| There are three dimensions to Notting Hill. | | | | Porto Bello, in the Gulf of Mexico, was |
| First the area of shops and streets around | | | | captured from Spain by Admiral Vernon in |
| Notting Hill Gate, with a fair amount of buzz | | | | 1739, and a farm in the countryside north of |
| and interest, and some quaint artisan housing | | | | here was patriotically named after it. This |
| all madly fashionable today: second, | | | | road once led to that farm. |
| Portobello Road market, to be seen any day, | | | | |
| but in full flood only on Saturdays and | | | | Nothing much happens to start with, but after |
| third, for the housing enthusiast, the | | | | crossing Chepstow Villas with big Victorian |
| extravagances of the Ladbroke Grove Estate. | | | | detached houses, as you would expect from the |
| | | | name, you reach very respectable antique |
| This route covers all three aspects | | | | shops and rather less respectable antique |
| consecutively, but it makes quite a long | | | | stalls, where there is plenty to explore. |
| walk. Be aware that the Notting Hill Carnival | | | | Keep going, over Westbourne Grove. At the |
| takes place in the last weekend of August. | | | | crossing of Elgin Crescent and Colville |
| | | | Terrace, the street market becomes more |
| Start at Notting Gate station (Central and | | | | conventional selling fruit and vegetables but |
| Circle Lines). First briefly explore the now | | | | just as vivid. |
| attractive streets on the south side of the | | | | |
| main road Litigate Street or Farmer Street, | | | | There has been a market here since 1871, |
| for example, Hillgate Place running east west | | | | starting with gypsies buying and selling |
| provides a frame. | | | | horses for the Hippodrome (see below). It |
| | | | brought down the standard of the |
| These densely packed terraces date from 1851 | | | | neighbourhood, as at Covent Garden, but the |
| and were designed to house artisans providing | | | | overspill of antiques from the closed |
| services for the wealthy all around. It was a | | | | Caledonian market after the Second World War, |
| hopeless cause, and they soon had multiple | | | | restored the tone somewhat. |
| occupants and turned into serious slums. | | | | |
| There is little evidence of that now in the | | | | After Blenheim Crescent you are in the |
| painted facades window boxes and fast cars in | | | | historic part of Portobello Road. On the left |
| the street. 20C gentrification has had some | | | | is the Electric Cinema, purpose-built and one |
| benefits. | | | | of the earliest opened in 1911. |
| | | | |
| Note the Coronet Cinema (1898), converted for | | | | There are also some excellent bookshops, |
| cinema use in 1916. Cross back at the | | | | including the Travel Bookshop and Books for |
| station to go up Pembridge Road, forking | | | | Cooks. To the right down Talbot Road there is |
| right: shops have been added to the fronts of | | | | an unusual church, All Saints by William |
| the houses. Then go left to begin the long | | | | White, built in the 1850s to be the centre of |
| journey up Portobello Road. | | | | a new religious community here, which never |
| | | | materialised. |