Page 240 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - London

238  L ONDON AREA B Y AREA

People relaxing in the open space of Hampstead Heath
8 Hampstead Heath area of 3 sq miles (8 sq km) 9 Parliament Hill
and remains uncluttered by the
NW3. Map 1 C2. Tel 020 7332 3322. NW5. Map 2 E4. Tel 020 7332 3773.
1 Belsize Park, Hampstead. haphazard buildings and 1 Belsize Park, Hampstead. 7
Open 24 hrs daily. Special walks on statues that embellish the Concerts, children’s activities in
Sun days. 7 phone for disability central London parks. Despite summer. Sporting facilities. -
buggies: 020 7485 5757. - Concerts, attempts by local landowners to
some children’s activities in summer. encroach on the heath in the An unlikely but romantic
Sports facilities, bathing ponds. Sports 19th century, it was protected explanation for the area’s name
bookings Tel 020 7332 3773. as public space in 1871. It is is that it is where Guy Fawkes’
∑ cityoflondon.gov.uk now owned by the Corporation fellow plotters gathered on
of London and its open spaces 5 November 1605 in the vain
Separating the hilltop villages have become increasingly hope of watching the Houses
of Hampstead and Highgate, precious to Londoners. There of Parliament blow up after
the Heath embraces a variety of are ponds for bathing and they had planted gunpowder
landscapes – woods, meadows, fishing and, on three holiday there (see p26). More probably
hills, ponds and lakes – which weekends – Easter, late spring it was a gun emplacement
attract a wealth of wildlife, and late summer – the southern for the Parliamentary side dur ing
including bats and up to 180 part of the Heath is taken over the Civil War 40 years later. The
species of birds. It covers an by a funfair (see pp60–63). gunners would have enjoyed a

0 Kenwood House work has survived, the highlight
being the library. A Rembrandt
Hampstead Lane NW3. Map 1 C1.
Tel 020 8348 1286. 1 Golders Green, self-portrait is the star attraction
Archway, then 210 bus. Estate: of the collection, and there are The orangery is now
Open 10am–5pm daily. Closed 1 Jan, also works by Vermeer, Turner, used for occasional
24–26 & 31 Dec. 8 selected Fridays. Romney, Van Dyck, Hals and concerts and recitals.
^ 7 ground floor. - = Regular Reynolds. The 2013 movie Belle
events. ∑ english-heritage.org.uk was inspired by Lord Mansfield’s
mixed-race niece, Dido Belle,
This magnificent mansion, filled who also lived here.
with old master paintings, is
situated in landscaped grounds
high on the edge of Hampstead
Heath. There has been a house
here since 1616 – the present
one was remodelled by Robert
Adam in 1764 for the Earl of
Mansfield. Adam refitted
existing rooms and added to
the original building. Most of his

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