- Gospel Oak
:"for the EP by
Sinéad O'Connor , seeGospel Oak EP "infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 51.55376
longitude= -0.14795
region= London
official_name= Gospel Oak
london_borough= Camden
post_town= LONDON
postcode_district = NW5 (central)
NW3 (north)
NW1 (south)
postcode_area= NW
dial_code= 020
os_grid_reference= TQ285855
constituency_westminster=Gospel Oak is an inner urban area of north
London in theLondon Borough of Camden belowHampstead Heath . It is bordered by the more affluent areas ofBelsize Park to the west,Kentish Town to the south, EasternHampstead to the North andDartmouth Park andTufnell Park to the east. It is also known for fairly cheap housing (at least compared to surrounding areas such as Hampstead and Chalk Farm), due to an extremely large number of high-rise and tower block estates in the south of the area.The name derives from an
oak tree , under which parishioners gathered to hear an annualgospel reading when the area was still rural. Lords Mansfield, Southampton and Lisburne were the local landowners when development began in the mid-19th century. Plans were drawn up for elegant streets radiating fromLismore Circus but after two railway lines were extended across the area the first buildings were two- and three-storey cottages for "navvies and quarrelsome shoemakers." Later the neighbourhood became more respectable and solidly residential - although in 1909 whenJohn Betjeman 's family moved to West Hill,Highgate they obviously felt that they were a cut above Gospel Oak:Here from my eyrie, as the sun went down,
I heard the old North London puff and shunt,
Glad that I did not live in Gospel Oak. [Betjeman, John (1960). "Summoned by Bells", p 5.]All Hallows Church byJames Brooks is a notable late Victorian church. AfterWorld War II much of the original housing around Lismore Circus was demolished and a series of estates built for Camden Council. Today Gospel Oak is a socially mixed area with a sizeabaleJamaican community. The Gospel Oak area of NW5 has long been notorious for drugs and gangs, and is one of the most deprived areas in london, especially around Queen's Crescent. Famous residents includeTony Blair ’s former head of communicationsAlastair Campbell and his partner journalistFiona Millar , PythonMichael Palin , Britain's top networkerCarole Stone and her husband broadcasterRichard Lindley , and The Fleischer Family.Gospel Oak railway station is served byLondon Overground (formerlySilverlink ) services on theNorth London Line and theGospel Oak to Barking line . (The twin railway bridges this gives rise to were featured on the cover of Irish pop singer and song writerSinéad O'Connor 'sGospel Oak EP .)Location in context
References
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