Finchley Road
Encyclopedia
Finchley Road, an inner city main road which runs for about 7 kilometres/4 miles, is one of the major thoroughfares of north London
, England
.
Originally named Finchley New Road, it was built as a turnpike
road in the late 1820s/early 1830s to provide a by-pass to the existing route north from London through Hampstead
. The Hampstead route (now the route Haverstock
Hill, Rosslyn Hill
and North End Road) contained two steep hills either side of Hampstead Village and was difficult for horses with carriages to negotiate when muddy.
The new turnpike was built at the same time as the improvements which created Regents Park. It started from what was then called the 'New Road' (now Euston Road
, Marylebone Road
- the first London bypass) and ran north. As the road crossed the boundary of Finchley
, its name became Regents Park Road, indicating the destination of the turnpike from Finchley. The turnpike ended when it joined the Great North Road as Ballards Lane.
There was a tollgate at Childs Hill
. After construction, many grand houses were built along its length, especially near to what are now Fortune Green
, Childs Hill
and Golders Green
. It was once served by Finchley Road railway station
on the Midland Main Line
, but that has long-sinced closed. It is still served by Finchley Road tube station
and Finchley Road & Frognal railway station
on the North London Line
.
Today the route follows the A41
which becomes Finchley Road at St. John's Wood tube station. It goes north through Swiss Cottage
, then turns slightly north west, forming the border between Hampstead
and West Hampstead
and then turns north again at Child's Hill. The A41 diverges westward and Finchley Road becomes the A598. It continues past Golders Green tube station
, through Temple Fortune
to the North Circular Road
. The A598 continues north of the North Circular Road, but changes its name to Regents Park Road. It remains a heavily used route in and out of London. The most commercial part of the road is near to Finchley Road tube station
and the O2 Centre
.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Originally named Finchley New Road, it was built as a turnpike
Turnpike trust
Turnpike trusts in the United Kingdom were bodies set up by individual Acts of Parliament, with powers to collect road tolls for maintaining the principal highways in Britain from the 17th but especially during the 18th and 19th centuries...
road in the late 1820s/early 1830s to provide a by-pass to the existing route north from London through Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
. The Hampstead route (now the route Haverstock
Haverstock
Haverstock is an area and electoral ward in the London Borough of Camden. It is centred around Haverstock Hill and Chalk Farm, with Gospel Oak to the north; Kentish Town to the east; Camden Town to the south, and Swiss Cottage to the west....
Hill, Rosslyn Hill
Rosslyn Hill
Rosslyn Hill is a road in London, connecting the south end of Hampstead High Street to the north end of Haverstock Hill. It is the site of the Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel, St. Stephen's Church and the Royal Free Hospital. It is served by the bus routes N5, C11, 46 and 268. Pond Street links it to...
and North End Road) contained two steep hills either side of Hampstead Village and was difficult for horses with carriages to negotiate when muddy.
The new turnpike was built at the same time as the improvements which created Regents Park. It started from what was then called the 'New Road' (now Euston Road
Euston Road
Euston Road is an important thoroughfare in central London, England, and forms part of the A501. It is part of the New Road from Paddington to Islington, and was opened as part of the New Road in 1756...
, Marylebone Road
Marylebone Road
Marylebone Road is an important thoroughfare in central London, within the City of Westminster. It runs east-west from the Euston Road at Regent's Park to the A40 Westway at Paddington...
- the first London bypass) and ran north. As the road crossed the boundary of Finchley
Finchley
Finchley is a district in Barnet in north London, England. Finchley is on high ground, about north of Charing Cross. It formed an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, becoming a municipal borough in 1933, and has formed part of Greater London since 1965...
, its name became Regents Park Road, indicating the destination of the turnpike from Finchley. The turnpike ended when it joined the Great North Road as Ballards Lane.
There was a tollgate at Childs Hill
Childs Hill
Childs Hill, now the southernmost ward of the London Borough of Barnet, although of historic origin, is a late-19th-century suburban development situated 5 miles northwest of Charing Cross bordered by the A41 and Dunstan Road, and centred on the junction of Cricklewood Lane and Finchley Road...
. After construction, many grand houses were built along its length, especially near to what are now Fortune Green
Fortune Green
Fortune Green was originally part of the district of Hampstead but became physically separated from it by the building of the new turnpike road in the 1830s....
, Childs Hill
Childs Hill
Childs Hill, now the southernmost ward of the London Borough of Barnet, although of historic origin, is a late-19th-century suburban development situated 5 miles northwest of Charing Cross bordered by the A41 and Dunstan Road, and centred on the junction of Cricklewood Lane and Finchley Road...
and Golders Green
Golders Green
Golders Green is an area in the London Borough of Barnet in London, England. Although having some earlier history, it is essentially a 19th century suburban development situated about 5.3 miles north west of Charing Cross and centred on the crossroads of Golders Green Road and Finchley Road.In the...
. It was once served by Finchley Road railway station
Finchley Road railway station
Finchley Road railway station was built by the Midland Railway in 1868 on its extension to St. Pancras. Situated at the north end of the Belsize Tunnels, it served the newly-developed area of St John's Wood....
on the Midland Main Line
Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line is a major railway route in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system.The present-day line links London St...
, but that has long-sinced closed. It is still served by Finchley Road tube station
Finchley Road tube station
Finchley Road tube station is a London Underground station at the corner of Finchley Road and Canfield Gardens in the London Borough of Camden, North London. It is on the Jubilee Line, between West Hampstead and Swiss Cottage and on the Metropolitan Line between Baker Street and Wembley Park. It is...
and Finchley Road & Frognal railway station
Finchley Road & Frognal railway station
Finchley Road & Frognal railway station is on Finchley Road in the London Borough of Camden in North London. It is on the North London Line, and the station and all trains serving it are operated by London Overground. It is in Travelcard Zone 2...
on the North London Line
North London Line
The North London Line is a railway line which passes through the inner suburbs of north London, England. Its route is a rough semicircle from the south west to the north east, avoiding central London. The line is owned and maintained by Network Rail...
.
Today the route follows the A41
A41 road
The A41 is a formerly-major trunk road in England that links London and Birkenhead, although it has now largely been superseded by motorways. It passes through or near various towns and cities including Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Aylesbury, Solihull, Birmingham, West Bromwich, Wolverhampton,...
which becomes Finchley Road at St. John's Wood tube station. It goes north through Swiss Cottage
Swiss Cottage
Swiss Cottage is a district of the London Borough of Camden in London, England. Thedistrict is located north-west of Charing Cross. It is centred on the junction of Avenue Road and Finchley Road and is the location of Swiss Cottage tube station.-Etymology:...
, then turns slightly north west, forming the border between Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
and West Hampstead
West Hampstead
West Hampstead is an area in northwest London, England, situated between Childs Hill to the north, Frognal and Hampstead to the north-east, Swiss Cottage to the east, and South Hampstead to the south. Until the late 19th century, the locale was a small village called West End...
and then turns north again at Child's Hill. The A41 diverges westward and Finchley Road becomes the A598. It continues past Golders Green tube station
Golders Green tube station
Golders Green tube station is a London Underground station in Golders Green, north London. The station is on the Edgware branch of the Northern Line between Hampstead and Brent Cross...
, through Temple Fortune
Temple Fortune
Temple Fortune is a place in the London Borough of Barnet to the north of Golders Green. It is principally a shopping district used by residents of the Hampstead Garden Suburb. Between here and Golders Green, at Hoop Lane are two important cemeteries. The and interred here are the remains of a...
to the North Circular Road
A406 road
The A406 or the North Circular Road is a road which crosses North London, UK, linking West and East London. It, together with the South Circular Road, forms a ring road through the inner part of Outer London...
. The A598 continues north of the North Circular Road, but changes its name to Regents Park Road. It remains a heavily used route in and out of London. The most commercial part of the road is near to Finchley Road tube station
Finchley Road tube station
Finchley Road tube station is a London Underground station at the corner of Finchley Road and Canfield Gardens in the London Borough of Camden, North London. It is on the Jubilee Line, between West Hampstead and Swiss Cottage and on the Metropolitan Line between Baker Street and Wembley Park. It is...
and the O2 Centre
O2 Centre
The O2 Centre is an indoor shopping and leisure centre on Finchley Road, London, near Finchley Road tube station. It is located in between Hampstead, West Hampstead and Swiss Cottage....
.