Where history is made

Take a stroll down St John's Wood High Street and look up.

You'll notice red-brick facades, elegant sash windows and, popular in the 17th century, ornate Dutch gables crowning the upper floors. This historic architecture has earnt much of the area special conservation status, giving residents and visitors a glimpse into its past.

As you might have guessed, St John's Wood started its days as a wood, owned by the Knights of St John in the 14th century. Swapping shining armour for a bat and ball, the area became home to Marylebone Cricket Club in the early 1800s, on land leased to Thomas Lord. Lord's Cricket Ground was born.

The neighbourhood soon caught the eye of an open-minded crowd, attracting artists, musicians and writers, such as novelist and poet George Eliot. St John's Wood was the perfect place, in 1929, to establish the world's first purpose-built music studio: Abbey Road – the studio that would go down in history for its link to The Beatles – which has welcomed everyone from Shirley Bassey to Amy Winehouse through its doors.

Impressive architecture. Cricketing royalty. Music legends. The history of St John's Wood is still in the making. Spend a day here and you'll see why people keep coming back: independent shops, neighbourhood cafés and plenty worth stopping for along the way.