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West London History |
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As with every area
of London there’s a series of fascinating histories
that make up West London. From humble beginnings of squalor and slums some of London’s most fashionable and wealthy districts were born. Start your history trail at Bayswater and Marble Arch where you’ll find buildings and monuments dating back to the 15th century. Bayswater gets its name from the Bayard’s Spring, which was the main source of water for the area. Marble Arch, on the other hand, had far less genteel connotations, being home to one of London’s most used gallows. So while Bayswater developed and became a popular place to move to, Marble Arch didn’t achieve such a status until 1783 when the gruesome gallows were finally removed. In the 19th century both Bayswater and Marble Arch became fashionable places to reside. Westbourne Terrace welcomed a reputation as “the finest street in London” and Westbourne Grove became a popular shopping location – which it still is to this day. Fulham was first noted in the history books during the 14th century when it was a mere riverside settlement. Even though the big city encroached on Fulham during the 1840s it still retains a lot of “village” charm. One particularly appealing place in this area is Fulham Palace, Bishop’s Avenue, which was once the summer residence of the Bishop of London from 704 to 1973. This Tudor building is a fantastic example of some of the interesting architecture to be found in this district. One of London’s most culturally-interesting histories comes from Notting Hill. Made famous in the film of the same name that starred Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts, Notting Hill is now known as a multi-ethnic area brimming with bookshops and markets. Many years ago, however, Notting Hill was nothing more than rural farmland. Notting Hill didn’t develop until the early 19th century when a few large houses cropped up and this was followed by a street development. In the 1950s a huge number of West Indian immigrants moved to the area and brought a distinctly Caribbean feel to the area. The Notting Hill Carnival is hosted every year to reflect all that’s good in this very diverse area. |
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