For half a century Camden Town, the centre of Camden, has been the centre of alternative culture in London, be it punk, goth, hippie or emo. The area is home to large markets selling an extremely wide range of products from glowing t-shirts to digeridoos, mostly from independent stalls. With some of the capital's most varied cuisine, great live music and an anything goes attitude, Camden is one of the most vibrant and interesting of all London districts.
The area has its origins in the early 19th century as a suburban town on the road leading north from London. Later, it developed as a service centre around the railways, canals and other transportation. Virtually the whole of Camden was traditionally a working class, inner-city area with large estates of run-down public housing and some very seedy areas indeed. Inevitably though given its convenient inner London location, considerable gentrification has occurred across the district.
Original article source: Wikivoyage, where you find useful information about Camden. Creative common licence