Herne Hill is a tightly knit piece of Victoriana in South London, located between the rough edge of Brixton and the sleepy deli-haven of Dulwich. Two of its greatest sons, the prodigious Victorian art critic John Ruskin and the exalted steel engineer Sir Henry Bessemer, had neighbouring estates on the hill. Quite what they talked about over the garden fence is not known, but the local chat now is more likely to revolve around Anne Robinson’s salary, as the area is popular with media and creative types, such as the actor James Nesbitt and the restaurant critic Jay Rayner.

So where is Herne Hill exactly?

Straddling Lambeth and Southwark, SE24 lies just north and east of the undulating greenery of Brockwell Park.

Tell me about houses and prices

Herne Hillbillies are hiding a secret. “If the same village was in North London, perhaps in Camden or Islington, it would be considerably more expensive,” says Diana Burn, of Oliver Burn estate agents. Victorian and Edwardian properties prevail; red-brick semis with bay windows are great in number. Prices lie somewhere between the area’s traditionally prince and pauper neighbours of Dulwich and Brixton. One or two-bedroom flats range from £175,000 to £350,000, depending on whether the property comes with a garden. Three-bedroom semis can sell for £650,000 while vendors in the more exclusive North Dulwich triangle area can command prices nudging £1 million.

Which are the smartest streets?

For the Great Exhibition of 1851, the country’s finest architects went to town on an area known as Poets’ Corner. Chaucer Road is in the heart of the conservation area that still flaunts the elegant 19th-century show homes, built by architects eager for grand townhouse commissions elsewhere.

Anywhere to walk the dog?

Brockwell Park, pictured left, is a vast rolling estate, with Brockwell Hall at the centre. The park isn’t nearly as busy as nearby Clapham Common, but on a sunny weekend the newly refurbished lido on the north side is a magnet for families.

What about transport links?

Those lucky enough to live in Poets’ Corner have a five-minute walk to Brixton Tube station. Otherwise, Herne Hill overland has links to Victoria, and North Dulwich to London Bridge.

Any good schools?

“Any schools at all?” would be more apt. Most parents send their children to schools in neighbouring Dulwich, although there is the charming Herne Hill pre-prep and nursery. A new academy will open on Shakespeare Road next year and the Charter School is a wellregarded state secondary. Rosendale Primary School, in West Dulwich, was granted the London Primary Head Teacher of the Year award last year.

What about the nightlife?

Pubs of note include The Florence, a spacious gastropub with good beers and a resident dalmatian. Opposite the train station is Pullens restaurant, where baked haddock and sea bass on fennel are local favourites. Those looking for something more hedonistic head west to Brixton.

Any downsides?

The lack of schools. Herne Hill is also the 14th-hottest ward in London for residential burglaries, according to figures compiled last year by the Metropolitan Police.

Times recommends

• Second homes: credit crunch casualty or money-spinner?
• How I built my own sliding house
• Top 10 incentives for house buyers