Since its development from a village to an 18th Century spa town and then a Victorian suburb, Hampstead has retained its unspoilt Georgian charm with many listed townhouses and terraces.
In the 19th and 20th Centuries this made it very popular with artists, intellectuals and creatives of all kinds and there are many stories of influential figures who are former residents who left their mark on the area. This includes several generations of architects, such as Norman Shaw, Ewan Christian and Erno Goldfinger, many of whom built their own homes there, adding to its architectural variety.
Furthermore, in the 20th Century the area gained a reputation as the location of several modernist architects’ experimental housing projects for wealthy clients, including Hopkins House and Maxwell Fry's Sun House.
Join our knowledgeable guide on this walking tour to learn more about the people and buildings that have shaped Hampstead, where you will be introduced to a selection of the area’s finest architects’ homes, historic houses, and modernist masterpieces.
Lettie Mckie is a tour guide, and museum educator. She has an MA in Architectural History from UCL’s The Bartlett School of Architecture and currently works as Adult Programme Manager for the National Portrait Gallery. She is currently training for a professional guiding qualification with the Camden Tour Guides' Association.
