Park Village West, Camden, Greater London
Park Village East and West were first sketched out by John Nash in 1823 as developments of small independent houses at the edge of Regent's Park. Both villages originally backed onto the Cumberland Basin arm of the Regent's Canal. This canal was constructed 1813-16 to service Cumberland Market. It was filled in between 1942-3. The developments were designed as picturesque model villages. The houses are in different styles including classical and Tudor. All are coated in stucco. They were built for the Commissioners of Woods, Forests and Land Revenues. The villages had great influence on the development of Victorian middle-class suburbs which were based on the village idea. The showpiece house is No.12 (Tower House). It was built around 1834-7 by the Nash office for James Johnson who was physician to William IV.
