Islington
Encyclopedia
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London
, England
and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington
. It is a district of Inner London
, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street. The name is now also often applied to the areas of the borough close to Upper Street such as Barnsbury, Canonbury, and De Beauvoir Town, developed in the Georgian era
.
village along the line of the Great North Road
, and has provided the name of the modern borough. This gave rise to some confusion, as neighbouring districts may also be said to be in Islington. This district is bounded by Liverpool Road
to the west and New North Road to the south-east. Its northernmost point is in the area of Highbury
. The main north-south high street, Upper Street splits at Highbury Corner to Holloway Road to the west and St. Paul's Road to the east.
The area around Angel tube station
is sometimes considered a district in its own right: The Angel, Islington
. The northern part of this area (from the Liverpool Road
junction northwards) is within the district of Islington, while the southern half is in neighbouring Finsbury
. The area below Penton Steet and east of Pentonville Road is the adjoining district of Pentonville
.
Gīsla and dun ("hill", "down
"). The name later mutated to Isledon, which remained in use well into the 17th century when the modern form arose. In medieval times, Islington was just one of many small manors thereabouts, along with Bernersbury, Neweton Berewe or Hey-bury and Canonesbury (Barnsbury, Highbury and Canonbury – names first recorded in the 13th and 14th centuries).
Some roads on the edge of the area, including Essex Road, were known as streets by the medieval period, possibly indicating a Roman
origin, but little physical evidence remains. What is known is that the Great North Road from Aldersgate
came into use in the 14th century, connecting with a new turnpike (toll road) up Highgate Hill. This was along the line of modern Upper Street, with a toll gate at The Angel
defining the extent of the village. The Back Road, the modern Liverpool Road
, was primarily a drovers' road where cattle would be rested before the final leg of their journey to Smithfield
. Pens and sheds were erected along this road to accommodate the animals.
The first recorded church, St Mary's
, was erected in the twelfth century and was replaced in the fifteenth century. Islington lay on the estates of the Bishop of London
and the Dean and Chapter of St Pauls
. There were substantial medieval moated manor house
s in the area, principally at Canonbury and Highbury. In 1548, there were 440 communicants listed and the rural atmosphere, with access to the City and Westminster, made it a popular residence for the rich and eminent. The local inns, however, harboured many fugitives and recursants.
The Royal Agricultural Hall was built in 1862 on the Liverpool Road
site of William Dixon's Cattle Layers. The hall was 75 ft high and the arched glass roof spanned 125 ft. It was built for the annual Smithfield Show in December of that year but was popular for other purposes, including recitals and the Royal Tournament
. It was the primary exhibition site for London until the 20th century and the largest building of its kind, holding up to 50,000 people. It was requisitioned for use by the Mount Pleasant sorting office during World War II and never re-opened. The main hall has now been incorporated into the Business Design Centre.
The hill on which Islington stands has long supplied the City of London
with water, the first projects drawing water through wooden pipes from the many springs that lay at its foot, in Finsbury
. These included Sadler's Wells, London Spa and Clerkenwell
.
By the 17th century these traditional sources were inadequate to supply the growing population and plans were laid to construct a waterway, the New River
, to bring fresh water from the source of the River Lea, in Hertfordshire
to New River Head, below Islington in Finsbury
. The river was opened on September 29, 1613 by Sir Hugh Myddleton
, the constructor of the project. His statue still stands where Upper Street meets Essex Road. The course of the river ran to the east of Upper Street, and much of its course is now covered and forms a linear park through the area.
The Regents Canal passes through Islington. For much of its length it travels through an 886 metres (2,907 ft) tunnel that runs from Colebrook Row, just east of the Angel, to emerge at Muriel Street not far from Caledonian Road. The subterranean stretch is marked with a series of pavement plaques so that canal walkers may find their way from one entrance to the other above ground. The area of the canal east of the tunnel and north of the City Road was once dominated by much warehousing and industry surrounding the large City Road Basin and Wenlock Basin. Those old buildings that survive here are now largely residential or small work units. This stretch boasts one of the few old canal pubs with an entrance actually on the tow-path, The Narrowboat.
The canal was constructed in 1820 to carry cargo from Limehouse
into the canal system. There is no tow-path in the tunnel so bargees had to walk their barges through, braced against the roof. Commercial use of the canal has declined since the 1960s.
, now a Victorian
building with a theatre, has remained on the same site, opposite the parish church since 1543. The founder of the theatre,
Dan Crawford, who died in 2005, disagreed with the introduction of decimal coinage. For twenty-plus years after decimalisation (on 15 February 1971) the bar continued to show prices and charge for drinks in pre-decimalisation currency.
By the 19th century many music halls and theatres were established around Islington Green
. One such was Collins' Music Hall, the remains of which are now incorporated into a bookshop. It stood on the site of the Landsdowne Tavern, where the landlord had built an entertainment room for customers who wanted to sing (and later for professional entertainers). It was founded in 1862 by Samuel Thomas Collins Vagg and by 1897 had become a 1,800 seat theatre with 10 bars. The theatre suffered damage in a fire in 1958 and has not reopened. Between 92 and 162 acts were put on each evening and performers who started there included Marie Lloyd
, George Robey
, Harry Lauder
, Harry Tate
, George Formby, Vesta Tilley
, Tommy Trinder
, Gracie Fields
, Tommy Handley
and Norman Wisdom
.
The Islington Literary and Scientific Society was established in 1833 and first met in Mr. Edgeworth's academy on Upper Street. Its object was to spread knowledge through lectures, discussions, and experiments, politics and theology being forbidden. A building, the Literary and Scientific Institution, was erected in 1837 in Wellington (later Almeida) Street, designed by Roumieu and Gough in a stuccoed Grecian style. It included a library (containing 3,300 volumes in 1839), reading room, museum, laboratory, and lecture theatre seating 500. The subscription was two guineas a year. The library was sold off in 1872 and the building sold or leased in 1874 to the Wellington Club, which occupied it until 1886. In 1885 the hall was used for concerts, balls, and public meetings. The Salvation Army
bought the building in 1890, renamed it the Wellington Castle barracks, and remained there until 1955. The building became a factory and showroom for Beck's British Carnival Novelties for a few years from 1956, after which it stood empty. In 1978 a campaign began with the aim to turn it into a theatre. A public appeal was launched in 1981 and a festival of avant-garde theatre and music was held there and at other Islington venues in 1982, and the successful Almeida Theatre
founded.
World War II
caused much damage to Islington's housing stock, with 3,200 dwellings destroyed. While before the war municipal housing
had not had much impact, after the war many bomb sites were redeveloped, both by the Metropolitan Borough of Islington
and the London County Council
. Clearance of the worst terraced housing was still undertaken but Islington continued to be very dense (least open space). The entire borough had a hight level of overcrowding.
From the 1960s, the Georgian terraces were rediscovered by middle class families and many of the houses were rehabilitated, with the area becoming newly fashionable. This displacement of the poor by the aspirational has become known as gentrification. Among these new residents were a number of the central figures in the New Labour movement, including Tony Blair
before his victory in the 1997 general election
. "Islington is widely regarded as the spiritual home of Britain's left-wing intelligentsia" (The Guardian
). The Granita Pact
between Gordon Brown
and Tony Blair is said to have been made at a now defunct restaurant on Upper Street.. The town is still home to large council blocks and the local authority is commmitted to bulings more social housing in the future.
The completion of the Victoria line
and redevelopment of Angel tube station
has created the conditions for developers to build blocks of small flats, popular with young professionals, intensifying use of the area. The inns of the 17th century are now replaced with busy public houses and trendy wine bars. Small shops selling bijou items are increasingly being priced out of the area and replaced by national (and international) chains. Islington remains a district in constant flux. The area has high levels of social deprivation and crime, including organised crime, muggings and burglary targeted toward the more more affluent residents.
The area has been blighted by rubbish and refuse. In 2010 10% of its streets had a detritus problem of which 7% fell below acceptable standards. By way of comparison, none of the streets looked at in Kensington and Chelsea were bedevilled by detritus and only 2% had a litter issue.
Islington's population is extremely diverse. 43.2% non-white British compared with 40.2% for London as a whole and 13% nationally. The largest minorities are Black and Asian. The white population has been falling since 1960 although between 2000 and 2005 the rate by which the white population fell slowed. Since 2006 the rate has increased. Like many parts of Inner London, social commentators refer to this as White flight
.
Three quarters of the Islington population define themselves by a religious faith, of which 61% define themselves as Christian and almost 10% as Muslim (more than treble the national average and one of the highest in London with Tower Hamlets, Newham
and Hackney
). The identification with a religion in Islington is strongest amongst the Asian and Black/Black British communities amongst whom over 90% have a religious faith. Whilst 80% of Islington's Christian community identify themselves as being from a white ethnic group.
which features The Angel, Islington
. However, in the game the Angel is the third cheapest property on the board. 'The Angel, Islington' was included as the licensees considered the names of places they were to use over tea in the Lyon's Corner House
, built on the site of the original Angel Inn.
Nearby Monopoly locations are Pentonville Road (mostly within the Borough of Islington) which runs from King's Cross station to The Angel.
Upper Street
The southern end of Upper Street is a former tram shed which closed in 1979 and is currently a Jack Willis shop. The building was formally The Mall Antiques Arcade. Its closure reflects the reduction in the number of antique traders in the nearby Camden Passage
. A weekend antiques market is still held there.
of the village of Islington. The earliest reference to Islington High Street is its appearance on a 1590 map of the area. At this time, nine inns (including the famous Angel
, which has subsequently given its name to the area), as well as housing and a public pond were shown lining the street. Then as now, Islington was and is unusual in that the village church, St. Mary's, does not stand on the high street but is some way off on Upper Street.
In 1716 Islington High Street came under the control of the newly formed Islington Turnpike Trust. The Trust grew rapidly, and soon had control of most major roads in the area, building a number of major road arteries through the expanding residential areas, including Caledonian Road
, Euston Road
, City Road
and New North Road.
The Peacock Inn at 11 Islington High Street dates from 1564, although the current facade
dates from 1857. It featured in Tom Brown's Schooldays
as the inn at which Tom stays prior to travelling to Rugby
. It closed in 1962, although the building still stands.
Angel tube station
on Islington High Street has the longest escalator
on the London Underground
system, at 318 steps. In 2006 a Norwegian man made headlines after skiing
down the escalator at the station
Grade II*
English Heritage
lists three Grade II* listed buildings within Central Islington (and many more in surrounding districts):
Grade II (selected):
The area is perhaps most notable for its houses, shops and pubs. Many whole terraces are listed including much of Liverpool Road
(one side of which is in Barnsbury
) and Islington High Street/Upper Street. Other multiply listed streets include Camden Passage
, Compton Terrace, Colebrooke Row, Cross Street, Duncan Terrace, Essex Road, Gibson Square and Milner Square).
Other Grade II listed structures include:
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington
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...
. It is a district of Inner London
Inner London
Inner London is the name for the group of London boroughs which form the interior part of Greater London and are surrounded by Outer London. The area was first officially defined in 1965 and for purposes such as statistics, the definition has changed over time. The terms Inner London and Central...
, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street. The name is now also often applied to the areas of the borough close to Upper Street such as Barnsbury, Canonbury, and De Beauvoir Town, developed in the Georgian era
Georgian era
The Georgian era is a period of British history which takes its name from, and is normally defined as spanning the reigns of, the first four Hanoverian kings of Great Britain : George I, George II, George III and George IV...
.
Modern definition
Islington grew as a sprawling MiddlesexMiddlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
village along the line of the Great North Road
Great North Road (Great Britain)
The Great North Road was a coaching route used by mail coaches between London, York and Edinburgh. The modern A1 mainly follows the Great North Road. The inns on the road, many of which survive, were staging posts on the coach routes, providing accommodation, stabling for the horses and...
, and has provided the name of the modern borough. This gave rise to some confusion, as neighbouring districts may also be said to be in Islington. This district is bounded by Liverpool Road
Liverpool Road
Liverpool Road is located in the London Borough of Islington of inner north London. Liverpool Road runs parallel to Upper Street and is largely made up of Georgian architecture. It starts at Upper Street and joins Holloway Road....
to the west and New North Road to the south-east. Its northernmost point is in the area of Highbury
Highbury
- Early Highbury :The area now known as Islington was part of the larger manor of Tolentone, which is mentioned in the Domesday Book. Tolentone was owned by Ranulf brother of Ilger and included all the areas north and east of Canonbury and Holloway Road. The manor house was situated by what is now...
. The main north-south high street, Upper Street splits at Highbury Corner to Holloway Road to the west and St. Paul's Road to the east.
The area around Angel tube station
Angel tube station
Angel tube station is a London Underground station in The Angel, Islington. It is on the Bank branch of the Northern Line, between Old Street and King's Cross St. Pancras stations. It is in Travelcard Zone 1. The tube stop serves as a portal to several Off West End, or fringe theatre, venues,...
is sometimes considered a district in its own right: The Angel, Islington
The Angel, Islington
Angel is a district of London, England, and part of the London Borough of Islington. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
. The northern part of this area (from the Liverpool Road
Liverpool Road
Liverpool Road is located in the London Borough of Islington of inner north London. Liverpool Road runs parallel to Upper Street and is largely made up of Georgian architecture. It starts at Upper Street and joins Holloway Road....
junction northwards) is within the district of Islington, while the southern half is in neighbouring Finsbury
Finsbury
Finsbury is a district of central London, England. It lies immediately north of the City of London and Clerkenwell, west of Shoreditch, and south of Islington and City Road. It is in the south of the London Borough of Islington. The Finsbury Estate is in the western part of the district...
. The area below Penton Steet and east of Pentonville Road is the adjoining district of Pentonville
Pentonville
Pentonville is an area of north-central London in the London Borough of Islington, centred on the Pentonville Road. The area is named after Henry Penton, who developed a number of streets in the 1770s in what was open countryside adjacent to the New Road...
.
Etymology
Islington was originally named by the Saxons Giseldone (1005), then Gislandune (1062). The name means "Gīsla's hill" from the Old English personal namePersonal name
A personal name is the proper name identifying an individual person, and today usually comprises a given name bestowed at birth or at a young age plus a surname. It is nearly universal for a human to have a name; except in rare cases, for example feral children growing up in isolation, or infants...
Gīsla and dun ("hill", "down
Downland
A downland is an area of open chalk hills. This term is especially used to describe the chalk countryside in southern England. Areas of downland are often referred to as Downs....
"). The name later mutated to Isledon, which remained in use well into the 17th century when the modern form arose. In medieval times, Islington was just one of many small manors thereabouts, along with Bernersbury, Neweton Berewe or Hey-bury and Canonesbury (Barnsbury, Highbury and Canonbury – names first recorded in the 13th and 14th centuries).
Origins
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
origin, but little physical evidence remains. What is known is that the Great North Road from Aldersgate
Aldersgate
Aldersgate was a gate in the London Wall in the City of London, which has given its name to a ward and Aldersgate Street, a road leading north from the site of the gate, towards Clerkenwell in the London Borough of Islington.-History:...
came into use in the 14th century, connecting with a new turnpike (toll road) up Highgate Hill. This was along the line of modern Upper Street, with a toll gate at The Angel
The Angel, Islington
Angel is a district of London, England, and part of the London Borough of Islington. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
defining the extent of the village. The Back Road, the modern Liverpool Road
Liverpool Road
Liverpool Road is located in the London Borough of Islington of inner north London. Liverpool Road runs parallel to Upper Street and is largely made up of Georgian architecture. It starts at Upper Street and joins Holloway Road....
, was primarily a drovers' road where cattle would be rested before the final leg of their journey to Smithfield
Smithfield, London
Smithfield is an area of the City of London, in the ward of Farringdon Without. It is located in the north-west part of the City, and is mostly known for its centuries-old meat market, today the last surviving historical wholesale market in Central London...
. Pens and sheds were erected along this road to accommodate the animals.
The first recorded church, St Mary's
St Mary's Church, Islington
The Church of St Mary the Virgin is the historic parish church of Islington, in the Church of England Diocese of London. The present parish is a compact area centered on Upper Street between Angel and Highbury Corner, bounded to the west by Liverpool Road, and to the east by Essex Road/Canonbury...
, was erected in the twelfth century and was replaced in the fifteenth century. Islington lay on the estates of the Bishop of London
Bishop of London
The Bishop of London is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 458 km² of 17 boroughs of Greater London north of the River Thames and a small part of the County of Surrey...
and the Dean and Chapter of St Pauls
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
. There were substantial medieval moated manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
s in the area, principally at Canonbury and Highbury. In 1548, there were 440 communicants listed and the rural atmosphere, with access to the City and Westminster, made it a popular residence for the rich and eminent. The local inns, however, harboured many fugitives and recursants.
The Royal Agricultural Hall was built in 1862 on the Liverpool Road
Liverpool Road
Liverpool Road is located in the London Borough of Islington of inner north London. Liverpool Road runs parallel to Upper Street and is largely made up of Georgian architecture. It starts at Upper Street and joins Holloway Road....
site of William Dixon's Cattle Layers. The hall was 75 ft high and the arched glass roof spanned 125 ft. It was built for the annual Smithfield Show in December of that year but was popular for other purposes, including recitals and the Royal Tournament
Royal Tournament
The Royal Tournament was the World's largest military tattoo and pageant, held by the British Armed Forces annually between 1880 and 1999. The venue was originally the Royal Agricultural Hall and latterly the Earls Court Exhibition Centre...
. It was the primary exhibition site for London until the 20th century and the largest building of its kind, holding up to 50,000 people. It was requisitioned for use by the Mount Pleasant sorting office during World War II and never re-opened. The main hall has now been incorporated into the Business Design Centre.
Water sources
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
with water, the first projects drawing water through wooden pipes from the many springs that lay at its foot, in Finsbury
Finsbury
Finsbury is a district of central London, England. It lies immediately north of the City of London and Clerkenwell, west of Shoreditch, and south of Islington and City Road. It is in the south of the London Borough of Islington. The Finsbury Estate is in the western part of the district...
. These included Sadler's Wells, London Spa and Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell is an area of central London in the London Borough of Islington. From 1900 to 1965 it was part of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury. The well after which it was named was rediscovered in 1924. The watchmaking and watch repairing trades were once of great importance...
.
By the 17th century these traditional sources were inadequate to supply the growing population and plans were laid to construct a waterway, the New River
New 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....
, to bring fresh water from the source of the River Lea, in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
to New River Head, below Islington in Finsbury
Finsbury
Finsbury is a district of central London, England. It lies immediately north of the City of London and Clerkenwell, west of Shoreditch, and south of Islington and City Road. It is in the south of the London Borough of Islington. The Finsbury Estate is in the western part of the district...
. The river was opened on September 29, 1613 by Sir Hugh Myddleton
Hugh Myddleton
Sir Hugh Myddelton , 1st Baronet was a Welsh goldsmith, clothmaker, banker, entrepreneur, mine-owner and self-taught engineer...
, the constructor of the project. His statue still stands where Upper Street meets Essex Road. The course of the river ran to the east of Upper Street, and much of its course is now covered and forms a linear park through the area.
The Regents Canal passes through Islington. For much of its length it travels through an 886 metres (2,907 ft) tunnel that runs from Colebrook Row, just east of the Angel, to emerge at Muriel Street not far from Caledonian Road. The subterranean stretch is marked with a series of pavement plaques so that canal walkers may find their way from one entrance to the other above ground. The area of the canal east of the tunnel and north of the City Road was once dominated by much warehousing and industry surrounding the large City Road Basin and Wenlock Basin. Those old buildings that survive here are now largely residential or small work units. This stretch boasts one of the few old canal pubs with an entrance actually on the tow-path, The Narrowboat.
The canal was constructed in 1820 to carry cargo from Limehouse
Limehouse
Limehouse is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is on the northern bank of the River Thames opposite Rotherhithe and between Ratcliff to the west and Millwall to the east....
into the canal system. There is no tow-path in the tunnel so bargees had to walk their barges through, braced against the roof. Commercial use of the canal has declined since the 1960s.
Market gardens and entertainments
In the 17th and 18th centuries the availability of water made Islington a place for growing vegetables to feed London. The manor became a popular resort for Londoners due to this rural aspect and many public houses were founded to serve the needs of both visitors and travellers on the turnpike. By 1716, there were 56 ale-house keepers in Upper Street, also offering pleasure and tea gardens and activities such as archery, skittle alleys and bowling. By the 18th century music and dancing were offered, together with billiards, firework displays and balloon ascents. The King's Head TavernThe King's Head Theatre
The King's Head Theatre, founded in 1970 by Dan Crawford, is an Off-West End venue in London. It was the first pub theatre in the UK. Adam Spreadbury-Maher became Artistic Director in March 2010 .-Background:...
, now a Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
building with a theatre, has remained on the same site, opposite the parish church since 1543. The founder of the theatre,
Dan Crawford, who died in 2005, disagreed with the introduction of decimal coinage. For twenty-plus years after decimalisation (on 15 February 1971) the bar continued to show prices and charge for drinks in pre-decimalisation currency.
By the 19th century many music halls and theatres were established around Islington Green
Islington Green
Islington Green is a small triangle of open land at the convergence of Upper Street and Essex Road in the London Borough of Islington...
. One such was Collins' Music Hall, the remains of which are now incorporated into a bookshop. It stood on the site of the Landsdowne Tavern, where the landlord had built an entertainment room for customers who wanted to sing (and later for professional entertainers). It was founded in 1862 by Samuel Thomas Collins Vagg and by 1897 had become a 1,800 seat theatre with 10 bars. The theatre suffered damage in a fire in 1958 and has not reopened. Between 92 and 162 acts were put on each evening and performers who started there included Marie Lloyd
Marie Lloyd
Matilda Alice Victoria Wood was an English music hall singer, best known as Marie Lloyd. Her ability to add lewdness to the most innocent of lyrics led to frequent clashes with the guardians of morality...
, George Robey
George Robey
Sir George Edward Wade , better known by his stage name, George Robey, was an English music hall comedian and star. He was marketed as the "Prime Minister of Mirth".-Early life:...
, Harry Lauder
Harry Lauder
Sir Henry Lauder , known professionally as Harry Lauder, was an international Scottish entertainer, described by Sir Winston Churchill as "Scotland's greatest ever ambassador!"-Early life:...
, Harry Tate
Harry Tate
Harry Tate was an English comedian who performed both in the music halls and in films. Born in 1872 as Ronald Macdonald Hutchinson, he worked for Henry Tate & Sons, Sugar Refiners before going on the stage, and took his stage name from them.-Career:Tate made his debut at the Oxford Music Hall in...
, George Formby, Vesta Tilley
Vesta Tilley
Matilda Alice Powles , was an English male impersonator. At the age of 11, she adopted the stage name Vesta Tilley becoming the most famous and well paid music hall male impersonator of her day...
, Tommy Trinder
Tommy Trinder
Thomas Edward Trinder CBE known as Tommy Trinder, was an English stage, screen and radio comedian of the pre and post war years whose catchphrase was 'You lucky people'.-Life:...
, Gracie Fields
Gracie Fields
Dame Gracie Fields, DBE , was an English-born, later Italian-based actress, singer and comedienne and star of both cinema and music hall.-Early life:...
, Tommy Handley
Tommy Handley
Thomas Reginald "Tommy" Handley was a British comedian, mainly known for the BBC radio programme ITMA . He was born at Toxteth Park, Liverpool in Lancashire....
and Norman Wisdom
Norman Wisdom
Sir Norman Joseph Wisdom, OBE was an English actor, comedian and singer-songwriter best known for a series of comedy films produced between 1953 and 1966 featuring his hapless onscreen character Norman Pitkin...
.
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
bought the building in 1890, renamed it the Wellington Castle barracks, and remained there until 1955. The building became a factory and showroom for Beck's British Carnival Novelties for a few years from 1956, after which it stood empty. In 1978 a campaign began with the aim to turn it into a theatre. A public appeal was launched in 1981 and a festival of avant-garde theatre and music was held there and at other Islington venues in 1982, and the successful Almeida Theatre
Almeida Theatre
The Almeida Theatre, opened in 1980, is a 325 seat studio theatre with an international reputation which takes its name from the street in which it is located, off Upper Street, in the London Borough of Islington. The theatre produces a diverse range of drama and holds an annual summer festival of...
founded.
Housing
Some development took place to accommodate the popularity of nearby Sadler's Wells , which became a resort in the 16th century, but the 19th century saw the greatest expansion in housing, soon to cover the whole parish. In 1801, the population was 10,212; by 1891 there were 319,143 inhabitants in the borough. This rapid expansion was partly due to the introduction of horse-drawn omnibuses in 1830. Large well-built houses and fashionable squares drew clerks, artisans and professionals to the district. However, from the middle of the 19th century the poor were being displaced by clearances in inner London to build the new railway stations and goods yards. Many of the displaced settled in Islington, with the houses becoming occupied by many families. This, combined with the railways pushing into outer Middlesex, reduced Islington's attraction for the "better off" as it became "unfashionable". The area fell into a long decline; and by the mid-20th century, the area was largely run down and a byword for urban poverty.World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
caused much damage to Islington's housing stock, with 3,200 dwellings destroyed. While before the war municipal housing
Council house
A council house, otherwise known as a local authority house, is a form of public or social housing. The term is used primarily in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Council houses were built and operated by local councils to supply uncrowded, well-built homes on secure tenancies at...
had not had much impact, after the war many bomb sites were redeveloped, both by the Metropolitan Borough of Islington
Metropolitan Borough of Islington
The Metropolitan Borough of Islington was a Metropolitan borough within the County of London from 1900 to 1965, when it was amalgamated with the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury to form the London Borough of Islington.-Boundaries:...
and the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
. Clearance of the worst terraced housing was still undertaken but Islington continued to be very dense (least open space). The entire borough had a hight level of overcrowding.
From the 1960s, the Georgian terraces were rediscovered by middle class families and many of the houses were rehabilitated, with the area becoming newly fashionable. This displacement of the poor by the aspirational has become known as gentrification. Among these new residents were a number of the central figures in the New Labour movement, including Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
before his victory in the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
. "Islington is widely regarded as the spiritual home of Britain's left-wing intelligentsia" (The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
). The Granita Pact
Blair-Brown deal
The Blair–Brown deal was an alleged gentlemen's agreement made between the British politicians Tony Blair and Gordon Brown in the summer of 1994...
between Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
and Tony Blair is said to have been made at a now defunct restaurant on Upper Street.. The town is still home to large council blocks and the local authority is commmitted to bulings more social housing in the future.
The completion of the Victoria line
Victoria Line
The Victoria line is a deep-level London Underground line running from the south to the north-east of London. It is coloured light blue on the Tube map...
and redevelopment of Angel tube station
Angel tube station
Angel tube station is a London Underground station in The Angel, Islington. It is on the Bank branch of the Northern Line, between Old Street and King's Cross St. Pancras stations. It is in Travelcard Zone 1. The tube stop serves as a portal to several Off West End, or fringe theatre, venues,...
has created the conditions for developers to build blocks of small flats, popular with young professionals, intensifying use of the area. The inns of the 17th century are now replaced with busy public houses and trendy wine bars. Small shops selling bijou items are increasingly being priced out of the area and replaced by national (and international) chains. Islington remains a district in constant flux. The area has high levels of social deprivation and crime, including organised crime, muggings and burglary targeted toward the more more affluent residents.
The area has been blighted by rubbish and refuse. In 2010 10% of its streets had a detritus problem of which 7% fell below acceptable standards. By way of comparison, none of the streets looked at in Kensington and Chelsea were bedevilled by detritus and only 2% had a litter issue.
Islington's population is extremely diverse. 43.2% non-white British compared with 40.2% for London as a whole and 13% nationally. The largest minorities are Black and Asian. The white population has been falling since 1960 although between 2000 and 2005 the rate by which the white population fell slowed. Since 2006 the rate has increased. Like many parts of Inner London, social commentators refer to this as White flight
White flight
White flight has been a term that originated in the United States, starting in the mid-20th century, and applied to the large-scale migration of whites of various European ancestries from racially mixed urban regions to more racially homogeneous suburban or exurban regions. It was first seen as...
.
Three quarters of the Islington population define themselves by a religious faith, of which 61% define themselves as Christian and almost 10% as Muslim (more than treble the national average and one of the highest in London with Tower Hamlets, Newham
Newham
-Places:* London Borough of Newham, England* Newham, Lincolnshire, England* Newham, Northumberland, England* Newham, Victoria, Australia-People:* Billy Newham , English cricketer* Edgar Newham, Australian rugby league footballer...
and Hackney
Hackney
-Places:* London Borough of Hackney, formed in 1965** Metropolitan Borough of Hackney, formed in 1900 and abolished in 1965** Hackney Central** Hackney Central , a political division of the Council** Hackney Central railway station** Hackney College...
). The identification with a religion in Islington is strongest amongst the Asian and Black/Black British communities amongst whom over 90% have a religious faith. Whilst 80% of Islington's Christian community identify themselves as being from a white ethnic group.
Monopoly fame
The area is included in the British version of MonopolyMonopoly (game)
Marvin Gardens, the leading yellow property on the board shown, is actually a misspelling of the original location name, Marven Gardens. The misspelling was said to be introduced by Charles Todd and passed on when his home-made Monopoly board was copied by Charles Darrow and thence to Parker...
which features The Angel, Islington
The Angel, Islington
Angel is a district of London, England, and part of the London Borough of Islington. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
. However, in the game the Angel is the third cheapest property on the board. 'The Angel, Islington' was included as the licensees considered the names of places they were to use over tea in the Lyon's Corner House
J. Lyons and Co.
J. Lyons & Co. was a market-dominant British restaurant-chain, food-manufacturing, and hotel conglomerate founded in 1887 as a spin-off from the Salmon & Gluckstein tobacco company....
, built on the site of the original Angel Inn.
Nearby Monopoly locations are Pentonville Road (mostly within the Borough of Islington) which runs from King's Cross station to The Angel.
Upper StreetUpper StreetUpper Street is the main shopping street of the Islington district of inner north London, and carries the A1 road. It runs from the junction of the A1 and Pentonville Road and City Road, and runs roughly northwards past Angel tube station, then past the Business Design Centre, then splits at...
The southern end of Upper Street is a former tram shed which closed in 1979 and is currently a Jack Willis shop. The building was formally The Mall Antiques Arcade. Its closure reflects the reduction in the number of antique traders in the nearby Camden PassageCamden Passage
Camden Passage is a pedestrian passage off Upper Street in the London Borough of Islington. The passage is known for its many antiques shops, and hosts an antique market on Wednesdays and Saturday mornings...
. A weekend antiques market is still held there.
Islington High Street
Islington High Street is, as the name suggests, the former High StreetHigh Street
High Street, or the High Street, is a metonym for the generic name of the primary business street of towns or cities, especially in the United Kingdom. It is usually a focal point for shops and retailers in city centres, and is most often used in reference to retailing...
of the village of Islington. The earliest reference to Islington High Street is its appearance on a 1590 map of the area. At this time, nine inns (including the famous Angel
The Angel, Islington
Angel is a district of London, England, and part of the London Borough of Islington. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
, which has subsequently given its name to the area), as well as housing and a public pond were shown lining the street. Then as now, Islington was and is unusual in that the village church, St. Mary's, does not stand on the high street but is some way off on Upper Street.
In 1716 Islington High Street came under the control of the newly formed Islington Turnpike Trust. The Trust grew rapidly, and soon had control of most major roads in the area, building a number of major road arteries through the expanding residential areas, including Caledonian Road
Caledonian Road (London)
The Caledonian Road, in Islington, North London is a road, about one and half miles long, running north-south from Camden Road near the junction with Holloway Road to Pentonville Road in the south. It is often known colloquially as the "Cally" and forms the entirety of the A5203.The street is...
, Euston Road
Euston Road
Euston Road is an important thoroughfare in central London, England, and forms part of the A501. It is part of the New Road from Paddington to Islington, and was opened as part of the New Road in 1756...
, City Road
City Road
City Road or The City Road is a road that runs through inner north and central London. The northwestern extremity of the road is at the Angel, Islington where it forms a continuation of Pentonville Road. Pentonville Road itself is the modern name for London's first bypass, the New Road from...
and New North Road.
The Peacock Inn at 11 Islington High Street dates from 1564, although the current facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
dates from 1857. It featured in Tom Brown's Schooldays
Tom Brown's Schooldays
Tom Brown's Schooldays is a novel by Thomas Hughes. The story is set at Rugby School, a public school for boys, in the 1830s; Hughes attended Rugby School from 1834 to 1842...
as the inn at which Tom stays prior to travelling to Rugby
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
. It closed in 1962, although the building still stands.
Angel tube station
Angel tube station
Angel tube station is a London Underground station in The Angel, Islington. It is on the Bank branch of the Northern Line, between Old Street and King's Cross St. Pancras stations. It is in Travelcard Zone 1. The tube stop serves as a portal to several Off West End, or fringe theatre, venues,...
on Islington High Street has the longest escalator
Escalator
An escalator is a moving staircase – a conveyor transport device for carrying people between floors of a building. The device consists of a motor-driven chain of individual, linked steps that move up or down on tracks, allowing the step treads to remain horizontal.Escalators are used around the...
on the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
system, at 318 steps. In 2006 a Norwegian man made headlines after skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
down the escalator at the station
In literature
Islington features extensively in modern English literature and culture:- The Diary of a Nobody, an English comic novel written by George Grossmith and his brother Weedon Grossmith. The main character lives off the Holloway Road in Brickfield Terrace.
- The Wilfers of HollowayHolloway-Place names:United Kingdom*Holloway, London, inner-city district in the London Borough of Islington**Holloway , originally a mixed population prison, but now a female-only prison...
feature in Charles Dicken's Our Mutual FriendOur Mutual FriendOur Mutual Friend is the last novel completed by Charles Dickens and is one of his most sophisticated works, combining psychological insight with social analysis. It centres on, in the words of critic J. Hillis Miller, "money, money, money, and what money can make of life" but is also about human...
. - Douglas AdamsDouglas AdamsDouglas Noel Adams was an English writer and dramatist. He is best known as the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which started life in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy before developing into a "trilogy" of five books that sold over 15 million copies in his lifetime, a television...
lived in Islington and used it as a setting in his novels, and named a character in his famous Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy series after a well known local estate agents - Hotblack Desiato. - In Neil GaimanNeil GaimanNeil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
's best selling novel NeverwhereNeverwhere (novel)Neverwhere is the companion novelization by Neil Gaiman of the television serial Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman and Lenny Henry. The plot and characters are exactly the same as in the series, with the exception that the novel form allowed Gaiman to expand and elaborate on certain elements of the story...
Islington is an angel that lives under London, named after the Angel tube station. - Martha GrimesMartha GrimesMartha Grimes is an American author of detective fiction.She was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to William Dermit Grimes, Pittsburgh's city solicitor, and to June Dunnington, who owned the Mountain Lake Hotel in Western Maryland where Martha and her brother spent much of their childhood. Grimes...
' fictional detective, Richard JuryRichard JuryRichard Jury is a fictional Scotland Yard detective who stars in a series of mystery novels written by Martha Grimes.Initially a chief inspector, later a superintendent, Jury is invariably assisted in his cases by Melrose Plant, a British aristocrat who has given up his titles, and his...
, lives in a flat in Islington. - Emma Evans, protagonist of Margaret Drabble's novel The Garrick Year (1964), lives, after she has married her husband David, in "an ordinary nineteenth-century terrace house in Islington, and on either side of the front door stood a small stone lion . . . the back garden was up to the standard of the lions".
- Simon GraySimon GraySimon James Holliday Gray, CBE , was an English playwright and memoirist who also had a career as a university lecturer in English literature at Queen Mary, University of London, for 20 years...
's play Otherwise EngagedOtherwise EngagedOtherwise Engaged is a bleakly comic play by English playwright Simon Gray. The play previewed at the Oxford Playhouse and the Richmond Theatre, and then opened at the Queen's Theatre in London on 10 July 1975, with Alan Bates as the star and Harold Pinter as director, produced by Michael Codron....
is set in Islington. It was written in the 1970s. - In The ZooThe ZooThe Zoo is a one-act comic opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by B. C. Stephenson, writing under the pen name of Bolton Rowe. It premiered on 5 June 1875 at the St. James's Theatre in London , concluding its run five weeks later, on 9 July 1875, at the Haymarket Theatre...
, a comic operaComic operaComic opera denotes a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending.Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a new operatic genre, opera buffa, emerged as an alternative to opera seria...
by Arthur SullivanArthur SullivanSir Arthur Seymour Sullivan MVO was an English composer of Irish and Italian ancestry. He is best known for his series of 14 operatic collaborations with the dramatist W. S. Gilbert, including such enduring works as H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado...
and B. C. StephensonB. C. StephensonBenjamin Charles Stephenson or B. C. Stephenson was an English dramatist, lyricist and librettist. After beginning a career in the civil service, he started to write for the theatre, using the pen name "Bolton Rowe". He was author or co-author of several long-running shows of the Victorian theatre...
, two of the main characters are the Duke of Islington and his beloved, whom he asks to become the Duchess of Islington. - Nick HornbyNick HornbyNick Hornby is an English novelist, essayist and screenwriter. He is best known for the novels High Fidelity, About a Boy, and for the football memoir Fever Pitch. His work frequently touches upon music, sport, and the aimless and obsessive natures of his protagonists.-Life and career:Hornby was...
's book, and later film, About a BoyAbout a BoyAbout a Boy is a 1998 novel by British writer Nick Hornby. It was adapted into a film of the same name in 2002.-Plot summary:The novel is about Will Freeman, a 36-year-old bachelor, and Marcus, an introverted, bullied 12-year-old who lives alone with his suicidal mother, Fiona...
are set in Islington. - Nick Hornby's novel SLAM is set in Islington.
- Joan SmithJoan SmithJoan Alison Smith is an English novelist, journalist and human rights activist, who is a former chair of the Writers in Prison committee in the English section of International PEN.-Life and work:...
's female detective, Loretta Lawson, lives in Islington. - The film, Notes on a ScandalNotes on a ScandalNotes on a Scandal is a 2003 drama novel by Zoë Heller. It is about a female teacher at a London comprehensive school who begins an affair with an underage pupil...
is set in Islington.
Transport
The area is well served with bus routes, with a major bus interchange located near Angel tube station. Red route and residents' parking restrictions apply throughout the area.Nearby places
- AngelThe Angel, IslingtonAngel is a district of London, England, and part of the London Borough of Islington. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
- BarnsburyBarnsburyBarnsbury is an area of north London in the London Borough of Islington, in the N1 postal districts.The name is a corruption of villa de Iseldon Berners , being so called after the Berners family: powerful medieval manorial lords who gained ownership of a large part of Islington after the Norman...
- 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....
- De Beauvoir TownDe Beauvoir TownDe Beauvoir Town is a district of the London Borough of Hackney that partly falls within the London Borough of Islington. Its borders are Kingsland Road in the east, Southgate Road to the west, the Regent's Canal in the south and Tottenham Road to the north...
- FinsburyFinsburyFinsbury is a district of central London, England. It lies immediately north of the City of London and Clerkenwell, west of Shoreditch, and south of Islington and City Road. It is in the south of the London Borough of Islington. The Finsbury Estate is in the western part of the district...
- HighburyHighbury- Early Highbury :The area now known as Islington was part of the larger manor of Tolentone, which is mentioned in the Domesday Book. Tolentone was owned by Ranulf brother of Ilger and included all the areas north and east of Canonbury and Holloway Road. The manor house was situated by what is now...
- HoxtonHoxtonHoxton is an area in the London Borough of Hackney, immediately north of the financial district of the City of London. The area of Hoxton is bordered by Regent's Canal on the north side, Wharf Road and City Road on the west, Old Street on the south, and Kingsland Road on the east.Hoxton is also a...
- HollowayHolloway, LondonHolloway is an inner-city district in the London Borough of Islington located north of Charing Cross and follows for the most part, the line of the Holloway Road . At the centre of Holloway is the Nag's Head area...
- King's Cross
- PentonvillePentonvillePentonville is an area of north-central London in the London Borough of Islington, centred on the Pentonville Road. The area is named after Henry Penton, who developed a number of streets in the 1770s in what was open countryside adjacent to the New Road...
- St Luke'sSt Luke'sSt Luke's is an area in the London Borough of Islington, just north of the City of London near the Barbican and Shoreditch. It takes its name from the church of St Luke's, on Old Street west of the tube station. The area extends north of the church to City Road and south to Finsbury Square and...
- BarnsburyBarnsburyBarnsbury is an area of north London in the London Borough of Islington, in the N1 postal districts.The name is a corruption of villa de Iseldon Berners , being so called after the Berners family: powerful medieval manorial lords who gained ownership of a large part of Islington after the Norman...
Nearby stations
- Angel tube stationAngel tube stationAngel tube station is a London Underground station in The Angel, Islington. It is on the Bank branch of the Northern Line, between Old Street and King's Cross St. Pancras stations. It is in Travelcard Zone 1. The tube stop serves as a portal to several Off West End, or fringe theatre, venues,...
- Essex Road railway station
- Highbury & Islington stationHighbury & Islington stationHighbury & Islington station is a London Underground and National Rail station in the London Borough of Islington in north London. It is served by the Victoria line, London Overground's East and North London Lines and First Capital Connect's Northern City Line....
- King's Cross railway stationKing's Cross railway stationKing's Cross railway station, also known as London King's Cross, is a central London railway terminus opened in 1852. The station is on the northern edge of central London, at the junction of the A501 Euston Road and York Way, in the Kings Cross district and within the London Borough of Camden on...
- King's Cross St Pancras tube station
- St Pancras International
Government and infrastructure
The Civil Aviation Authority has its head office in the CAA House in Islington.Listed buildings
English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
lists three Grade II* listed buildings within Central Islington (and many more in surrounding districts):
- The Union ChapelUnion Chapel, IslingtonThe Union Chapel is a Grade II* listed church and music venue in Islington, North London, England, located on Compton Terrace.An example of Victorian gothic architecture, it was designed by James Cubitt, and constructed between 1874 and 1877, with further additions 1877-90, providing an ambitious...
- 3 Terrett's Place (An 18th-century house on Upper Street)
- St Paul's Church, St Paul's Road (Designed by Sir Charles Barry, now the St Paul's SteinerRudolf SteinerRudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner was an Austrian philosopher, social reformer, architect, and esotericist. He gained initial recognition as a literary critic and cultural philosopher...
Project)
Grade II (selected):
The area is perhaps most notable for its houses, shops and pubs. Many whole terraces are listed including much of Liverpool Road
Liverpool Road
Liverpool Road is located in the London Borough of Islington of inner north London. Liverpool Road runs parallel to Upper Street and is largely made up of Georgian architecture. It starts at Upper Street and joins Holloway Road....
(one side of which is in Barnsbury
Barnsbury
Barnsbury is an area of north London in the London Borough of Islington, in the N1 postal districts.The name is a corruption of villa de Iseldon Berners , being so called after the Berners family: powerful medieval manorial lords who gained ownership of a large part of Islington after the Norman...
) and Islington High Street/Upper Street. Other multiply listed streets include Camden Passage
Camden Passage
Camden Passage is a pedestrian passage off Upper Street in the London Borough of Islington. The passage is known for its many antiques shops, and hosts an antique market on Wednesdays and Saturday mornings...
, Compton Terrace, Colebrooke Row, Cross Street, Duncan Terrace, Essex Road, Gibson Square and Milner Square).
Other Grade II listed structures include:
- The Almeida TheatreAlmeida TheatreThe Almeida Theatre, opened in 1980, is a 325 seat studio theatre with an international reputation which takes its name from the street in which it is located, off Upper Street, in the London Borough of Islington. The theatre produces a diverse range of drama and holds an annual summer festival of...
. - The Angel Baptist Church, Cross Street.
- The Angel public house (the original one, now a Co-op bank - not the newer Wetherspoon's), Islington High Street.
- The Business Design CentreBusiness Design CentreThe Business Design Centre is an exhibition centre on Upper Street in the district of Islington in London.-Origins:The foundation stone was laid in 1861 - although a large part of the building had already been completed. It occupies a Grade II listed building formerly known as the Royal...
(part of which is the former Royal Agricultural Hall), Upper Street. - The Camden Head public house, Camden Passage.
- The Hope and AnchorHope and Anchor, IslingtonThe Hope and Anchor is a public house on Upper Street, in the London Borough of Islington. During the mid-1970s it was one of the first pubs to embrace the emergent, but brief, phenomenon of pub rock...
public house, Upper Street. - Ironmonger Row BathsIronmonger Row Baths-Archival records:Islington Local History Centre holds plans, photographs and commemorative material related to Ironmonger Row Baths.-External links:*...
. - Islington Town Hall.
- M Manze's Pie and Eel Shop, Chapel Market.
- Mecca Bingo Hall (now closed), Essex Road (once the Carlton Cinema). This is due to become a church in the near future.
- The Old Queen's Head public house, Essex Road.
- St John's Church, Duncan Terrace.
- St Mary's ChurchSt Mary's Church, IslingtonThe Church of St Mary the Virgin is the historic parish church of Islington, in the Church of England Diocese of London. The present parish is a compact area centered on Upper Street between Angel and Highbury Corner, bounded to the west by Liverpool Road, and to the east by Essex Road/Canonbury...
, Upper Street (rebuilt after World War 2 - only the spire remains from the original). - South Library, Essex Road.
- The York public house.
- Emirates StadiumEmirates StadiumAshburton Grove, currently known as the Emirates Stadium, is a UEFA elite football stadium which is home to Arsenal FC, where they moved from Highbury in 2006. It has an current capacity of 60,361, and there have been rumours of an expansion...
See also
- List of people from Islington
- Islington MuseumIslington MuseumIslington Museum is a public museum dedicated to the history of the London Borough of Islington-History:Islington Museum opened in May 2008, funded by a £1million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The museum, which replaced a previous museum at Islington Town Hall, is owned and operated by...
- Islington Local History CentreIslington Local History CentreIslington Local History Centre is a local studies centre and archive which holds material documenting the history of the London Borough of Islington.-History:Islington Local History Centre, which is located in Finsbury Library, was opened in 2003...
- Almeida TheatreAlmeida TheatreThe Almeida Theatre, opened in 1980, is a 325 seat studio theatre with an international reputation which takes its name from the street in which it is located, off Upper Street, in the London Borough of Islington. The theatre produces a diverse range of drama and holds an annual summer festival of...
- Little Angel TheatreLittle Angel TheatreThe Little Angel Theatre is a puppet theatre catering for children, families and adults, off Upper Street in the London Borough of Islington.The 100 seat theatre, in a former Temperance hall, was opened on 24 November 1961, by founder John Wright...
- Business Design CentreBusiness Design CentreThe Business Design Centre is an exhibition centre on Upper Street in the district of Islington in London.-Origins:The foundation stone was laid in 1861 - although a large part of the building had already been completed. It occupies a Grade II listed building formerly known as the Royal...
- Crafts CouncilCrafts CouncilThe Crafts Council was established in the United Kingdom in 1971 as the national agency for crafts and was granted a Royal Charter in 1982. The Crafts Council’s vision is to position the UK as the global centre for the making, seeing and collecting of contemporary craft...
- 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...
- Market EstateMarket EstateMarket Estate is a public housing estate consisting of 271 flats and maisonettes situated to the north of Caledonian Park in the London Borough of Islington. It is named after the Metropolitan Cattle Market held in the area for many years up until the 1960s...
- The Union ChapelUnion Chapel, IslingtonThe Union Chapel is a Grade II* listed church and music venue in Islington, North London, England, located on Compton Terrace.An example of Victorian gothic architecture, it was designed by James Cubitt, and constructed between 1874 and 1877, with further additions 1877-90, providing an ambitious...
- Arsenal F.C.Arsenal F.C.Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
- Loony LeftLoony leftThe Loony Left was a pejorative label used in the campaign for the United Kingdom general election, 1987, and subsequently, both by the Conservative Party and by British newspapers that supported the Conservative Party. The label was directed at the policies and actions of some Labour Party...