Agar Town (also known as Ague Town, Hagar Town, Agar-Town and Agar-town) was a small, historically poor neighbourhood of St Pancras in central London. Most of the area was demolished making way for St Pancras railway station.
1851 map showing Agar Town (top left), Somers Town and Pentonville.Illustration from 1854, showing Paradise Row in Agar Town
The area was named after William Agar, a wealthy lawyer who lived at Elm Lodge, a villa in large grounds near to the Regent's Canal roughly where Barker Drive stands. Key streets were Canterbury Place, Durham Street, and one of the city's Oxford Crescents.[1] The area contained low-quality housing for the poor and labourers building the houses, made of the lowest quality materials on 21-year leases, with no street lighting, cleaning or sewerage. Consequently, Agar Town was generally considered a slum.[1] This designation has been questioned.[2]
The neighbourhood was started in 1841 with Agar's widow leasing out small plots on the north side of the canal. Ownership passed to the Church Commissioners, who sold it to the Midland Railway. The company demolished most of the housing to make way for warehouses supplying St Pancras railway station from 1866.
The Church of St Thomas was built in 1864, just as development of the railway was already underway, and demolished in 1953.[3]
The name of Agar Town is commemorated by Agar Grove which traces an edge and which was St Paul's Road in Camden Town. Residential building occurred in the 1960s, including the tower block "Lulworth House".[4] In recent years, there has been further redevelopment.
The folk song The River Don't Run by Nick Hart describes the demolition of Agar Town and the disappearance of part of the River Fleet as it was diverted underground to make way for railway.[6]
^ abTom Bolton (24 June 2015). "From Cripplegate to Agar Town: inside London's vanished neighbourhoods". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 June 2015. The local vestry failed to provide "Ague Town", as it became known, with street lighting or cleaning, there was no sewerage, and it quickly became synonymous with mud and disease.
^Denford, Steven L J (1995) Agar Town: The life and death of a Victorian "slum". Camden History Society, London. Camden History Society website
^"St Thomas, Agar Town: gone but not quite forgotten ..." Andrewpink.org
agar, town, also, known, ague, town, hagar, town, agar, town, agar, town, small, historically, poor, neighbourhood, pancras, central, london, most, area, demolished, making, pancras, railway, station, 1851, showing, left, somers, town, pentonville, illustratio. Agar Town also known as Ague Town Hagar Town Agar Town and Agar town was a small historically poor neighbourhood of St Pancras in central London Most of the area was demolished making way for St Pancras railway station 1851 map showing Agar Town top left Somers Town and Pentonville Illustration from 1854 showing Paradise Row in Agar Town Contents 1 History 2 Cultural reference 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory editThe area was named after William Agar a wealthy lawyer who lived at Elm Lodge a villa in large grounds near to the Regent s Canal roughly where Barker Drive stands Key streets were Canterbury Place Durham Street and one of the city s Oxford Crescents 1 The area contained low quality housing for the poor and labourers building the houses made of the lowest quality materials on 21 year leases with no street lighting cleaning or sewerage Consequently Agar Town was generally considered a slum 1 This designation has been questioned 2 The neighbourhood was started in 1841 with Agar s widow leasing out small plots on the north side of the canal Ownership passed to the Church Commissioners who sold it to the Midland Railway The company demolished most of the housing to make way for warehouses supplying St Pancras railway station from 1866 The Church of St Thomas was built in 1864 just as development of the railway was already underway and demolished in 1953 3 The name of Agar Town is commemorated by Agar Grove which traces an edge and which was St Paul s Road in Camden Town Residential building occurred in the 1960s including the tower block Lulworth House 4 In recent years there has been further redevelopment The oldest remaining building of Agar Town is The Constitution public house 5 Cultural reference editThe folk song The River Don t Run by Nick Hart describes the demolition of Agar Town and the disappearance of part of the River Fleet as it was diverted underground to make way for railway 6 See also editCamley Street Natural Park Camden Town MurderReferences edit a b Tom Bolton 24 June 2015 From Cripplegate to Agar Town inside London s vanished neighbourhoods The Guardian Retrieved 24 June 2015 The local vestry failed to provide Ague Town as it became known with street lighting or cleaning there was no sewerage and it quickly became synonymous with mud and disease Denford Steven L J 1995 Agar Town The life and death of a Victorian slum Camden History Society London Camden History Society website St Thomas Agar Town gone but not quite forgotten Andrewpink org Agar Town Camden Hidden London Hiddenlondon com The Constitution Conincamden co uk Nick Hart Sings Eight English Folk Songs Folkradio co ukExternal links edit nbsp Media related to Agar Town at Wikimedia Commons Mapping Poverty in Agar Town Economic Conditions Prior to the Development of St Pancras Station In 1866 Saint Thomas Agar Town Camden Agar Town Camden on hidden london com 51 32 20 N 0 7 55 W 51 53889 N 0 13194 W 51 53889 0 13194 nbsp This London location article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte nbsp nbsp This article related to the history of England is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Agar Town amp oldid 1199590296, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
