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century at a time when factories were being built in surrounding
London boroughs. The "Northern Heights" of Highgate and Muswell
Hill attracted the merchants and professional men from the City
and the borough developed as a residential area. The hilly nature of
the district and absence of canal transport made the area less suitable
for factory development than other London boroughs. Travel across
the borough was also hampered by its hilly nature and two railway
lines running roughly in a north-south direction. The main railway
line from Kings Cross formed a barrier to labour from the neighboring
borough of Tottenham which was developing a considerable
factory population. The only through roads also ran from North
to South of the borough.