Kentish Town

Kentish Town
Middlesex
The Assembly House Pub
Location
Grid reference:	TQ285845
Location:	51°32’41"N, 0°8’45"W
Data
Post town:	London
Postcode:	NW5
Dialling code:	020
Local Government
Council:	Camden
Parliamentary constituency:	Holborn and St Pancras

Kentish Town in Middlesex is deep within the metropolitan conurbation; a mixed area of poor housing and rundown streets, along with new media and enterprises opening up in the old warehouses of the area.

The name "Kentish Town" has nothing to do with Kent, but is from "Ken-ditch Town"; the Ken Ditch appears to be a by-name for the early stream of the River Fleet; Kentish Town was originally a settlement along the Fleet, which river today runs underground.

History

Kentish Town is first recorded during the reign of King John (1207) as kentisston. By 1456 Kentish Town was recognised as a thriving hamlet, and in this period a chapel of ease is recorded as being built for the inhabitants.

The early 19th century brought modernisation, causing much of the area's rural charm, the River Fleet and the 18th century buildings to vanish, although pockets still remain, for example Little Green Street. Between the availability of public transport to it from London, and its urbanisation, it was a popular resort.

Large amounts of land were purchased to build the railway, which can still be seen today. Kentish Town was a prime site for development as the Kentish Town Road was a major route from London northwards. Probably its most famous resident was Karl Marx who lived at 9 Grafton Terrace from 1856. The run-down, failed social experiments that blight the area are his legacy.

In 1877, mission work began in earnest amongst the area's poor. The mission first held their services outside but as their funding increased they built a mission house, chapel, and vicarage. One mission house of the area was Lyndhurst Hall, which remained in use before being taken over by the Council. The Council wished it to sell it for residential use, and the hall was demolished in 2006.

During the 19th century and early 20th century the area of Kentish Town became for many years the home of many famous piano and organ manufacturers, and was described by The Piano Journal in 1901 as "...that healthful suburb dear to the heart of the piano maker".

A network of streets in the East of Kentish Town has streets named after places or persons connected with Christ Church, Oxford, spread out behind the Oxford Arms, and a large freehold estate amongst these streets is still owned by the college. In the north, a large estate is or was owned by St John's College, Cambridge and streets are named after the college and its benefactors.

In 1912 the Church of St. Silas the Martyr (designed by architect Earnest Charles Shearman) was finally erected and consecrated, and by December of that year it became a parish in its own right. It can still be seen today along with the church of St Luke with St Paul and the Church of St Barnabas (handed over to the Greek Orthodox Church in 1957). The present Church of England parish church is St. Benet's.

In his poem Parliament Hill Fields, Sir John Betjeman refers to "the curious Anglo-Norman parish church of Kentish Town".

Kentish Town Road contains one of London's many disused Tube stations. South Kentish Town tube station was closed in June 1924 after strike action at the Lots Road power station meant the lift could not be used. It never reopened.

Kentish Town was to see further modernisation in the post-Second World War period. However, the residential parts of Kentish Town, dating back to the mid-19th century have been permitted to survive.

Film and television

A number of small studios have ope ed up in Kentish Town, and the area is familiar to the media set

• 'About a Boy, 2002 comedy and drama film, was filmed in Lady Margaret Road
• Spaced (television series) is set in or by Kentish Town
• ’’’Venus’’’ (2006 film) had many of its filming locations in Kentish Town.
• ’’’Sapphire’’’ (1959) used Lady Somerset Road and Oakford Road (a film exploring racial tension in London)

Shops and businesses

In 2005, a survey of Kentish Town claimed that out of 87 shops on Kentish Town Road (locally known as Kentish Town High Street), 53 were still independently owned. The high street is a mixture of national retail chains and independent shops, including a long-standing bookshop, several delis and organic stores. Many 'World Food' shops have opened up on the street. However, since 2009 there has been a marked increase in independent shops being replaced with chain stores.

Culture

The Lion and Unicorn Theatre in Kentish Town is one of London's leading Fringe Theatre venues and is run by Giant Olive Theatre Company.

‘’The Kentishtowner is a local online magazine; said to be the only one in Middlesex; The Kentishtowner was founded in 2010 and casts a wry look at the area's arts and entertainments scenes.

St Pancras public baths

St Pancras Public Baths

The largest municipal building in Kentish Town is the St Pancras public baths, opened in 1900, designed by T.W. Aldwinckle. The large complex originally had separate first and second class men's baths and a women's baths, along with a public hall. Little of the interior remains intact. The baths were closed in January 2007 for refurbishment and re-opened at the end of July 2010.

Transport links

Kentish Town has a range of transport connections: a mainline railway station on the St. Albans/Luton Airport to Brighton/Gatwick line; Underground station, overground connection (at Kentish Town West and Camden Road stations) and multiple bus routes.

The nearest stations are:

• Kentish Town station
• Gospel Oak railway station
• Kentish Town West railway station
• Camden Road railway station
• Camden Town tube station

References

• Denford, Steven (2005), Streets of Kentish Town, Camden History Society, ISBN 0-904491-62-5 
• Tindall, Gillian (1980), The Fields Beneath, Paladin Books, ISBN 0-586-08320-0