|
History of Notting Hill
The area now called Notting Hill (The origin of the name is uncertain) was best known for its potteries (where the clay was extracted on site) and its pig farming.] The only surviving London 19th century kiln is on Walmer Road. Eventually, the area known as the Potteries & Piggeries was cleaned up for development in the 19th century.
The main landowners in Notting Hill were the Ladbroke family, and from the 1820s they began to lay out streets and houses, with a view to turning the area into a fashionable suburb of the capital. Many of these streets bear the Ladbroke name, including Ladbroke Grove and Ladbroke Square (the largest private garden square in London).
The principal architect of this plan was the Ladbroke family surveyor, Thomas Allom; and its distinctive feature was that instead of houses being set around a garden square, separated from the houses by a road around the square, houses were placed around the edge of the garden square; with the road on the other side of the house. Houses had direct access at the back to a secluded communal garden. These communal gardens remain a major attraction for the richest householders.
In 1837 the Hippodrome racecourse was laid out. The racecourse ran around the hill, and bystanders were expected to watch from the summit of the hill. However, it was not a success as it became waterlogged, and was closed in 1841, after which houses were built on the site. The crescent shaped roads which circumvent the hill (Blenheim Crescent, Elgin Crescent, Stanley Crescent, Cornwall Crescent, Landsdowne Crescent), were built over the circular racecourse tracks.
The area started to become run down after the WW1 and even more so after WW2. The area began a major pool for immigrants due to the cheap lodgings available (Portuguese, Afro Caribbean, Moroccan). From the 1980’s, the area became more affluent again, attracting young affluent people from the music and media businesses. It is now one of the trendiest areas in London. There is a wide range of properties, from ex-council flats to very large town houses in squares. There is a great choice of shops, restaurants and bars to suit all budgets.
Places of interest
http://www.thehill.co.uk/
• Portobello Market • The Gate Cinema • Notting Hill Carnival
Transport Links – Visit Transport for London for more information
Ladbroke Grove – Hammersmith & City Line
Notting Hill Gate – Central, Circle & District Lines
Royal Oak – Hammersmith & City Line
Westbourne Park – Hammersmith & City Line
Local Authority
Kensington & Chelsea – http://www.camden.gov.uk/
Please click here to go back to the West London Property Guides main menu
|