London Neighbourhoods
Camden Town
Camden is the centre of London's underground music scene with a plethora of seductively scuzzy venues, where thrashing guitars play out to extravagantly pierced goths and punks from all over the world. It was in Camden that Britpop emerged and it continues to nurture new bands and new musical styles. Camden Market is actually a string of different open-air shopping areas, most of them in the locks along Regent's Canal. Fashion, antiques, music, arts, crafts and bric-a-brac fill a labyrinth of boutiques and stalls, where even local residents sometimes stumble upon whole unexplored areas. The Roundhouse, formerly a Victorian railway building, is establishing itself as one of London's most innovative arts venues since reopening in 2006. In the south of the neighbourhood lies picturesque Regent's Park with its Zoo and wonderful Open Air Theatre.
The Roundhouse
Camden Town Tube station is near the markets and other attractions. It is a key interchange station for the Bank, Charing Cross, Edgware and High Barnet Northern line branches. Camden Road is a London Overground station at the corner of Royal College Street and Camden Road. It is on the line from Richmond in the West to Stratford station on the Olympic site in the East. The nearest National Rail station is Kentish Town on the Thameslink route on the Midland Main Line. St Pancras and Euston terminals are both within 20 minutes walk of Camden Town.
The area is a major hub for London Buses. Parts of the A503 (Camden Road) and A400 (Camden High Street and Camden Street) are designated as red routes on which vehicles may not stop for any reason, managed by Transport for London rather than the borough. Black taxis ply for hire in the area and there are minicab offices.
Laid out as a residential district from 1791 and originally part of the manor of Kentish Town and the parish of St Pancras, London, Camden Town became an important location during the early development of the railways, which reinforced its position on the London canal network. The area's industrial economic base has been replaced by service industries such as retail, tourism and entertainment. The area now hosts street markets and music venues which are strongly associated with alternative culture.
Camden Town has been a residential area since the 1790s. But it was only the development of the Grand Union Canal and the improved railway transport that turned it into a bustling part of London. Today, visitors and locals gather here to hunt for treasures in Camden's markets, stroll by Regent's Canal, sample cuisine from around the world and listen to live music. Many famous people, including Dylan Thomas, Walter Sickert and Amy Winehouse, have made Camden their home. A haven of counter culture, the area is popular with tourists, teenagers and punks. The thriving nightlife scene includes live music in alternative clubs and old-school pubs, and major stars playing at the Jazz Cafe and the Roundhouse. Cafes bustle during the day. Nearby Regent's Park has formal gardens and the London Zoo.
Online Walks
Things to See and Do
Camden Town Market
Camden Town is famed for its market, a warren of fashion and curiosities by the Regent's Canal. These date from the 1970s or later, except for Inverness Street market, for over a century a small food market serving the local community, though by 2013 all foodstuff and produce stalls had gone, leaving only touristy stalls. Camden Lock market proper started in a former timber-yard in 1973, and is now surrounded by five more markets: Buck Street market, Horse Tunnel and Stables market, Camden Lock village, and an indoor market in the Electric Ballroom. The markets are a major tourist attraction at weekends, selling goods of all types, including fashion, lifestyle, books, food, junk/antiques and more bizarre items; they and the surrounding shops are popular with young people, in particular those searching for "alternative" clothing.
The Roundhouse
The Roundhouse is a former locomotive engine roundhouse constructed in 1847 for the London & North Western Railway. It later had various uses, including a corn and potato store, Gilbey's gin warehouse, and eventually became derelict. It was converted to a theatre, arts centre and music venue in 1966, later closed, and re-opened in 2006 as a theatre and music venue.
Regent's Canal
The Regent's Canal runs through the north end of Camden Town. Canal boat trips along the canal from Camden Lock are popular, particularly in summer. Many of the handrails by the bridges show deep marks worn by the towropes by which horses pulled canal barges until the 1950s, and it is still possible to see ramps on the canal bank designed to assist horses which fell in the canal after being startled by the noise of a train. Camden Lock is a regularly used traditional manually operated double canal lock operating between widely separated levels. A large complex of weekend street markets operate around the Lock. The towpath is a pedestrian and cycle route which runs continuously from Little Venice through Camden Lock to the Islington Tunne. A regular waterbus service operates along the Regent's Canal from Camden Lock. Boats depart every hour during the summer months, heading westwards around Regent's Park, calling at London Zoo and on towards Maida Vale. Sightseeing narrow-boat trips run from Camden Lock to Little Venice.
The Pirate Castle
An interesting place to take the kids is down to the Pirate Castle, where the whole family can enjoy a range of water-based activities. And there's always ZSL London Zoo in Regent's Park, which is great fun for kids and adults alike. From here, explore the area along the picturesque Regent's Canal. Trendy Primrose Hill is also well worth a visit for the spectacular city views from its top.
Camden Town Address Book
Charles Dickens's second London home was in Bayham Street, Camden in 1822. Dickens later moved to 112 College Place, Camden. It was here in College Place (then known as Little College Street) that he boarded with Elizabeth Roylance, a family friend, whom Dickens later immortalised as "Mrs. Pipchin", in Dombey and Son. Dickens placed various characters and places in his stories there as well: Bob Cratchit's family in A Christmas Carol (1843); the Micawbers in David Copperfield (1850); and in Dombey and Son (1846-1848), a description of the building of the London and Birmingham Railway, includes a trip through Camden Town.
Poet Dylan Thomas owned a house at 54 Delancey Street from 1951 until his death in 1953. There is a plaque on the house today.
Singer Amy Winehouse lived in Camden Town, first on Prowse Place and then on Camden Square where she was found dead in July 2011. Winehouse was strongly associated with Camden Town. Since her death she has been entitled as "The Queen of Camden" and a bronze statue of her was placed in Stables Market on what would have been her 31st birthday, 14 September 2014.Music Band Madness are also from and grew up in the area and surrounding areas.
B. R. Ambedkar (social reformer, jurist and LSE graduate) lived at 10, King Henry Road, Camden Town, now known as Ambedkar House, in 1921 and 1922.
Richard Ryan lived in Camden Town from 1819 until his death in 1849.
Actress and dancer Louisa Lytton was born and raised in Camden Town.
Physicist, mathematician, and engineer Oliver Heaviside was born in Camden Town.
Author and journalist Bernard Levin grew up in Camden Town's Plender Street.
Boxer Tom Sayers lived in Camden, and died at No. 257 Camden High Street in 1865. The house now has a plaque.
Painter Walter Sickert lived and worked as part of the Camden Town Group in Mornington Crescent. In 1908 he painted a group of four paintings collectively titled The Camden Town Murder, in reference to the notorious Camden Town Murder case of 1907.
Hip-hop trio N-Dubz are from and grew up in the area.
Music Band Madness are from and grew up in Camden Town and surrounding areas.
Singer Eliza Doolittle grew up in the area.
Jazz Musician Nubya Garcia was born and grew up Camden Town.
Actor Freddie Highmore was born in Camden Town in 1992.
Dancer and actress Donna King teaches at her studio in Camden Town.
Journalist and novelist Sean Thomas lives in Camden.
Songwriter and singer Dua Lipa grew up in Camden until she moved to Kosovo.
Ashley Keane, former professional footballer for Torquay United F.C., was born in Camden in 1981.
Drag queen Lady Camden was born in Camden before moving to California in 2020.
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