History & Heritage
Church Row: Hampsteads Most Perfect Street
Oliver Hartwell
17 April 2026 · 5 min read
The terrace of early 18th century houses leading to St Johns Church is one of the finest Georgian streetscapes in London.
Church Row is Hampsteads most admired street, a long straight terrace of early Georgian houses running west from Heath Street to St Johns Church built in the first decades of the 18th century and preserved more or less intact ever since. The scale is intimate and the materials are brown brick white painted sash windows and wrought iron railings.
The churchyard at the western end is a garden of Hampstead history. John Constable is buried here as is du Maurier and a long list of local notables. The church itself rebuilt in the 1740s has a fine interior and an organ that draws visiting recitalists.
The houses on Church Row have been home to writers artists and scientists for three centuries. The blue plaques are numerous and the literary associations almost comically dense.
Written by
Oliver Hartwell
Oliver is a lifelong Hampstead resident and architectural historian who has spent three decades uncovering the stories behind the village's Georgian terraces, hidden lanes, and literary landmarks. His writing blends meticulous research with a warm, accessible style.
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