History of Kings Cross

The area was previously a village known as Battle Bridge which was an ancient crossing of the River Fleet.

The name "Battle Bridge" led to a tradition that this was the site of a major battle between the Romans and the Iceni tribe led by Boudica. The tradition is not supported by any historical evidence and is rejected by modern historians. The suggestion that Boudica is buried beneath platform 9 or 10 at King's Cross Station seems to have arisen as urban folklore since the end of World War Two.

In 1830 a monument to King George IV was built at the junction of Gray's Inn Road, Pentonville Road, and New Road, which later became Euston Road. The monument was sixty feet high, topped by an eleven foot high statue of the king, and was described as "a ridiculous octagonal structure crowned by an absurd statue". The unpopular building was demolished in 1845, though the area has kept the name of Kings Cross.

King's Cross Railway Station now stands at the junction where the cross stood. The station was designed by architect Lewis Cubitt and opened in 1852.

After World War II the area declined from being a poor but busy industrial and distribution services district to a partially abandoned post-industrial district. By the 1980s it was notorious for prostitution and drug abuse. It is now going through a major regeneration programme.

Relatively cheap rents and a central London location made the area attractive to artists and designers and both Antony Gormley and Thomas Heatherwick established studios in the area. In the 1990s the government established the King's Cross Partnership to fund regeneration projects, and the commencement of work on High Speed 1 in 2000 provided a major impetus for other projects. Within a few years much of the socially undesirable behaviour had been moved on, and new projects such as offices and hotels have begun to open.

The area has increasingly become home to cultural establishments. The London Canal Museum opened in 1992, and in 1997 a new home for the British Library opened next to St Pancras Station.

The area is expected to remain a major focus of redevelopment through the first two decades of the 21st century. The London terminus of the Eurostar international rail service moved to St Pancras station in November 2007. The station's redevelopment led to the demolition of several buildings, including the Gasworks.[4] Following the opening of the new high speed line to the station, a redevelopment of the land between the two major stations and the old Kings Cross goods yard is underway. To be called King's Cross Central, this will be one of the largest construction projects in Greater London in the first quarter of the 21st century. Already, more upmarket shops and eating places have opened in the area and property prices have been rocketing. It is very close to the city centre, great transport links with the Eurostar and all the trains going to the north of the UK. The area can only continue to grow in popularity.

Places of interest

http://www.kingscrossvoices.org.uk/History_of_Kings_Cross.asp

http://www.kingsx.co.uk/

• British Library • St. Pancras Station • The Palace Theatre

Transport Links – Visit Transport for London for more information

Kings Cross –Norther, Circle, Metropolitan, Hammersmith & City, Victoria and Picadilly Lines

Kings Cross – National Rail
St Pancras – City Thameslink, National Rail and Eurostar

Local Authority

Islington – http://www.islington.gov.uk/

Camden – http://www.camden.gov.uk/

Council tax bands for 2008/2009

Please note you should always check the value of your property on the 1st April 1991 to ensure you are in the correct council tax band.

Council Tax band	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H
Property Values as of April 1991	Up to £40K	£40 to £52K	£52K to £68K	£68K to £88K	£88K to £120K	£120K to £160K	£160K to £320K	over £320K
Islington LA*	£812.94	£948.42	£1,083.92	£1,219.40	£1,490.38	£1,761.36	£2,032.34	£2,438.80
Camden LA*	£867.02	£1,011.51	£1,156.02	£1,300.52	£1.589.53	£1,878.53	£2,167.54	£2,601.04

*Higher rates for garden squares. Please see respective authority websites

Average Rental and Sale prices for Kings Cross (EC1)

	Postcode	Area	1 Bedrooms	2 Bedrooms	3 Bedrooms	Bigger
To Rent	N1	Islington	£362 pw	£470 pw	£659 pw	£1,331 pw
	WC1	Bloomsbury	£321 pw	£430 pw	£704 pw	£725 pw
For Sale	N1	Islington	£322,000	£536,000	£725,000	£1,376,000
	WC1	Bloomsbury	£437,000	£606,000	£912,000	£3,525,000

School League tables – Click here for School League Tables

For Primary Schools in Islington please click here
For Secondary Schools in Islington please click here
For colleges in Islington please click here

For Primary Schools in Camden please click here
For Secondary Schools in Camden please click here
For colleges in Camden please click here

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