A hidden hamlet enclosed within the Heath, the Vale of Health has been home to D.H. Lawrence, Leigh Hunt, and a long succession of artists and writers who valued its improbable combination of wildness and proximity to London.
The Vale of Health is one of Hampstead's most curious and charming secrets, a tiny hamlet of houses entirely surrounded by Hampstead Heath, reached by a single winding lane, with a literary history out of all proportion to its size. D.H. Lawrence, Leigh Hunt, and Rabindranath Tagore all lived here. This is the complete guide to the Vale of Health.
- The Vale of Health is a small hamlet entirely enclosed by Hampstead Heath
- Reached by a single lane off East Heath Road
- A remarkable literary history: D.H. Lawrence, Leigh Hunt, and Tagore all lived here
- The name's origin is debated, possibly ironic, possibly genuine
- Best explored as part of a Hampstead Heath walk
- One of London's most unusual and atmospheric residential enclaves
A Hamlet in the Heath
The Vale of Health is unlike anywhere else in London: a cluster of houses, completely surrounded by the open space of Hampstead Heath, accessible only by a single narrow lane that winds in from East Heath Road. To stumble upon it during a Heath walk is to feel you have discovered a hidden village, a pocket of domestic life set in the middle of one of London's great wild spaces.
The hamlet sits in a hollow that was, before the 18th century, a malarial swamp known as Hatch's Bottom. It was drained by the Hampstead Water Company in the 1770s, and houses were built on the reclaimed land. By the early 19th century it had acquired its current, more appealing name.
The Name: Irony or Aspiration?
The origin of the name "Vale of Health" is debated. One theory holds that it was a promotional name, coined to attract residents to what had been an unhealthy swamp, an early piece of property marketing. Another suggests it referred to the area's escape from a cholera epidemic, or to its reputation, once drained, as a healthy spot in the clean air of Hampstead. Whatever the truth, the name stuck, and its slight air of irony suits the place's peculiar charm.
Henry Watkins, a local historian who has led Heath walks for two decades, relishes the Vale of Health's oddness. "I always save it for the end of a walk," he said. "You bring people in off the open Heath, down that little lane, and suddenly there's this hidden hamlet, houses, a pond, the lot, completely cut off, surrounded by heath on every side. And then you tell them D.H. Lawrence wrote here, Leigh Hunt entertained Keats and Shelley here, Tagore stayed here. People can't quite believe such a tiny place packed in so much. It's my favourite corner of the whole Heath."
The Literary History
For such a small place, the Vale of Health has an extraordinary literary heritage:
Leigh Hunt
The poet, essayist, and editor Leigh Hunt lived in the Vale of Health in the early 19th century. His cottage became a gathering place for the Romantic circle, Keats, Shelley, Byron, and Hazlitt are all said to have visited. Hunt was a central figure in Hampstead's literary life, and his presence drew the leading literary figures of the age to this tiny hamlet.
D.H. Lawrence
D.H. Lawrence lived in the Vale of Health during the First World War. It was a difficult period for him, his wife Frieda was German, and the couple faced suspicion and hostility during the war years. The Vale of Health, secluded and quiet, offered some refuge.
Rabindranath Tagore
The Bengali polymath Rabindranath Tagore, poet, philosopher, and the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature (1913), stayed in the Vale of Health. His connection adds an international dimension to the hamlet's literary roll-call.
This concentration of literary talent in such a small space is part of Hampstead's broader story as a haven for writers and artists, a tradition that also produced Keats's masterpieces nearby and drew George Orwell to the area.
Visiting the Vale of Health
The Vale of Health is a residential area, so visitors should explore respectfully and quietly. It is best experienced as a detour during a Heath walk rather than a destination in itself.
The approach is part of the experience: turn off the open Heath onto the single lane, and descend into the hidden hollow. The houses range from modest cottages to grander Victorian villas; a small pond (the Vale of Health Pond) sits at the edge of the hamlet. There are no shops, cafes, or facilities, this is purely a residential enclave, and its appeal lies in its seclusion and atmosphere.
Combining with a Heath Walk
The Vale of Health is easily incorporated into a walk on the eastern side of Hampstead Heath:
- From East Heath Road, the lane into the Vale is signposted; explore the hamlet, then return to the Heath.
- Combine with a walk to Parliament Hill for the view, the swimming ponds, or Kenwood.
- A literary-themed walk could link the Vale of Health with Keats House and the other writers' addresses of Hampstead's literary history.
Practical Information
- Location: Off East Heath Road, enclosed by Hampstead Heath, NW3
- Access: A single lane; explore on foot
- Facilities: None, purely residential
- Best for: A curious detour on a Heath walk; literary history enthusiasts
- Etiquette: A residential area, explore quietly and respect residents' privacy
- Getting there: Hampstead (Northern line) or Hampstead Heath (Overground), then a walk across the Heath
The Vale of Health is one of Hampstead's most beguiling secrets, a hidden hamlet in the heart of the Heath, with a literary history that belies its tiny size. For walkers who love the unexpected, and for anyone drawn to Hampstead's rich heritage of writers and artists, the brief detour into this secluded hollow is one of the small, surprising pleasures the Heath holds for those who know where to look.
