The picture above is South Hampstead Station, circa 1904. The house with the tall chimneys you can see just behind it was knocked down a few years ago, but rebuilt to look almost exactly the same as it was originally, as was the whole terrace. The deep railway cutting was excavated from the land where originally the mews and stabling for those houses had been. The rumbling of the heavy trains over the years caused them to shake themselves to bits.

St. John’s Wood was once part of the Great Forest of Middlesex. Its name comes from its mediaeval owners, the Knights of the Order of St John of Jerusalem  which took over the land from the Knights Templar in 1323.

It has also been home to Lord's cricket ground since 1814, and of course the famous Abbey Road studios. The famed zebra crossing is always thronged with tourists wanting to have their picture taken crossing it, and the front wall of the studio is always covered in messages from adoring fans. No matter how often they paint it, the next week or so, it is just as densely covered in messages as it was before.

Churches

All Souls', Loudoun Road, St John's Wood (c. 1865)
St Paul's, Avenue Road, St John's Wood (c 1860, demolished 1958)
New College Chapel, Upper Avenue Road, St John's Wood
St. Mark’s Church, Hamilton Terrace (1847)


St. John’s Church, St John's Wood High Street (1814)
Abbey Road Baptist Church. (c.1863)

Schools

All Souls C of E, Fairhazel Gardens, Belsize Rd (Founded c 1860, closed early 1950s)
South Hampstead High school (founded as St. John's Wood High 1876 in Winchester Road)

Mentioned on 1866-71 map.

Cullen & Hall, ladies' school, 10 Loudoun Rd.
Miss Louise Bush, ladies' school, 3 College Villas.
Cornwell & Johnson, school, 190 Adelaide Rd
Hay, Misses Sarah, Eliza & Isabel, preparatory school,91 Adelaide Rd
Lillington Ladies' school, Mrs Marshall, 115 Adelaide Rd.

Mentioned in 1885 directory.

Miss Fell, Ladies' School (St Hilda's College), 111 Abbey Rd.
Misses Roe, Ladies' school, 100 Adelaide Rd
William Henry Dare, Boys' school, 142 Adelaide Rd
Mrs Hannah Williams Ladies' school, 154 Adelaide Rd.
Mrs E R Johnson, Preparatory School, 190 Adelaide Rd.
Mrs Cathcart, Ladies' School, 117 Primrose Hill Rd.
Misses Pratt, Ladies' School, Lorne House, 111 Alexandra Rd.
Misses Kirkman, Ladies School, 116 Alexandra Rd.

Public Houses & Taverns

The Alexandra Hotel, 21 Alexandra Rd. 1866-71 map - Mrs C Bennet. 1885-6 Charles John Coles.

The Belgrave Hotel, 63 Abbey Rd. 1885-6 Mrs M E Wheeler

The Blenheim, Blenheim Road. 1866-71 map - William Henry Jones.
The Britannia, Fairfax Rd. 1885-6 - John Stokes. 1874 directory -  William Hall Robotham

The Clifton Hotel, Clifton Hill

The Prince Arthur, Boundary Road. 1885-6 Mrs Mary Ann Clegg

The Victoria Tavern, 83 Abbey Rd. 1885-6 Miss A E White