Hampstead Heath
Picture by Maria Celia Salgado
Hampstead Heath covering 320 hectares (790acres) of grass public area sits on sandy ridge on one of the highest points in London.
The Heath has embracing ponds, ancient woodlands, a lido, playgrounds, children’s paddling pool, t three open public swimming pools which were originally reservoirs for drinking water from the river fleet, training track, and it adjoins the former stately home of Kenwood House and its estate.
Hampstead Heath entered the history books in 986 when Ethelred the Unready granted one of its servants five hides of land at “Hemstede” which later recorded in the Doomsday Book of 1086 as held by the Monastery of St. Peter’s at Westminster Abbey and then is known as the “Manor of Hampstead”.
Karl Marx whilst living in London went to the Heath as their favourite outing.
“The Strange Case of the Murder in Wax” , an episode of The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, written by Denis Green and Anthony Boucher and broadcast on 7th January 1946, featured a murderer who killed women on Hampstead Heath.
Notting Hill (1999) featured scenes shot at the Heath, located primarily around Kenwood House, where Julia Roberts was filming a movie.
The film Scenes of a Sexual Nature (2006) was entirely shot on Hampstead Heath.
Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula is partly set on Hampstead Heath, in scenes when the un dead Lucy abducts children playing on the Heath.