- Tube stations: Old Street
- Location: North of Shoreditch, west of Haggerston
- Borough: Hackney (www.hackney.gov.uk)
- Postcode: N1
Landmarks: The glass-topped White Cube (www.whitecube.com) art gallery is one of the more recognizable buildings on the square.
Known for: Sadly, one of Hoxton’s more famous creations is the Hoxton Fin – a fake Mohawk for those who want to be just punk enough and still keep a 9 – 5 office job. Hoxton fin sightings have tapered off in the last few years, so hopefully the neighbourhood will provide us with a better hairstyle soon.
Who’s there? In its heyday, London’s best artists and trendsetters lived in Hoxton. Developers shortly jumped on the chance to make over the neighbourhood, and now Hoxton is one of London’s more expensive areas. Even though it’s now associated with the stereotypically hip, there’s still a thriving art scene – you just probably can’t afford any of the pieces.
Making history: During the reign of Elizabeth I, Catholics headed to Hoxton to worship in the private chapel of a Portuguese ambassador. By the 18th century, the houses along the square were being turned into madhouses and almshouses, and the area gradually became a blue-collar neighbourhood. The low rent and large spaces attracted artists in the early ‘90s, and media-types and dot-commers soon followed.
Pub quiz facts: In June 2010, the East London Railway line is scheduled to open a Hoxton stop on Kingsland Road, across from the Geffrye Museum.
Famous faces: Jarvis Cocker, Kylie Minogue and Alexander McQueen have all loved and left Hoxton – maybe even they couldn’t afford the rising rent prices.
When it’s hot: The gardens at the Geffrye Museum (www.geffrye-museum.org.uk) are stunning during the summertime. There are Elizabethan, Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian-style beds, and also an herb garden with more than 170 types of herbs.
When it’s not: There are art galleries everywhere you look, so if you’ve ever fancied yourself an amateur art critic, Hoxton’s the place to practice.