West Hampstead

West Hampstead is an area in northwest London, England, situated between Childs Hill to the north, Hampstead to the east, Swiss Cottage to the south, and Kilburn to the west. Until the late 19th century, the area was a small village called West End. Modern West Hampstead emerged with the arrival of the railways, and the transformation of the area from farm land to housing estates. In 1879, the Metropolitan Railway adopted the name West Hampstead for their station on West End Lane, the main road through the area. Their motivation seemed to be to avoid confusion with the main retail area in central London, also known as the West End.

Related Topics:
London - England - Childs Hill - Hampstead - Swiss Cottage - Kilburn - 19th century - 1879

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A few hundred yards south, toward central London, West End Lane becomes Abbey Road. Follow this for a mile or so to St John's Wood, and you reach the recording studio where the Beatles recorded their album named after the road. The famous zebra crossing, seen on the cover of the album, is still there and the walls of the studio are covered with fans' graffitti despite frequent whitewashing.

Related Topics:
Abbey Road - St John's Wood - Recording studio - The Beatles - Album - Zebra crossing

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West Hampstead's proximity to the Metropolitan Line at Finchley Road and its own Jubilee Line stop, together with a high concentration of fashionable bars and restaurants, means that the area is a popular destination for a night out for people who live in the northwestern suburbs of London.

Related Topics:
Metropolitan Line - Finchley Road - Jubilee Line

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Famous residents include Stephen Fry, Emma Thompson, and Jamie Oliver.

Related Topics:
Stephen Fry - Emma Thompson - Jamie Oliver

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