Lyndhurst and Rosslyn - Lords and Earls respectively

This has to be nominated as one of the most grand, impressive houses of the locality - It's Old Conduit House on the corner of Lyndhurst Terrace and Lyndhurst Road.

The house is festooned with features - some a shade OTT some more subtle - all feel old and established and a symbol of old victorian confidence and money and status.

The old Conduit House was number 1 Lyndhurst Terrace and was originally called Bayford House. it was built along with the house next door in 1864 by Charles Buckeridge.

Lyndhurst Terrace itself has changed name - first Rosslyn Park after Rosslyn House (itself named after Alexander Wedderburn, Earl of Rosslyn). It was also called Windsor Terrace apparently because the Castle was visible over the fields!

Lyndhurst is after Lord Lyndhurst, J S Copley, Lord Chancellor who is buried in Highgate Cemetery.

The land in front were of course the Conduit Fields so named as a reference to the nearby Shepherd's Well and Spring Path is also nearby.

The house is descibed principly by the turreted Gothic effect and indeed those turrets retain their dominance of this corner of the terrace.

The lanes of Hampstead

Okay, okay - they are not lanes but one of the most charming features of Hampstead are the number of lanes - often small old, even medieval.

I've taken to capturing them on camera cos their charm and historical insight.

Spring Path indeed refers to the old and ancient spring - one of the tributaries of the Fleet river that runs from the Heath and Shepherd's Walk was one of the paths that was used for driving sheep onto and from the Heath.

In fact I have a postcard from about 1896/98 of sheep grazing on the heath...

And then there is this small lane off of Heath Street - about half way up on the left - if I recall correctly it leads up and onto Holly Bush Steps and thence the Holly Bush Pub.

There are so many sdo of which refer to the name of the old trading company that was there - Stanford Close, some refer to the residents - Golden Yard - and others are less clear - Bird In Hand Yard (presumably an old pub?).

I'm sure there is a really good sunday walk about the unknown lanes and alleys of Hampstead - one for me to ponder on over the weekend as the trickiest bit is putting otgether the map - it's one of those occasions where your knowledge is in your head but drafting the map would be pesky and I'm not a cartographer.