Camden the Market Hear Hub of London

Camden is one of London’s hidden gems. Camden’s borough stretches North from the central areas of Covent Garden and Holborn through Kings Cross and Euston into the stylish Camden Town district to the green and leafy Hampstead quarter.
Camden is comfortable quarter there are a large number restaurants and pubs that permit your pooch to join you for a rest.
It is positioned on the what was the manor of Cantelowes. The manor was acquired by marriage in the 1700s by Sir Charles Pratt a politician and radical lawyer who afterwards became the 1st Earl of Camden. Sir Charles gave leases for fourteen hundred houses to be built in Camden in the 1790s.
In the early 19th century Regent’s Canal was built on the land, running through the north of Camden Town. The canal is very well liked with cyclists and dog walkers. During the summer boat trips are well liked. Right up to the 1950s the canal barges were drawn by horses and the towropes etched into the handrails over the years and are still visible. There are still the ramps on the canal bank, not for canal boats, but to aid the horses out of the canal. Macclesfield Bridge is the site where a barge with gunpowder blew up in 1874, London’s largest non war explosion. In the early days until the late 19th century it was not a fashionable area.
Camden Lock is a working manually-operated double canal lock. Situated close to it are many weekend street markets. Camden’s markets are celebrated and extremely popular, the many markets include Buck Street, Camden canal and Stables market as well as an indoor market – the Electric Ballroom. The markets sell everything under the sun, including, fashion, lifestyle, junk, books, antiques and strange items.
During the last couple of decades artistic and entertainment businesses have moved into the area. Due to the increased wealth in the borough restaurants have prospered. One of the first major venues was the Roundhouse, which was a locomotive train engine house constructed in 1847, it evolved through a number of uses until it was turned into a music venue in the sixties. With a fresh re-launch a few years ago.
Camden has numerous parks for great dog walking, Regents Park, Primrose Hill, Parliament Hill, Kenwood Park and the big Hampstead Heath to name the big ones, so a lot of London dog walkers are based here such as Camden Dog Walking.
The Camden Borough was formed in the sixties by joining the London boroughs of Hampstead, St Pancreas and Holborn.
Camden has an ethnically mixed population and whilst on the whole affluent, there are some poorer quarters.
Camden was and is the home to many artists, writers and politicians, that include the writers Charles Dickens, John Keats and Aldous Huxley, the total cross section of political views from the politicians Karl Marx, Benjamin Disraeli, Frederick Engels and John Maynard Keynes. There is also Henry Moore the artist and a bevy of actors and modern rock stars.

One of the oldest public houses in London is The World’s End It was formerly known as “The Mother Red Cap” and shortened to “The Red Cap”, it is located near Camden Town tube station on Camden Road. Worth a look is KOKO previously known as ‘The Camden Palace’ a major rock and dance venue. It was renowned as the location of the famous Goon Show. The Electric Ballroom, is another good live music venue.
Families and dog owners enjoy Camden Square which is a short walk away from Camden Town station with a playground and dog walking area.
An unusual building is Sainsbury’s supermarket and was designed by Nicholas Grimshaw.
If you have time the following are worth a visit the British Museum, British Library, St Pancreas railway terminal building, Jewish Museum, Highgate Cemetery, Regents Park, London Zoo, St Pancreas Old Church. St Michaels Church.
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