walk/tour
Outside Hampstead Underground Station (Northern Line), NW3 1QG
what3words: solved.novel.films
How did one small Hampstead street become linked to the discovery of hydrogen, Peter Pan and The Time Machine? What unexpected stories lie behind these elegant facades? This guided walk explores the historic houses, churchyard and streetscape of Church Row and its surroundings, revealing how science, imagination and social change became concentrated in a single corner of London.
Hampstead
268, 46
Route includes St John’s Churchyard, where some paths are uneven and may be difficult for some visitors.
Gentle walk with frequent stops for discussion. Benches are available in the churchyard. Some uneven ground.
A short Hampstead street and its churchyard contain an extraordinary concentration of stories spanning more than two centuries. Scientific discovery, literary imagination, social reform and architectural innovation have all left their mark here.
Participants will encounter stories connected to the discovery of hydrogen, the inspiration for Peter Pan and The Time Machine, campaigns for co-operation and social change, and the architect later associated with Battersea Power Station. Along the way we will explore a historic churchyard where the graves of well-known figures stand alongside memorials to forgotten lives.
The walk also introduces a living witness to this history: an ancient lime tree that has watched generations come and go, linking past and present in a way that even H.G. Wells might have appreciated.
Please wear comfortable footwear suitable for walking on both paved streets and uneven churchyard paths. As the walk takes place outdoors, participants are advised to dress appropriately for the weather and bring waterproof clothing if rain is forecast.
