| Great Trails: London Tour 1 |
| Local life in London town |
At one time, many of today's London
districts were little more than rural
villages. Even as late as the 18th century, places such as Chiswick, Clapham and Hampstead consisted of a few small hamlets surrounded by fields. Since the mid 1700s, when London's population began to explode and the city was forced to expand to accommodate its
citizens, the population has never stopped rising. The result is that each district contains its own mix of architectural styles. And as the landscape has changed so have the people, until today each district has its own distinctive character influenced as much by its inhabitants as its geography. Here, we give you a taste of those London districts which still retain
a villagey feel. They are lovely places to visit and illustrate the diversity of London.
1 GREENWICH
Greenwich is a busy place on any day of the week, not least because it is home to so many delightful attractions (the Royal Observatory and Royal Maritime Museum to name but two). The Regency streets of the centre, and the traffic which streams constantly around them, may make for a lively
suburban town but there are also areas with a
decidedly villagey feel about them. Take a look at pretty Royal Hill, off the high road, then turn left into Gloucester Circus and along to Croom's Hill. This beautiful, unspoilt street of manor houses which date from the 17th century (Nos. 66, 68 and 'The Manor') twists uphill along the western edge of Greenwich Park. Back at the bottom of the hill, turn into Nevada Street, a flagstone passage with an atmospheric, Dickensian restaurant (The Spread Eagle) on its corner, plus an antique shop and an olde-worlde second-hand bookshop. Make your way down to the Cutty Sark, stopping at Goddard's Pie House (est. 1890) for some traditional fare. At the river, follow the riverside walkway in front of the Royal Naval College to the Trafalgar Tavern, a favourite of Dickens. On the other side of the tavern, tiny Crane Street takes you past a row of Victorian cottages and to the old Trinity Hospital. Here you will find one of the most peaceful spots along London's River Thames.
2 CLAPHAM
Until about 20 years ago, Clapham was considered
to be rather seedy, with all the downmarket
reputation that South London then attracted. But,
in a similar way to many London suburbs, over the past few years it has rapidly become gentrified
and has now regained its 18th-century status as a fashionable suburb boasting scores of trendy bars and restaurants. As the High Street still has
room for improvement, head for Old Town, via The Pavement, which will lead you to a sort of triangular village square that is home to several beautiful Queen Anne-style houses and a clutch of popular pubs. For more of Old Town's village feel, take the right fork into Rectory Grove and have a peek at the top of Turret Grove, which looks as if it has been transplanted from some coastal country town. But the central feature of Clapham has to be its flat, expansive Common, criss-crossed by roads and paths. We particularly like the area to the west of The Holy Trinity, an enormous 18th-century church which enjoys one of the greenest settings in London.
3 CHELSEA
In the 16th century, Chelsea was known as the 'Village of Palaces' because the Duke of Norfolk, the Earl of Shrewsbury and Henry VIII all had
residences here. It's an exclusive address in the 21st century, too, with most residents being distinctly well-heeled and living in the stunning houses which match their status. The King's Road was a Mecca of fashion in the '60s and '70s when designer Vivienne Westwood had her first shop at its furthest point. It's now rather more conservative, offering a mix of high-street stores and upmarket boutiques which makes it a pleasant area to shop. There are many streets of mansions and town houses on each side, and up to neighbouring South Kensington, but for a quite different scene turn left into Glebe St, shortly after the fire station. The garish building at the end of this road offers little idea of what lies hidden around the next few corners. Take time to marvel at the unique Art Deco house on the corner before
following the smaller streets of Georgian cottages and houses, some hidden away down flagstoned passages; Judges Walk is a particular delight. Visit Chelsea Old Church (open from 2pm), next to the river, which dates back to the 12th century although it was given its modern exterior after damage sustained in the War.
4 CHISWICK
Only 150 years ago Chiswick was quite rural. Today it is a bustling yet popular, family-friendly area – yet on the other side of the High Road, alongside the Thames, some older parts of Chiswick remain intact. From Turnham Green tube station, head up Turnham Green Terrace for a tour of Bedford Park, London's first 'garden suburb'. At the High Road, cross over and continue up Devonshire Rd before taking the subway under the Great West Rd (Chiswick House and Hogarth's House are nearby). Coming out at the top of Church St, you'll arrive at the scene of the original Chiswick village, whose country cottages and stone church could just as well be in the Cotswolds. Around the corner, the glorious houses of Chiswick Mall face the Thames, with the air of Edwardian country residences. Almost every house is unique, with a beautiful garden in front, and (on the other side of the road) next to the river itself. For more of Chiswick's original country cottages take the No. 27 bus westwards from the High Road. Get off just before Kew Bridge and walk down Riverside St, going eastwards. Ship Alley will take you along the riverside with its 18th-century houses and rows of fishermen's cottages. Stop for refreshment at any of the pubs along the water's edge and you'll hardly believe you're in London.
5 HAMPSTEAD
With its long streets of huge mansions, tall trees and fashionable shops, Hampstead is one of the most desirable areas of London. To get a good idea of what living in Hampstead is like, walk left out of the tube station, down Rosslyn Hill and left into Downshire Hill, an exclusive street of Regency villas. The Freemason's Arms, at the bottom of the hill, is a popular pub – work off your lunch here with a walk on the famous Heath. From the pub, turn left into Willow Rd, then Christchurch Hill (Constable lived in Well Walk) and turn left into Hampstead Sq and on to Heath St. Cross over and you will find yourself on The Mount; here is village Hampstead. At the top of The Mount you will enter Hampstead Grove Hill where Adams Walk leads to a maze of picturesque old streets. From the secret backstreet of Vernon Hill you will enter Holly Walk, flanked by smart little houses on one side and the higgledy-piggledy churchyard of St John's on the other. Turn left at the bottom to enter Church Row, an elegant street leading to the top of Fitzjohn's Ave, near the tube. South of Church Row lies Netherall Gardens, with Elgar's house at 44 and, in the parallel street, the Sigmund Freud museum at 20 Maresfield Gardens.
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Refreshments
1 Greenwich
Goddard's Pie House
45 Greenwich Church St, SE10
Tel 020 8293 9313
2 Clapham
Bread and Roses Clapham Manor St, SW4
Tel 020 7498 1779
Eco Clapham High Street, SW4 Tel 020 7978 1108
3 Chelsea
Café Picasso 127 Kings Rd, SW3 Tel 020 73524921
4 Chiswick
Bell and Crown 11-13 Thames Rd, W4 Tel 020 8994 4164
5 Hampstead
Freemason's Arms 32 Downshire Hill, NW3 Tel 020 7433 6811
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