London Outer Excursions Walks 2: Hampstead and Hampstead Heath

Hampstead began its existence as a small Saxon village, but significant growth occurred following the plague of 1665 and the Great London Fire of 1666 as wealthy Londoners sought a refuge from the dirt and crowded city conditions, while remaining close to the city's amenities. Its original name, Hamstede,meant "homestead," and the idyllic setting of wide refreshing vistas and grazing farm animals provided the escape that wealthy landowners were searching for. Eventually, this surge of new landowners seeking country establishments threatened the existence of the heath itself, and only the staunch opposition from locals ensured the preservation of the heath against unsightly development, winning one of the first land preservation cases to be heard in a London court.