Islington parks and open spaces
Encyclopedia
London Borough of Islington
The London Borough of Islington is a London borough in Inner London. It was formed in 1965 by merging the former metropolitan boroughs of Islington and Finsbury. The borough contains two Westminster parliamentary constituencies, Islington North and Islington South & Finsbury...
is short of large parks and open spaces, given its status in recent decades as a desirable place of residence. In fact, Islington has the lowest ratio of open space to built-up areas of any London borough. The largest continuous open space in the borough, at 11.75 hectares (29 acres), is Highbury Fields
Highbury Fields
Highbury Fields is an open space in Highbury, in the London Borough of Islington, England. At 11.75 hectares , it is the largest open space in the borough.It extends north from Highbury Corner almost as far as Highbury Barn...
.
Islington has access to large open spaces in neighbouring London borough
London borough
The administrative area of Greater London contains thirty-two London boroughs. Inner London comprises twelve of these boroughs plus the City of London. Outer London comprises the twenty remaining boroughs of Greater London.-Functions:...
s. The Islington district of Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park, London
Finsbury Park is an area in north London, England which grew up around an important railway interchange at the junction of the London Boroughs of Islington, Haringey and Hackney...
is next to the southern end of Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park is a 46 hectare public park in the London Borough of Haringey. Officially part of the London area of Harringay, it is also adjacent to Stroud Green, the Finsbury Park district and Manor House. It was one of the first of the great London parks laid out in the Victorian...
, in Haringey
London Borough of Haringey
The London Borough of Haringey is a London borough, in North London, classified by some definitions as part of Inner London, and by others as part of Outer London. It was created in 1965 by the amalgamation of three former boroughs. It shares borders with six other London boroughs...
. The "Green Route" of the Regent's Canal
Regent's Canal
Regent's Canal is a canal across an area just north of central London, England. It provides a link from the Paddington arm of the Grand Union Canal, just north-west of Paddington Basin in the west, to the Limehouse Basin and the River Thames in east London....
tow path provides access to Regent's Park
Regent's Park
Regent's Park is one of the Royal Parks of London. It is in the north-western part of central London, partly in the City of Westminster and partly in the London Borough of Camden...
to the west – in Camden
London Borough of Camden
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough were already developed and had a total population of 96,795. This continued to rise swiftly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 270,197 in the middle of the century...
; and Victoria Park
Victoria Park, East London
Victoria Park is 86.18 hectares of open space that stretches out across part of the East End of London, England bordering parts of Bethnal Green, Hackney, and Bow, such as along Old Ford Road, London E3 and Victoria Park Road E9. The park is entirely within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets...
to the east – in Tower Hamlets
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London borough to the east of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It is in the eastern part of London and covers much of the traditional East End. It also includes much of the redeveloped Docklands region of London, including West India Docks...
. Many other open spaces such as Clissold Park
Clissold Park
Clissold Park is a community park in Stoke Newington within the London Borough of Hackney. Facilities include a children's playground, sports fields, a bowling green, tennis courts, a cafe and some animal attractions including terrapins in its lakes...
in Hackney
London Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
are situated on the borders of the borough. Islington also contains many well-kept public squares and greens, such as Canonbury
Canonbury
Canonbury is a residential district in the London Borough of Islington in the north of London. It is roughly in the area between Essex Road, Upper Street and Cross Street and either side of St Paul's Road....
Square and Thornhill Square.
Because of the perceived open space deficit, many small community gardens grew up in Islington from the 1970s on. Created and maintained by local residents on sites made derelict by the Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
and redevelopment, not all have survived, but one notable remaining example, open to the public, is Culpeper Community Garden, near the Angel.
Principal open spaces
- Barnard Park 3.66 hectares (9.04 acres)
- Caledonian Park 7.40 hectares, (18.27 acres) - on the site of the former Caledonian Cattle Market once the biggest cattle market in North London
- Elthorne Park 2.45 hectares, (6.06 acres)
- Finsbury SquareFinsbury SquareFinsbury Square is a square in central London. It was developed in 1777 on the site of a previous area of green space to the east of London known as Finsbury Fields, in the parish of St Luke's and near Moorfields. It is sited on the east side of City Road, opposite the east side of Bunhill Fields....
0.70 hectares, (1.74 acres) - Fortune Street Park 0.36 hectares, (0.89 acres)
- Gillespie Park 2.56 hectares, (6.32 acres) - has nature reserve
- Highbury FieldsHighbury FieldsHighbury Fields is an open space in Highbury, in the London Borough of Islington, England. At 11.75 hectares , it is the largest open space in the borough.It extends north from Highbury Corner almost as far as Highbury Barn...
11.75 hectares, (29.00 acres) - Joseph GrimaldiJoseph GrimaldiJoseph Grimaldi , was an English actor and comedian who is perhaps best known for his invention of the modern day whiteface clown. He chiefly appeared at Drury Lane in pantomime where his greatest success was appearing in Harlequin and Mother Goose; or the Golden Egg and followed with a successful...
Park - Laycock Street Open Space 0.89 hectares, (2.20 acres)
- Paradise Park 1.85 hectares, (4.57 acres)
- Rosemary Gardens 2.63 hectares, (6.48 acres)
- Tufnell Park Playing Fields {1.92 hectares, (4.73 acres)
- Whittington ParkWhittington ParkWhittington Park is a public park in Upper Holloway, North London. Like the nearby Whittington Hospital, it is named after Dick Whittington, and a large topiary cat, in reference to Whittington's legendary pet, stands at the Holloway Road entrance...
4.09 hectares, (10.11 acres)
Others
- The Artillery GroundArtillery GroundThe Artillery Ground in Finsbury is one of London's most centrally located cricket grounds, situated just off the City Road immediately north of the City of London...
is an 8 acres (3.2 ha) open space on the edge of the City. It has belonged to the Honourable Artillery CompanyHonourable Artillery CompanyThe Honourable Artillery Company was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII. Today it is a Registered Charity whose purpose is to attend to the “better defence of the realm"...
since 1638. While it is not normally open to the public, the ground contains many sports facilities that are used by local schools. - Bunhill FieldsBunhill FieldsBunhill Fields is a cemetery in the London Borough of Islington, north of the City of London, and managed by the City of London Corporation. It is about 4 hectares in extent, although historically was much larger....
is a 4 hectares (9.88 acre) burial ground, adjacent to the Artillery Ground. It contains many dissenter burials, including Daniel DefoeDaniel DefoeDaniel Defoe , born Daniel Foe, was an English trader, writer, journalist, and pamphleteer, who gained fame for his novel Robinson Crusoe. Defoe is notable for being one of the earliest proponents of the novel, as he helped to popularise the form in Britain and along with others such as Richardson,...
, John BunyanJohn BunyanJohn Bunyan was an English Christian writer and preacher, famous for writing The Pilgrim's Progress. Though he was a Reformed Baptist, in the Church of England he is remembered with a Lesser Festival on 30 August, and on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church on 29 August.-Life:In 1628,...
and William BlakeWilliam BlakeWilliam Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of both the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age...
. It is administered by the Corporation of LondonCorporation of LondonThe City of London Corporation is the municipal governing body of the City of London. It exercises control only over the City , and not over Greater London...
. Part contains historic graves; but part is laid to a pleasant and quiet park. - Freightliners City FarmFreightliners City FarmFreightliners City Farm is an urban farm located in Lower Holloway in the London Borough of Islington. It is the only urban farm in the borough, and one of the few open spaces in the area....
is located in Lower HollowayLower HollowayLower Holloway is a district in the London Borough of Islington, London. The name has fallen out of common use and the area is now generally regarded as being a part of Holloway. The area of Lower Holloway stretches from the South of Holloway Road to the Central side of Holloway, Nags Head. It is...
in Islington. This small urban farm contains a wide range of animals from rabbits to cows to chickens and pigs. - Islington GreenIslington GreenIslington Green is a small triangle of open land at the convergence of Upper Street and Essex Road in the London Borough of Islington...
- New RiverNew River (England)The New River is an artificial waterway in England, opened in 1613 to supply London with fresh drinking water taken from the River Lea and from Amwell Springs , and other springs and wells along its course....
Walk 1.41 hectare, (3.48 acre) - linear walk that connects the Angel and CanonburyCanonburyCanonbury is a residential district in the London Borough of Islington in the north of London. It is roughly in the area between Essex Road, Upper Street and Cross Street and either side of St Paul's Road....
along the bank of the New River. - Newington GreenNewington GreenNewington Green is an open space in north London which straddles the border between Islington and Hackney. It gives its name to the surrounding area, roughly bounded by Ball's Pond Road to the south, Petherton Road to the west, the southern section of Stoke Newington with Green Lanes-Matthias Road...
- The Regent's CanalRegent's CanalRegent's Canal is a canal across an area just north of central London, England. It provides a link from the Paddington arm of the Grand Union Canal, just north-west of Paddington Basin in the west, to the Limehouse Basin and the River Thames in east London....
enters the Islington TunnelIslington TunnelThe Islington Tunnel carries the Regent's Canal Arm of the Grand Union Canal for 976 yards underneath the Angel area of Islington, London. The two other tunnels on the Regent's Canal are Eyre's tunnel and Maida Hill Tunnel....
, near City Road LockCity Road LockCity Road Lock is a lock on the Regent's Canal, in the London Borough of Islington. A few hundred metres west of the lock, the canal enters the Islington Tunnel.The nearest London Underground station is Angel on the Northern Line.-See also:...
. A linear walk is marked through the streets and parks above the tunnel. - St Mary Magdalene GardensSt Mary Magdalene GardensSt Mary Magdalene Gardens on Holloway Road in Islington, London, are the old burial ground of St Mary Magdalene Church. Some tomb stones still bear witness to these early times...
External links
- Parks and Green Spaces (Islington Council)
- Culpeper Community Garden
- Caledonian Park
- Freightliners farm