Kilburn straggles along what used to be Watling Street, the old Roman Road. The picture above shows Kilburn High Road looking North, in the 1890s.

In 1714, a medicinal well was discovered, and the Bell public house said to date from 1660, opened gardens and a great room for polite company, but it never rivalled Hampstead and did not attract �the gentry� in the same way as did Hampstead. For one thing, Kilburn didn't have the height or the beautiful views that Hampstead has.

For a full history of Kilburn, you cannot beat British History Online

Kilburn High Road is the boundary between Camden and Brent. Camden has the right side (as in the picture) and Brent the left hand side. When I first came here, the pubs in Camden stayed open til 11pm, but the pubs in Brent had to close at 10.30pm. Every evening at 10.30, there would be a mass exodus from the Brent side to the Camden pubs for the extra half hour of drinking time.

West Hampstead used to be known as West End.

Churches

Emmanuel Church, Lyncroft Gardens, West End. In 1898 Emmanuel church moved from mission church in Aldred Road to the corner of Lyncroft Gardens and West End Green.

St Cuthbert's, Fordwych Road (1886)
St. James, Sheriff Rd., West End Lane. (about 1886)

St. Mary, Priory Rd., Kilburn. (1863)
Brondesbury Road Baptist, High Road, corner of Iverson Road (1878)
Ebenezer Chapel. Kilburn Vale (later Hermit Pl.), Belsize Rd (1870)
Catholic Apostolic, Abbey House, Springfield Villas  1 Manchester Terrace, Kilburn (1876  closed by 1895)
Congrational Chapel, Greville Place (1859)
Church of the Sacred Heart, Quex Road
Wesleyan, Quex Road
West Hampstead Congregational church, 527A Finchley Road (1894).  Closed 1940, became a synagogue 1946
Quex Road Unitarian Church. (1890s), closed 1965
Unitarians opened All Souls' Free Church, at the corner of Weech and Fortune Green Road. (1903). Closed 1925
Quex Rd Methodist Church, Kilburn, (1870).  Replaced by 1975

Schools

St Dominic's School, Mutrix Road
Beckford Primary, Dornfell Street, Mill Lane, West End.  (1886- still open)
Emmanuel C of E Primary (formerly West End National) 101 Mill Lane. (1845)
Harben, Linstead Street, Kilburn. Opened 1881 as Netherwood Street Board School. Now expensive private apartments.
Kilburn Day And Sunday School. (1829). No further information.
Kilburn RC, Quex Rd.  (c. 1868)
Kingsgate, Messina Ave., Kilburn.  (1903)
St Mary's Schools, Kilburn, C of E Primary, West End Lane. (1864)
Iverson Road, Kilburn. (c. 1899),  for defective children
Henley House School, nos. 6 & 7 Mortimer Road (later Crescent), Kilburn

Kilburn Toll Gate 1860 from an old postcard

Kilburn Grange  from an old postcard
Demolished about 1910. Only the park is left now.