Gravitas Residential

One of the cultural melting pots of the capital, Camden is a hive of bustling market stalls and trendy hangouts. The fourth most visited tourist attraction in the UK, this energetic area of London is more than just rabbit warrens of market stalls and street food. With an abundance of places of interest and local history, it is the perfect mix of a busy shopping destination, with bountiful food and drink locations and pretty residential streets and mewses.

Shopping in Camden

Most well-known for its offering of shops and the amalgamation of six markets to form an attractive and alternative shopping destination, there is an array of crafts, antiques and all means of treasures to be found in Camden Market. Everything from Vintage and retro fashions to unique and quirky handmade products including jewellery to curiosities, there is definitely something for everyone. Camden also benefits from good transport links in to London’s West End and Westfield Stratford or Westfield Shepherds Bush. 

Eating & Drinking in Camden

For all things dining and drinking in the area, the offering is as diverse as the crowds that the area attracts, there is no shortage of good pubs such as the famous Hawley Arms Camden situated right next to the market to the enviable location of the Princess of Wales near Primrose Hill. The Market offers amazing street food to tempt your taste buds if you’re eating on the go, but there are other diverse dining options such as the trendy ‘Blues Kitchen’ on Camden High Street (which is also home to London’s largest Whiskey collection) to ‘Shaka Zulu’ situated in the centre of ‘The Stables’ over an impressive 27,000 square feet offering a dining experience of South African inspired food, dancing and live music.

Parks and Green Spaces in and around Camden

Regent’s Park and Primrose Hill are the most popular nearby parks and, away from the busy streets, St Martin’s Gardens has recently undergone refurbishment and has a children’s playground and provides a green haven of recreational space and is a popular lunchtime spot for locals.

Property in Camden

With elegant Georgian houses and smaller Victorian terraces, the Camden area is attractive to professionals (particularly within the creative industries). Albert Street and Arlington Road are favourable locations with immaculate four-storey Georgian properties with private gardens and of course excellent transport links. There are some notable new developments appearing on the Camden landscape, providing exquisite homes for discerning purchasers.

And now for a bit of History on Camden

Camden Town stands on the land that once formed the manor of Kentish Town, with the railways and canals emerging in 1820 the area transformed and welcomed industries such as piano manufacturers, gin distilleries and wine merchants. The introduction of these businesses meant a boom in the need for residences within the immediate area, along with public houses, theatres and cinemas and an accumulation of different cultures and backgrounds which led to the modern day Camden that is so well known and loved.Business partners, Dr Bill Fulford and Peter Wheeler founded the original Camden Market in 1972 at the location of an old timber yard and was London’s first craft and antique markets which now attracts over 28 million people a year and is still a go-to place for unique artisan creativity and trading.

Kentish Town is situated between the busy hype of Camden and the village feel of Highgate and Hampstead, this pretty neighbourhood is becoming increasingly desirable and offers a fantastic community feel which is cherished by the local residents. Well connected, with abundant green space and home to a mixture of chain-stores and locally owned independents that are long established in the area. , With no shortage of trendy pubs, bars and tasty eateries, the thriving high street is a quirky shopping destination with plenty to offer.

Shopping in Kentish Town

Kentish Town is known for its independent retailers with shop owners who are proud of their local high street. The Owl Bookshop, approaching its 40th year of trading within the area, holds regular talks and book signings in-store. The alternative local Supermarket Phoenicia, is a Mediterranean food hall offering delights from eastern Europe and the Middle East, home to a huge range of staples and an in-house butcher and bakery.

Eating & Drinking in Kentish Town

From upmarket gastro pubs to full on fast food, Kentish Town has a food offering for every circumstance, from Chicken Shop, selling a selection of marinated rotisserie chicken and burgers, to the seasonal brasserie Neighbour, serving chilled locally sourced craft beers. For the best locally brewed lager, Camden Town Brewery is on hand, holding regular tasting tours giving you the perfect opportunity to sample some of the local brews and learn how it’s made! The 02 Kentish Town Forum also has an eclectic programme of well-known bands, club nights live music within the former art-deco cinema.

Parks and Green Spaces in and around Kentish Town

Talacre Gardens is a short walk from the centre of Kentish Town, providing a children’s play area, skate bowl, climbing wall, sports facilities and well-maintained formal gardens and manicured lawns.  Parliament Hill is an expansive area of open parkland in the south-east corner, with tennis courts and notable walks linking through to Hampstead Heath. Waterlow Park is just over a mile away and is steeped in local history across 20 acres of grassland and some of the best views in London, this attracts dog walkers all year round and is the setting for a number of festivals and fetes. The park is also home to Lauderdale House, home of Nell Gwynn which was also visited by Samuel Pepys and has a recently refurbished Terraced Garden and is a hub for local events, exhibitions and weddings, this is also a great spot for afternoon tea!Situated between Kentish Town tube station and Kentish Town West Overground station, the Kentish Town Sports Centre is located in the historic building and has three swimming pools and a state-of-the-art gym with a programme of activity and fitness classes to take advantage of.

Property in Kentish Town

With a number of hidden squares and private, secluded enclaves within the desirable Conservation areas, Kentish Town offers a mix of pretty period properties and a mixture of 1960s modernist buildings towards the Tufnell Park and Caledonian Road. The liveliness and access to green space attract young professionals and families, keen to take advantage of the well-connected transport links.

And now for a bit of History on Kentish Town

Kentish Town, originally a small village on the River Fleet, derived from ‘’Ken-ditch’ which means ‘the bed of a waterway’ the area was developed by the large rail and road infrastructures introduced to the area in the early 19th century meaning the water now runs underground. In the 17th and 18th century the area was renowned for being highly dangerous due to the number of highwaymen that targeted travellers passing through the area. During the first half of the 20th century, the area was run down and dilapidated however a council initiative that began in the 1930s but wasn’t implemented until after WW2 was finally finished in the 1960s which pushed an aggressive redevelopment of the area to attract the middle classes.