Cricklewood: Railway History, Architecture and Places of Remembrance

Cricklewood combines railway history, architecture and personal places of remembrance into an unusually tangible destination. Those seeking a cultural perspective for their stay will find not a loose collection of attractions, but traces closely connected with the area's development. The station, historic buildings and memories of aviation and local production offer different ways of discovering Cricklewood. This makes the area interesting for travellers who would rather fill their days with discoveries than follow a uniform sightseeing programme.

Railway History at Cricklewood Station

In the passenger waiting area on Platform 1, panels about Cricklewood's history are displayed on glass panes. There is also an Amy Johnson mural on the platform wall. On the way to the platforms, visitors can see a pictorial representation of Handley Page biplanes created by Cricklewood-based artist Alistair Lambert. These motifs offer several perspectives on railway history: they tell stories of the area, aviation and people connected with Cricklewood.

The artwork on the station's history created by Freddie Needle is particularly extensive. Measuring 9 × 6 metres, the montage of paintings, prints and photographs depicts Cricklewood's history since the railway arrived in the 1860s, as well as its subsequent effects on the area. This provides a clear focus for planning your day: you can concentrate on the station's history or connect it with other historical traces in the area.

Architecture and Local History

On Cricklewood Broadway stands the Crown, a Victorian Grade II listed building clad in terracotta. The building was rebuilt in 1899 by the architects Shoebridge & Rising. Its history goes back further, however: as early as the 1750s, the Crown provided accommodation on Watling Street for travellers using the stagecoach to and from London. Watling Street was a Roman road to St Albans, through North Wales and onward to the Irish Sea.

The history of Smith’s Crisps is also connected with this place. The company began in 1912 in garages behind the Crown. This means that different layers of history can be read in a single building: the historic travel route, nineteenth-century architecture and a chapter of local production. Those travelling with children can use such details as an opportunity to talk about earlier forms of travel, buildings and everyday history.

Church Architecture and Places of Remembrance

The present building of St Agnes was constructed in 1930 to designs by T. H. B. Scott. It features a restrained Romanesque design typical of T. H. B. Scott's church designs, as well as an impressive, austere brick interior. At Vernon Court, a Blue Plaque commemorates the fact that Amy Johnson once lived there. The plaque complements the displays at the station with a personal historical connection.

The history of aviation also extends beyond individual works of art. Cricklewood Airport offered commercial flights to Paris, Brussels, Berlin and Bournemouth from 1919 to 1926. This period belongs to the area's history and shows how diverse the connections associated with Cricklewood were in the past.

Cricklewood as a Base for Your Trip

A holiday apartment in Cricklewood is particularly suitable for a travel plan in which cultural history, architecture and local stories play an important role. Rather than heading for just one highlight, you can choose from various themes: the artworks at the station, the history of the Crown, St Agnes, the memory of Amy Johnson or the aviation history of the former airport. This leaves room for different daily rhythms and personal interests.

Local orientation also includes steps that allow pedestrians to access the northern part of Gratton Terrace from Cricklewood Broadway. If you are comparing Cricklewood as a base for your trip, nearby destinations can also be included in your considerations: Kilburn, Highgate, Camden Town.

For the broader travel overview: Camden.