 Hampstead is a very attractive area. The village ranges from broad, verdant avenues with impressive detached mansions to characteristically pictorial, lanes, squares and cul-de-sacs full of charming assortment of architectural styles dating back 300 years with famous past historical connections. Fashionable shops and creative cafes line the High Street while still maintaining its charm. Hampstead Heath, with its mountainous mixture of woodlands, and grounds, giving a sanctuary from fast moving nearby city life.
The Hampstead has an extended and illustrious history. Hampstead was first mentioned in a charter of King Edgar in the 10th Century.
Through the Great Plague, the Courts of Law were transferred to Hampstead and this can be seen in the names of more well-known groves like 'Judge's Walk' and 'King's Bench Avenue'. During this time, judiciary persons were forced to live under canvasses as housing was in short supply.
 The Great Fire of 1666 destroyed a fair amount of the old city of London. Whilst the wealthy were able to put their belongings into wagons or barges and retreat into the countryside, the not so wealthy were forced to leave their belongings and go to Hampstead Heath. This is where the authorities set up a relief centre and made makeshift tents and camps the best they could do in the circumstances...
In 1698 when its springs were found, the Heath became a spa, and a chic area of London. The springs were said to have particular medicinal qualities, Hampstead has always been a desired meeting place for writers, poets, and artists.
The Heath was involved in an extensive, long-lasting dispute between local residents and Sir Thomas Marion Wilson, the Lord of the Manor who introduced 15 parliamentary bills, trying to build over it. The lawful dispute resulted in a decision that the Heath should belong to the public. It is still a popular place and has thousands of visitors each year.
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