St John's Wood

:"For the rock band, please see St John's Wood (band)":"For the Australian locality St Johns Wood, see main article, St John's Wood, Queensland"infobox UK place
country = England
region= London
official_name= St John's Wood
latitude= 51.5361
longitude= -0.1751
os_grid_reference= TQ265835
london_borough= Westminster
post_town= LONDON
postcode_area= NW
postcode_district= NW8
dial_code= 020
constituency_westminster= Regent's Park and Kensington North

St John's Wood is a district of north London, England in the City of Westminster, near Regent's Park. It is approximately 2.5 miles north-west of Charing Cross. Once part of the Great Middlesex Forest, it was later owned by the Knights of St John of Jerusalem. It is home to some of the most expensive properties in the world.

St John's Wood was developed from the early 19th century onwards. It was one of the first London suburbs to be developed with a large amount of low density "villa" housing, as opposed to the terraced housing which was the norm in London up to the 19th century, even in expensive districts. Parts of St John's Wood have been rebuilt at a higher density, but it remains a highly desirable residential district.

St John's Wood is the location of Lord's Cricket Ground, home of the MCC and original headquarters of the sport. It is also famous for Abbey Road Studios, where The Beatles recorded, notably the "Abbey Road" album, the cover of which features the band crossing the road. Paul McCartney has owned a property in the area since the 1960s along with many other famous music and film stars.

The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery has a barracks in St. John's Wood and regularly exercises their horses by parading them through the streets of St. John's Wood.

Chef Clarissa Dickson Wright grew up in St John's Wood, and it is now home to supermodel Kate Moss. Actor Damian Lewis was born in St John's Wood. The Rolling Stones referenced it in their song "Play With Fire". The director, wit and physician Jonathan Miller was born into a wealthy family in the area.

St John's Wood is the home of fictional characters, Bingo and Rosie Little, in P. G. Wodehouse's "Jeeves and Wooster" books. Irene Adler lives there (in Briony Lodge on Serpentine Avenue) in Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes story "A Scandal in Bohemia".

Education

:"For education in PAGENAME see the main City of Westminster article."

Transport and locale

Nearest places

* Belsize Park to the north-east
* Hampstead to the north
* Kilburn to the north-west
* Lisson Grove to the south
* Maida Vale to the south-west
* Marylebone to the south
* Primrose Hill to the east
* Swiss Cottage to the north

Nearest tube stations

* Maida Vale tube station
* Kilburn Park tube station
* St John's Wood tube station
* Swiss Cottage tube station

Nearest railway stations

* Kilburn High Road railway station
* Marylebone railway station
* South Hampstead railway station

Notable residents

*Clarissa Dickson Wright - chef
*Kate Moss - English supermodel
*Jonathan Rhys Meyers - Irish actor
*Sir Paul McCartney - Musician
*Sreenivas Rathinasabapathy - World famous Indian economist and two-time 'Bollywood' dance champion

External links

* [http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=526750&y=182750&z=2&sv=526750,182750&st=4&ar=N&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf Map of St John's Wood and the surrounding districts]