I cannot close these preliminary words without expressing my obligations to Mr. P. Forbes for the eight sketches he has permitted to be copied for the beautifying of the book; to Messrs. Oetzmann for some illustrations so kindly lent; to Mr. Baines, not only for a similar favour, but for help from his valuable ‘Records of Hampstead’; and to the proprietors of the _Municipal Journal_ for the charming picture of the viaduct. My thanks are also due to Mrs. Rosa Perrins, to Miss Kemp, Miss Quaritch, and Mr. M. H. Wilkin, who have all kindly assisted me. I also desire to acknowledge my indebtedness to Mr. Lloyd, of Highgate, for information gathered from his clever lecture on ‘Caen Wood and its Associations.’ To the courtesy and kindness of Mr. G. W. Potter I owe much original material, and many interesting notes; and I also desire to thank Mr. C. A. Ward for the personal interest he has taken in my work, and the great help he has ungrudgingly given me in preparing and correcting it for the press. I can only add that should my book be found so readable as to convey to others some share of the pleasure I have felt in writing it, or lead in more capable hands to future research and a fuller development of a delightfully interesting topic, ‘Sweet Hampstead’ will have fulfilled its intention, and I can sing with an unknown poet of the sixteenth century: ‘Now cease, my lute: this is the laste Labour that thou and I shall waste, And ended is that we begun; Now is this song both sung and past: My lute, be still, for I am done.’ CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER 1 I. HAMPSTEAD AND THE HEATH 20 II. THE WAYS TO HAMPSTEAD 41 III. THE DESCENT OF THE MANOR 60 IV. CHURCH ROW AND ST. JOHN’S CHURCH 65 V. FROGNAL AND WEST END 85 VI. WEST END TO CHILD’S HILL AND THE WEST HEATH 107 VII. HEATH STREET TO THE UPPER FLASK AND SPANIARDS 119 VIII. HOLLY-BUSH AND WINDMILL HILLS 143 IX. NORTH END 160 X. FINCHLEY ROAD, CHILD’S HILL, AND NEW END 183 XI. THE VALE OF HEALTH 194 XII. CAEN WOOD 215 XIII. THE GEOLOGY OF THE HEATH 236 XIV. THE PONDS AND WATER-WORKS 241 XV. THE WELL WALK—THE EARLY PERIOD 249 XVI. THE WELL WALK—THE SECOND PERIOD 268 XVII. THE MODERN WELL WALK 292 XVIII. HAMPSTEAD LATER ON 304 XIX. A RETROSPECT 319