Our Hampstead Garden Suburb area guide by your local property expert, is here to assist you discover the beautiful area, that is this little gem of an area!

Located in the North West of London next to Golders Green and East Finchley, Hampstead Garden Suburb is an area that is filled with stunning parks, cosy cafés, and beautiful housing. The area is also well-connected to the rest of London, being close to two underground stations, and is home to a range of schools and colleges.

Aside from its host of different amenities, Hampstead Garden Suburb is also rich in its history, being the product of Dame Henrietta Barnett’s vision to provide good-quality housing to those of the working class.

After Henrietta married her husband, Canon Samuel Barnett, the two moved to Whitechapel to try and improve the lives of those in poverty. Whilst the couple worked in Whitechapel, they also had St. Jude’s, a weekend cottage in Hampstead. In 1900, the green areas that surrounded St. Jude in Hampstead were at risk of building development projects. In order to protect the area, and to further develop a suburb for those of the working class, Henrietta purchased 323 acres of land within the surrounding area.

After purchasing the land, Henrietta then got to work creating a suburb with a whole host of different facilities. The area was also built to be inclusive to everyone’s needs, whether rich, poor, old, young, handicapped or otherwise.

Today, Hampstead Garden Suburb is a thriving area of North West London, with a stunning array of houses and green spaces that offer a break away from the industrial busyness of the city centre.

Living in Hampstead Garden Suburb

Hampstead Garden Suburb has a host of different qualities that make it a prime location to live in. The area holds many beautifully designed period properties, green spaces and numerous parks and gardens, all with a range of different facilities for both children and adults to enjoy.

In Lyttleton Playing Fields, one of the many open spaces that Hampstead Garden Suburb offers for example, Keren’s Nursery and café is found, which has both an Ofsted rated outstanding nursery and a café for all to enjoy.

Extending partly into the area of Hampstead Garden Suburb, Hampstead Heath is one of the most well-known open spaces in London. Within it, locals and visitors can enjoy the playgrounds, make the most of their sporting areas, and enjoy long walks through the heath’s beautiful landscape. Within the heath are also a few cosy cafes serving teas, coffees and food.

As well as having access to Hampstead Heath, Hampstead Garden Suburb is also host to two golf clubs, and is home to the previously mentioned Northway Gardens, where the Mutton Brook runs through. There are also numerous different supermarkets and local food stores scattered around the area.

Schools

Henrietta Barnett, a girls’ grammar school, this is one of the country’s top- performing state schools and its pupils are regularly photographed and filmed by news crews as they whoop with joy over their splendid achievements on GCSE and A-level results day! The other local state school, Christ’s College Finchley. There are two popular state primary schools, Garden Suburb Junior School and Brookland Infants in Hill Top which has a separate junior school. Golders Hill School (2-7 year old) in Finchley Road and Annemount (2-7 year old) in Holne Chase are the two local pre-prep schools. Kerem School (4-7 year old) in Norice Lea is an independent Jewish primary school. King Alfred School (ages 4 to 18) in North End Road is the local all-through private school.

Going Out

Hampstead Garden Suburb is home to many fantastic cafes and restaurants, ranging from casual bites to formal sit-down meals, many of which are located right next to the area of Northway Gardens. Many of these eateries are highly rated by review sites, and can cater to a range of different dietary requirement, including vegetarians, vegans and kosher:

Best for kosher bread… queues form on a Friday morning at rival bakeries King’s Bakery and Sherrards for their piping hot challah. King’s also has a line in takeaway pizza, whilst Sherrards serves fresh pastries and sandwiches.

Best for the perfect lox… L & D delicatessen has 40 years of experience in sourcing and serving top quality hand-carved smoked salmon.

Best for sandwiches… It’s only when spoken aloud that the meaning of the name of Toulous Café at Northway becomes apparent. The post-school run favourite was converted from two public loos. Don’t let that put you off your food, though. Their salt beef sarnie with pickled cucumber is more than a flash in the pan.

Trendy café Gail’s is a favourite amongst the locals, who regularly frequent either Marks & Spencer or Waitrose for their shopping needs.

Hampstead Garden Suburb is surrounded by a variety of places to get a drink, including The Old Bull & Bush, The Refectory and many others.

The two underground stations located near Hampstead Garden Suburb also run on the Underground’s Northern Line, (Golders Green and East Finchley). This line is open all 24 hours on Fridays and Saturdays, offering those in the area access to the city centre, and all its renowned bars, pubs and clubs. It therefore is also well-catered to shift workers and those who may work unsociable hours, such as doctors, nurses, emergency service workers and others.

Commuting from Hampstead Garden Suburb

For those commuting either into or out of the area for work, Hampstead Garden Suburb is close to two underground tube stations, these being Golders Green and East Finchley. Both stations run on the Northern Line, which has connections to a variety of different central working areas within the city. There are also many different bus stations located throughout the area.

Hampstead Garden Suburb Leisure

Hampstead Garden Suburb is widely recognised for its stunning architecture, set within a leafy Suburb and the open spaces of Heath Extension.

From the Central Square to Hampstead Heath extension to the south of the suburb it is possible to walk through a countryside setting all the way to Hampstead or Highgate. Golders Hill Park is more manicured and there is a small zoo and a butterfly house.

Central Square was to be the focal point of Dame Henrietta Barnett’s Hampstead Garden Suburb, the site selected for its height and views; its design underwent numerous revisions. In the suburb itself there are two areas of woodland: Big Wood and Little Wood, both designated nature reserves. Little Wood is the site of an open-air theatre built in 1920, which is often used in summer by The Garden Suburb Theatre Company.

And let’s not forget the 320 hectares of Hampstead Heath! Lots of space for running or long walks and the wild swimming in the ponds (weather permitting of course!).

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Things to do in and around Hampstead Garden Suburb