Local Area

The area of Kingsbury is first mentioned in the Doomsday Book, which lists the ownership of all properties and was published around 1215CE. The area has a unique charm, given that it is a mere 10 miles or so from the centre of London; it boasts thatched cottages, unique architecture and vast expanses of green fields and a large reservoir (The Welsh Harp) with accompanying park lands and wild life. The area was developed into a suburb, mentioned by John Betjeman in his Metroland poem in the 1930's.

The Jewish community, which can trace its origins back to the early 1930's, lives in four distinct areas of Kingsbury and numbers around 300 members at present. The estates of Valley Drive, Salmon Street and Springfield Gardens and the roads in and around Roe Green make up the areas where most of the Jewish residents live.

The Valley Drive estate is bounded by Kingsbury Road, Fryent Way and Fryent Country Park - an area of green belt land, where housing development is prohibited.   This contributes very much to the rural feel of the area and walking in Fryent Country Park makes you easily forget - apart from the distant hum of traffic - that you are only 12 miles from the centre of London. The shul is at most only fifteen minutes’ walk away. It is about five minutes walk from Kingsbury Underground Station (Jubilee Line). The journey into London (Baker Street) takes about 30 minutes.

Salmon Street estate is also bounded by Fryent Country Park, Church Lane and Kingsbury Road, and the twenty minute walk to shul takes you along a small road with very much a country feel about it. It is especially recommended that you visit this area in spring, when the variety of blossoms and shrubbery presents a kaleidoscope of colours, and in autumn, when the leaves on the trees turn all different shades of red. There are a number of small roads off Salmon Street with about 30 houses in most of them. It is about a 20 minutes' walk to Wembley Park Underground Station (Metropolitan and Jubilee Lines).

 Roe Green Village and the Hay Lane Estate has the feel and atmosphere of parts of Hampstead Garden Suburb without the accompanying prices. The village is a Conservation Area which has thatched cottages and small and attractive "artisan" homes.  The shul is at most 10 minutes' walk and Kingsbury Underground Station is easily reached by the many buses along the Kingsbury Road.

The Springfield Estate overlooks Silver Jubilee Park opposite part of Kingsbury Road. At right angles to Kingsbury Road is the Edgware Road that goes from Marble Arch to Edgware and beyond. The estate, being one of the highest parts of the area, affords panoramic views towards central London and some well known landmarks can be seen on clear days. The shul is less than 15 minutes' walk away and, being so close to a number of major bus routes, Brent Cross, Wembley Park, Colindale, Hendon Central, Golders Green and Kingsbury Underground stations, as well as Hendon Main Line, are all within easy reach.

For a young family considering a move into London, Kingsbury could not be more ideally situated, as there are a number of Jewish primary and secondary schools, both in the area and close to Kingsbury. 

Next to the Michael Sobell Sinai School (the largest Jewish primary school in Europe) is the site of the brand new JFS, opened in September 2002. This, the largest secondary school in Europe, is planning on increasing the number of its students from 1400 to 2000. From Valley Drive, both of these schools can reached on foot by even the most reluctant of students in less than 10 minutes.  

Hasmonean High School Boys' and Girls’ Sites can easily be reached using just two buses, as can Beis Yaacov, Torah Temimah, Hasmonean Primary, Independent, Menorah, Noam, Pardes House and North West London Jewish Day Schools.

Ask Kingsbury residents what appeals to them about living in the area and you will receive a variety of responses; from the low crime rate - -only 3% last year - through to reasonably priced (for North West London) housing stock or the easy accessibility to the centre of London by Underground (12 minutes from Wembley Park to Baker Street). Kingsbury United Synagogue is considered one of the more Orthodox within the family of the United Synagogue as will become evident as you browse our web pages.

We look forward to welcoming you to our kehilla.