Visitors to the sprawling metropolis of London find it hard to imagine the wild rural area which forms Hampstead Heath. This 790-acre parkland of woods, lakes and grassland is just four miles from Trafalgar Square in central London, yet it feels a million miles away.
Hampstead Heath is very easy to reach by train or Underground “Tube” to either Hampstead, Golder’s Green, Highgate or Archway stations on the Northern line. It is an important refuge for wildlife (and city-dwelling humans!) and is home to an amazing array of creatures such as muntjac deer, harmless grass snakes and slow worms, rabbits, squirrels and woodpeckers. The ponds provide a natural habitat for frogs, terrapins and insects which are swooped upon with glee by jackdaws and common kingfishers, along with pipistrelle bats which come out at dusk.
This heathland area of London is rich in history. It was recorded in the Domesday Book, an ancient census of the land and owners, taken by William the Conqueror in 1086. At that time the area was owned by the monastery of St Peter’s and called the Manor of Hampstead. Digging and quarrying of sand and gravel were carried out in the Middle Ages thus sculpturing it for later generations. Eventually the heath was taken into public ownership and used as common land for grazing, with odd plots sold off for building some grand residences which we shall touch on later.
Hampstead Heath has been the site of battles, horseracing and fairs for many centuries. From 1808 to 1814 it was the location of a shutter telegraph station, used for sending messages across London by signaling paddles known as shutters. The station was finally made redundant with the introduction of the electrical telegraph.
The heath is a wonderful place to visit for leisurely strolls and quiet reflection. Locals use it for picnicking, cycling, jogging and rollerblading. Families walk their dogs, children run in the long grass, kites are flown in the breeze and many visitors sit and watch the world go by from one of the strategically placed benches. In the summer there are several ponds and open-air pools for swimming.
One of the main features on Hampstead Heath is Parliament Hill. Sitting atop a sandy ridge between Hampstead and Highgate at a height of 440feet, it offers panoramic views of the city. Visitors can sweep their gaze from the tip of the “Gherkin” westwards past Tower 42, the easily recognizable dome of St Paul’s Cathedral and the London Eye Ferris wheel to the cylindrical BT Tower.
Also known as Tooley’s Farm, this 17th century farmhouse is on the slopes of Hampstead Heath near Golders Hill. The farm has been leased to dairy farmers and well-heeled bohemian artists in its time. Charles Dickens stayed at the farm in 1837 and William Blake and painter John Everett Millais also have connections with this pretty farmhouse.
On the northern boundary of Hampstead Heath is Kenwood House, a magnificent stately home and gardens with a lake and false bridge. It is frequently used as a film location in such films as Notting Hill and Mansfield Park. Architect Robert Adam was commissioned in 1764 by the 1st Earl of Mansfield to remodel the earlier brick house into this majestic villa. It is now a grand art gallery which is free to visit and has a priceless collection of paintings by great masters such as Rembrandt, Reynolds, Vermeer, Gainsborough and J.M.W.Turner. The Suffolk collection of artworks bequeathed to Kenwood gives a valuable insight into the extravagant costumes of the Stuart and Elizabethan periods. The house also has some original furnishings including Chippendale style chairs, family silverware and a wonderful library with a grand colonnade and painted frieze.
Noteworthy Buildings on Hampstead Heath
Along Well Walk are Constable’s House and the lovely Burgh House which was once the home of Rudyard Kipling’s daughter. It is now the home of the Hampstead Museum of Local History.
There are also plenty of pubs skirting the heath, such as the Spaniards Inn, the Holly Bush on Holly Mount and the Freemasons Arms on Downshire Hill. They all offer good pub food and an extensive beer menu. The Spaniards Inn is particularly full of character and was probably named after the Spanish ambassador who used it as a country retreat around 1585. It is said to have been the birthplace of highwayman Dick Turpin, whose father was landlord of the inn. Certainly, if walls could talk these historic inns would have many fascinating tales to tell!
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