St John's Wood: Cricket, Beatles and green spaces

Background

Located in the heart of North London in the City of Westminster, St John's Wood is a much sought-after place to live. People may have already seen what the place has to offer without realising they were looking at St John's Wood, as it is home to Lord's Cricket Ground - often referred to as the home of cricket - and the famous Abbey Road Studios, where the Beatles recorded their Abbey Road album and photographed the iconic crossing-the-road record cover.

Going further back in time, the history of St John's Wood's - which was once part of the Great Forest of Middlesex - is rather regal. The area's name comes from its medieval owners, the Knights of the Order of St John of Jerusalem (Knights Hospitallers), an Augustinian order which secured the land from the Knights Templar in 1323. Those who have read the Da Vinci Code may have more of an idea about this particular heritage.

Following the English reformation in the 16th century and the subsequent dissolution of the monasteries St John's Wood became owned by the crown, which involved Henry VIII establishing royal hunting grounds at Marylebone Park - of which St John's Wood lies to the north.

Property

Residents of flats to rent in St John's Wood can expect to pay an average of £1,144 a month for a studio and £1,603 each month for a one-bedroom residence. Those looking for a bit more space can find three and four-bedroom rental property in St John's Wood for £2,422 and £4,095 a month respectively.

People searching for property in London should be aware that these figures are based on average relative rent and there are, of course, variations due to the market situation and overall condition.

Land Registry figures indicate that the average price of a property in the City of Westminster in March was £538,404, which suggests it is the kind of area young people may opt to rent in, as opposed to buy their first home.

During February and March, at a time when the overall housing market has witnessed a drop in prices, the City of Westminster has seen property values drop 3.1 per cent and 1.4 per cent respectively. At the turn of the year, the average property in the City of Westminster cost £575,679.

Transport

Anyone who lives in property in St John's Wood will have access to the Jubilee Line. The area is in Zone 2 of the London Underground network.

People who like to take the bus can make it into Oxford Street and other Central London hotspots in around half and hour.

Amenities

As well as the cricket and the musical connections, the everyday facilities provided by St John's Wood make it a popular place to live.

Big-name shops and retailers such as Gap, Tesco and Starbucks are mixed in with a selection of independent stores, including Kent and Sons Butchers and The Bread Shop. Anyone who opts to live in property in St John's Wood will also benefit from a couple of French eateries on the High Street - Cafe Rouge and Brasserie Chez Gerard – which could render an evening trip into Central London superfluous.

Meanwhile, Regents Park is not far away, providing residents of property in St John's Wood with a welcome distraction from one of the busiest cities in the world.

Summing up the area, the Street Sensation website states: "Self-contained and prosperous, the St John's Wood High Street is a reflection of the area's demographics."

Published 18th May, 2009

© 2009 Estates IT Limited