Hampstead walk: Stop 8 Hollywood and Holly Walk
- Christian
- May 10
- 3 min read
The highest ground is now in sight as we clamber towards Holly Walk. Perhaps the most Instagrammable area of the most Instagrammable place. Older winding lanes characterize this area with a mixture of detached homes, each dealing with the steep topography in their own way. It is actually the gaps between these buildings which are the real draw here. Each provides unforgettable views over London and moments of refreshing breeze after a long climb.
Heath Street is a steeply rising road that leads from Hampstead High Street toward Jack Straw's Castle. The Northern Line underground station is located on Heath Street and is actually the deepest station on the London Underground. The plaforms are almost 60m below ground which is the same size as the Mounment in the City of London. So if you like to save some £6 entry to the Monument simply take the 320 step climb from Hampstead Underground instead, although the view will not be as good!
Originally intended to be called Heath Street Station, you can still see this name on the platforms today. Its futher up the hill we go...
A short walk and you reach Hampstead Grove. The grove is named after a grove of trees that once marked the area, it is a small, winding street originally home to a windmill. At the entrance is Fenton House. A very fine example of a seventeenth-century merchant's house, now in the hands of the National Trust. A particularly large garden with an 300 year old orchard is unusual in London; it’s worth remembering this is actually Camden!
The house is the oldest in Hampstead dated 1680. Interestingly the original owner Joshua Gee founded an iron company in America with one Augustine Washington father of George.
Opposite Fenton House is an Old Grove House a lovely building with a large walled garden and once home to the director Ridley Scott for over 15 years during the time he directed Gladiator and Hannibal. It was sold at a party in 2013 and then sold again in 2023 for a whopping £28 million. A touch of Holywood and around the corner is another link to the film industry.
Admiral's House sits on Admiral's Walk just off Grove Road. Firstly, no admirals have ever lived here, which is confusing given all the references. Its name is actually due to a mix-up involving a rather annoying neighbor called Admiral Barton. Barton had two cannons winched up to his rooftop upon retirement from the navy. He would fire one of his cannons at dawn on ceremonial occasions, much to the annoyance of the neighbors. It is believed he was the inspiration for Admiral Boom in ‘Mary Poppins,’ who fires his cannons to honor the king. Admiral’s House has a ship's quarterdeck on its roof, hence the mix-up. The building was, however, home to the renowned architect Sir Gilbert Scott, who worked on over 800 buildings throughout his career.
The last building in this stop is also the most known. Perhaps one of the most photographed pubs in London, the picture-perfect Holly Bush has been around since 1790 when it was a home. It was used as assembly rooms in the 18th century before becoming a pub in 1928.
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