North London facts for kids

St Pancras station. North London grew a lot when railways arrived.

North London is the northern part of London, England. It's located north of the famous River Thames. This area stretches from places like Clerkenwell and Finsbury, which are close to the financial heart of London, all the way to the edge of Greater London near Hertfordshire.

People use the term "North London" to tell it apart from south London, east London, and west London. Some parts of North London are also considered part of Central London. There's even a "Northern" postal area, but it doesn't perfectly match what people usually think of as North London.

How North London Grew

The first northern areas outside the old London Wall started to grow around the 1100s. However, London didn't expand north as quickly as it did in other directions. This was partly because of the marshy land north of the wall. Also, the roads leading out of the northern gates weren't as good as others. Most of the areas that are now North London were countryside until the Victorian period (the 1800s).

In the early 1800s, the arrival of the Regent's Canal in Islington and St Pancras really helped London grow northwards. Later, when the railway network developed, it sped up this growth even more. Railways made it easier for people to travel, helping the economy and allowing new suburbs to be built where people could live and travel to work.

This growth continued into the 1900s. Cars made commuting even easier. But after the Second World War, the Metropolitan Green Belt was created. This was a special area of protected land that stopped London from expanding any further into the countryside.

Official Uses of "North London"

Planning for London's Future

The 2011 London Plan showed different sub-regions. The North London sub-region covered Barnet, Haringey, and Enfield.

The London Plan is like a big guide for how London should grow and develop. In 2011, this plan included a "North" sub-region. This area was used for planning, deciding where to put resources, and checking progress. It included the London boroughs of Barnet, Haringey, and Enfield. Earlier versions of the London Plan had slightly different sub-regions.

Football: The North London Derby

Football is a huge part of life in North London! The area is home to two very famous Premier League teams: Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. When these two teams play each other, it's called the North London derby. It's known as one of the most intense rivalries in English football. It can even divide families in North London!

The games between Arsenal and Tottenham in the Premier League (and before that, the Football League) are officially known as the North London derby. As of November 2023, they have played 167 matches. Arsenal has won 66 times, Spurs has won 54 times, and there have been 47 draws.

In other competitions, like the FA Cup, Arsenal has won 4 times to Spurs' 2. In the League Cup, Arsenal has won 7 times, Spurs 4 times, with 3 draws.

There was one time, in 1991, when they played for a trophy called the Charity Shield. The game was a draw, so both teams shared the trophy! This was the only time a trophy was directly on the line between them.

North London's Weather

North London has a temperate maritime climate. This means it has mild winters and cool summers, without extreme temperatures. This is typical for the UK.

Weather records have been kept in Hampstead since 1910. Hampstead is quite high up for London, at 137 meters (about 450 feet). Because it's on a hilltop and in a city, very cold frosts are rare.

Temperatures usually get warmer as you get closer to the River Thames. This is partly because of the "urban warming effect" from all the buildings and people. Also, the land gets lower closer to the river. So, the hillier northern parts of North London can be a bit cooler than areas right next to the Thames. Sometimes, you might see snow on the ground near the Chilterns (hills north of London) while central London has no snow at all.

Typically, the warmest day in Hampstead averages around 29.3°C (84.7°F). About 14 days each year reach 25.1°C (77.2°F) or higher. The coldest night usually drops to about -5.6°C (21.9°F). On average, there are about 36 nights with frost. Around 119 days a year have at least 1mm of rain, and snow is seen on about 7 days. These averages are based on observations from 1971 to 2000.

Other Things Connected to North London

Images for kids

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  The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham

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  The London Borough of Barnet

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  The London Borough of Brent

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  The London Borough of Camden

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  The London Borough of Ealing

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  The London Borough of Enfield

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  The London Borough of Hackney

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  The London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham

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  The London Borough of Haringey

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  The London Borough of Harrow

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  The London Borough of Havering

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  The London Borough of Hillingdon

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  The London Borough of Hounslow

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  The London Borough of Islington

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  The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

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  The London Borough of Newham

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  The London Borough of Redbridge

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  The London Borough of Waltham Forest

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  The City of Westminster