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Lost Hampstead river lends name to Marriott Hotel’s revamped function room

Published: 2:52 PM July 17, 2018 Updated: 1:58 PM October 14, 2020

The newly refurbished Westbourne room, named after the subterranean Hampstead river - Credit: Marriott Hotel

As part of a major refurb, the London Marriott Hotel Maida Vale has renamed its three new-look function rooms to reflect the geography and rich history of the area. The largest, perfect for weddings and large meetings, is named after a Hampstead subterranean river, The Westbourne.

A map from 1790 showing the Westbourne river running through Hampstead and Kilburn - Credit: Archant

The Westbourne

The name: The Westbourne is one of London’s three major subterranean rivers - or as some call them ‘lost rivers’ - now buried underground. The highest branch of The Westbourne begins at Whitestone Pond. It then flows downhill to cross Branch Hill, past the contemporary Spedan Close and roughly follows the line of Redington Gardens and Heath Drive before crossing the Finchley Road. Locals named this part Cannon’s Stream because it trickled down Cannon’s Hill. At the foot of the hill the stream flowed behind the Cock and Hoop tavern and fed a small pond on West End Green, West Hampstead. Both pub and pond are long since gone.

The stream followed the fields which formed the boundary between West End Green and Kilburn before joining the Kil Bourne at Kilburn Priory. Kilburn Bridge once marked the spot where the Edgware Road crossed the River Westbourne. It was recorded in 1398 and thought to have been built in the mid 13th century by the prior of Kilburn and carried Edgware Road across the Kilburn brook (part of River Westbourne).

In the 18th century Kilburn gained a reputation for the medicinal properties a spring known as Kilburn Wells, which was situated to the rear of the Bell Tavern, near the site of the old Kilburn Priory. After leaving Kilburn, The Westbourne flows below Paddington, Hyde Park and ends up in the Thames in Chelsea.

The Whitestone function room at the Marriott in Maida Vale, named after the Hampstead Heath pond - Credit: Mike Caldwell

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The room: The Westbourne room, measuring 14.6m by 11.7m (170.8sq m), is flooded with natural daylight, and tucked away from the bustle of the hotel. It also features a dedicated foyer for guests to mingle and enjoy space exclusively for them. Perfect for a wedding or big event, the room can hold up to 200 people with a reception set-up or 120 for a sit-down banquet. The Westbourne can also be divided into half or quarters, with capacity ranging from 10 to 80.

Whitestone

The name: Whitestone Pond sits on Hampstead Heath’s south side at what is the highest point in Greater London. Originally a small dew pond called the Horse Pond, due to the fact it was used as a watering hole for military horses , it was renamed after a waypoint stone. The pond, which is surrounded by roads and therefore more exposed than most ponds on the Heath, was revamped in 2010 to make it a more attractive and sociable space.

The room: The Whitestone room measures 7.6m by 5.7m (43.32sq m) and can hold up to 30 people with a theatre or reception set-up, 20 as a banquet, and 16 with a conference or u-shape layout.

The Tollgate function room at the London Marriott Hotel Maida Vale - Credit: Mike Caldwell

Tollgate

The name: In 1710 an Act of Parliament approved for gates and tollhouses to be put up as the state of the Edgware Road was so bad.Kilburn tollgate stood just north of Edgware Road junction, with the road named Kilburn Priory. To the right of the tollgate was Goubert’s nursery. This nursery was the first building on the exact site where The Marriott hotel sits today. The tollgate was removed in 1864. The cost in 1819 to pass through the toll was two shillings for a six-horse coach and 2d for a horse or mule.

The room: The Tollgate room measures 7.5m by 4.3m (32.25sq m) and holds up to 24 people with a theatre or reception set-up, 16 for a conference or u-shape layout, and 18 with banquet set up.