Hampstead Garden Suburb (N2)

The N2 side of Hampstead Garden Suburb, of more recent vintage than the original properties begun in 1907, begins east of Kingsley Way and extends north above Lyttelton Road and south to Winnington Road and The Bishop's Avenue.

The latter is home to the seriously wealthy, so short of striking oil in your back garden you might want to consider something a little less ambassadorial. If you can't quite manage ten million the rest of this side of the suburb has a good range of large detached family homes, some with nice views over Hampstead golf course, most with sizeable gardens.

The former, north of Lyttelton Road, has mainly purpose-built apartment blocks set in attractive gardens and squares. Hampstead Garden Suburb is close to the facilities of Golders Green and Hampstead Village and within easy reach of the tube stations at East Finchley and Golders Green. The older half of the suburb is in NW11.

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Hampstead Garden Suburb (NW11)

Situated to the east of Finchley Road, Hampstead Garden Suburb was a utopian housing project begun in 1907 by Lady Henrietta Barnett. The original intention was admirable enough: Barnett hoped to create a socially mixed neighbourhood in which the rich would rub shoulders with middle class professionals and honest artisans and all would benefit from the experience.

But the distribution and scale of the properties underlines the fact that this was a scheme as much concerned with the preservation of class distinctions as their dissolution. Grand 7 bedroom mansions overlook Hampstead Heath Extension to the south; substantial detached and semi-detached houses can be found on the tree-lined streets around the Central Square; and smaller cottages and apartment blocks lie to the north. No prizes for guessing who lived where.

The Suburb, which is now run by a Trust, imposes strict regulations on the maintenance of the properties and takes much pride in conserving its leafy and picturesque environment.

The choice of property is still fairly diverse-flats and maisonettes, terraces and semis, attractive cottages and ambassadorial mansions- and prices vary from a modest £80,000 to a whopping 10 million, depending on the location and the type of accommodation.

The area attracts first time buyers, well-off families, seriously wealthy types and the rich and famous. Some permanent famous residents can be found at Golders Green crematorium (just off Hoop Lane) where Bram Stoker, Sigmund Freud, T.S. Eliot, Sean O'Casey, Kipling, Shaw, and Peter Sellers were consigned to dust.

Shopping is not a strong point here: Falloden Way has some discreet and suitably pricey shops but residents generally have to go further afield to Golders Green or Hampstead Village for more in the way of shopping and dining.

The Schools-notably Henrietta Barnet Senior Girls School and Brookland Junior- are well thought of and the whole area is a veritable oasis of open space and greenery.

Golders Green and East Finchley are the nearest tubes; the estate itself runs a 'Hopper' bus service. The rest of the Suburb, to the east, is part of N2.

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