Edmonton: A diverse and cultural melting pot in the heart of London

Edmonton is one of the most ethnically diverse areas in London, with plenty of schools, shopping centres and ancient buildings of historical interest.

It is by no means the most exciting place to live in the city, but if you favour a good standard of living, security and good homes and schools over excitement, then there is a good chance you'll like it here.

Located in the London borough of Enfield, over the years, the area has developed its own unique flavour and its melting pot of different cultures and traditions has largely contributed to this.

The locality has a relatively young population and has an eclectic mix of  Afro-Caribbean, African, Albanian, Bangladeshi, Chinese, Greek, Portuguese, Pakistani, Somalian and Turkish communities.

In recent years, Edmonton - particularly upper Edmonton - has undergone a lot of transformation, with some of that work still ongoing.

As a result, a number of new shops have been built in the area, in addition to public facilities.

In the past, it used to be home to many industries, particularly those which manufactured furniture, electrical goods and appliances.

However, this gradually began to disappear in the latter part of the 20th century. 

It is a relatively young area, with plenty of green spaces, which makes it very popular among young families. It also has a number of arts and theatre companies, in addition to a range of leisure and recreational activities.

There are a number of things that attract people to the area, including:

Parks and gardens

There is no shortage of magnificent parks and gardens in the area, which are great for summer walks, picnics and events.

These include Bury Lodge, an ornamental garden that includes a playing fields, rose beds and ponds.

You also have Churchfields Recreation Ground and Plevna Road Open Space. The former includes playing fields and children's play area.

Montagu Road Recreation Ground is another green area of interest, with sports courts, children's play areas and playing fields.

Properties

Properties in the area mainly consist of terraced housing and flats, as well as a generous sprinkling of semi-detached houses, with a generous sprinkling of country houses on the outskirts.

In terms of prices, a three-bedroom apartment would set you back around £295,000 on average.

Renting a property in the area is much more affordable and prices start from around £346 per week for a one bed and £550 per week for a three bedroom house.

The prices are at the cheaper end of the scale compared to other parts of London, making Edmonton a highly affordable place to live.

Famous faces

Edmonton is the birthplace of many famous faces. British television presenter Bruce Forsyth, grew up in Edmonton, as did producer and musician Norman Smith.

It is also the birthplace of a number of footballers, including Derek Lewis, Albert Cadwell and Lee Adrian Smelt - an English former association football player.

Transport 

One of the other many great things about Edmonton is it has easy transport links that quickly and efficiently get you to any area of London.

Like many areas of the city, it has strong bus and Tube networks, as well as a railway station.

Sites of historical interest

Despite being in the thick of an urban jungle, Edmonton has a number of ancient buildings of interest.

These include Angel Place, a historic building built in the 70s, which is also Grade II-listed. Another listed building of interest is the Charles Lamb Institute and Edmonton Central Library.

The history of the buildings are a throwback to the area's ancient roots and its colourful and religious cultural heritage.

Published 25th July, 2014

© 2014 Estates IT Limited