers, it went on to cater to Irish immigrants in order to segregate them from other nationalities while anti-Irish racism was rife. This gave it its musical kickstart with traditional Irish music playing throughout the night, slowly turning into one of the premier live music venues in the area. It has hosted acts such as Madness, Blur, Amy Winehouse and The Libertines amongst others.

Located on Hampstead Road, The Carreras Building is a huge Art Deco/Egyptian Revival building that once housed the Carreras Cigarette Factory. Its entrance is flanked by two 2.6m high bronze cat statues which represent the god Bastet, and contains multiple allusions to Egyptian ornamentation such as a solar disc to the Sun-god Ra. To mark its opening in 1928 the roads were covered with sand from Egypt and a full-scale chariot race was held down Hampstead Road, with actors styled as Ancient Egyptians performing throughout.

The high density of tourism and the main road of Camden High Street makes the area incredibly noisy and polluted, and the rising rent can make living increasingly difficult for those without the luxury of affording to purchase a house. However, one resident of Parkway mentioned that despite these factors, the area is uniquely positioned with Regent’s Park and Camden’s abundance of pubs and bars on their doorstep. They also mentioned that the fresh air and greenery has led over time to an introduction of more upmarket, village-style shops and cafes which have begun to foster a stronger sense of community in those parts.

Camden Lock Village is arguably the largest upcoming development surrounding this area in the coming years. When completed, the village will feature eight new buildings between three and nine storeys in height, housing a new canal-side market, cafes and restaurants, a cinema, 195 residential units, a food quarter and commercial space. While this investment in the area presents opportunities for some, many local residents fear that these changes will sanitise the area and strip away much of Camden’s iconic history. A similar example of this gentrifying influence on the area can be found at 115-119 Camden High Street, where a new 90-bedroom Premier Inn hotel is currently being built.