A chilled out neighborhood on the water with serious literary history.
Limehouse has a below average violent crime rate and a below average property crime rate for London.
Limehouse is a small neighborhood in East London that is a quiet middle-class community of professionals and families. With its location a stone's throw from the Thames and bisected by two canals, life revolves around the water here. Limehouse Basin, built by the Regents Canal company in the early 1800s, is filled with leisure boats and even a few houseboats.
Despite its working class origins, Limehouse has been an inspiration to centuries of artists and writers. Francis Bacon, James McNeill Whistler, and other famous painters all called this home at one point of their lives. A famous pub in Limehouse, The Grapes, was frequented by Charles Dickens and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and they both referenced the area in their writings. The pub is still around for anyone looking for a pint and a bit of history.
The neighborhood feels small and compact, but it does have its own train station to whisk you to other parts of London. This has made Limehouse increasingly popular with people who work in finance and commute to the City or Canary Wharf.
Along the canals, basin, and river you'll find modern industrial-looking luxury apartments and condos. Away from the water the terraced homes have more of a drab feel. Prices run the gamut from affordable to high end.
Limehouse has a good mix of casual restaurants offering different cuisines. There are several pubs here as well – one owned by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay – but at night the area can feel quiet and empty.
Limehouse is bordered on the north by Mile End, on the east by Poplar, on the south by the Thames, and on the west by Wapping.
Commute:
The City: 2.6 miles / 15-35 minutes by car / 15 minutes by transit / 20 minutes by bike
Canary Wharf: 1.6 miles / 5-10 minutes by car / 10 minutes by transit / 20 minutes by foot / 5-10 minutes by bike
Southwark: 3.1 miles / 15-30 minutes by car / 25-30 minutes by transit / 25 minutes by bike
Westminster: 5.1 miles / 20-50 minutes by car / 35-40 minutes by transit
Shoreditch: 3.3 miles / 20-30 minutes by car / 25-35 minutes by transit / 20-25 minutes by bike
Limehouse LOCAL schools
Photo Credits: Thanks to @nairda68, @Snuffy, @Sir Scavenger, @claudiu_dobre, @Credit Valley Conservation, @edk7, @Gregory Pleau, @francescocelli, @vicksholdsworth, @stephbillers, @dominicjyeo, @rogermontanari for your great photos of this neighborhood!
