At this time, the main inhabitants of the Notting Hill area were pigs; there were in fact three times as many pigs living there as there were people. Small wonder people tried to get into more desirable areas. The area was also known for the amount of pottery that was made there, and memories of the area's past can still be seen today ? Pottery Lane is just around the corner.
Thankfully things have changed, and if you want to buy property in Notting Hill today, you will be buying into a much more attractive area. When you compare it to the Notting Hill of days gone by, you'll find very few similarities between the two. Thanks to the hard work of the residents who live there, the area has been transformed from a place to avoid to a place to be seen.
In the past, many of the large were on offer because people could no longer afford them. Those that could afford to do so moved to more desirable areas such as Mayfair.
In order to make Notting Hill more accessible, these large dwellings were transformed into flats for sale in the area, and even today these make attractive places to live for the artistic and famous people who frequent the area.
But if you were to take a look at a sketch of the area back in the 1800s, you would be forgiven for thinking you were looking at a completely different area. Even some sixty years ago, Notting Hill properties were totally different to how they are today. This area has certainly gone through several huge changes over the last couple of hundred years. It could even be argued that it has reinvented itself more than once.
Nowadays it has replaced the pigs with the stunning Portobello Road market, and the dank, dark and dangerous surroundings are long since a thing of the past. Apart from some of the road names, however, there are still reminders of how Notting Hill used to be in the past. One of the large kilns used to make bricks in the 1800s still stands, and has been transformed into an attractive and unusual house.
So the next time you visit Notting Hill, watch out for the signs that reveal its unsavoury past ? a complete contrast to what it has become today.
Every year more than 1 million people are expected to dance and join the Caribbean rhythm and soul of this particular Carnival. It is split over the Sunday and Monday Bank Holiday and although it may sound weird, Sunday crowds will not be as dense as on Monday.
In fact Sunday's Carnival is also known as "Children's Day" and has a far greater emphasis on family but there are loads of kids on both days enjoying the bright colours of the floats and the dancers' feathered costumes.
Of course, music is the soul of the Festival and you will be entertained with an eclectic mix of Soca, Funk, Reggae, Dub, Steel Bands, Calypso filling the air of any place in the district! Most of the music is played on live stages with the great participation of local bands and international artists and musicians! Giant sound systems and steel bands are joined by over a million revellers of all ages into Europe's biggest street party. It's a huge area, and can get very crowded. Nearest tube stations like Ladbroke Grove Tube or Westbourne Park Tube may be closed or running skeleton journeys. Be prepared for an exhausting day out, but if you love a party, Carnival remains the absolute highlight of the London summer! The best time to arrive is around midday, in fact things start to cool off at about 7pm.
The epicenter of the 2-days Carnival is the Parade with groups from all around the world showing off their fantastic costumes and performing along the 3-miles long route through Notting Hill's major streets. The procession route is along Great Western Road, Chepstow Road, Westbourne Grove and Ladbroke Grove. There will be plenty of occasions to get a real taste of what Caribbean is?from music, to dances , costumes and food! Try the delicacies on the stalls that literally pave the streets.
One of the best things you can do to help you survive the day, is to get info of the nearest bus and Tube services in the area. Allow plenty of time to leave the area. It may be slow moving through the crowds, some exit routes may be closed, and you may need to walk quite a long way to get to a Tube or bus station which is open. Also check the maps on the carnival websites for the location of toilets and be very careful with your belongings, For more information, visit the official website: nottinghillcarnival.biz
For suitable accommodations in the area, we suggest the following youth hostels: Smart Camden Inn hostel, Smart Hide Park Inn hostel and the Smart hide Park View hostel. They all offer quality accommodations for the budget traveller in dormitories, but they also have nice and quite family rooms or private ensuite rooms. Prices starts from as cheap as 21 euros per person with breakfast. The location is just perfect as it is central and well served in terms of public transportation. It will be very easy for you to reach any place in London! Another good place is the extravagant Clink Hostel set in a former courthouse, the hostel offers such modern amenities as high-tech pod beds, equipped with reading lights and personal lockers, an internet caf? with wi-fi, a brand new kitchen and secure key-card access to every room. The avant-garde of London hostels, the Clink is centrally located in the up and coming vibrant neighbourhood of King's Cross. Rates from only 25 euros per person per night.
Both Andrew Regan & Michele De Capitani are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Andrew Regan has sinced written about articles on various topics from Travel and Leisure, Small Business and Modelling. Andrew Regan is an online, freelance author from Scotland. He is a keen rugby player and enjoys travelling.. Andrew Regan's top article generates over 20400000 views. to your Favourites.
Michele De Capitani has sinced written about articles on various topics from Argentina Travel, Interior Design and Finances. This article was written by Michele De Capitani with support from for any information, please visit. Michele De Capitani's top article generates over 110000 views. to your Favourites.