Description
Andersons Square is on the site of a non-conformist burial ground established by Revd Evan John Jones in 1817, part of which appears to have already been in use as a burial ground. Jones Burial Ground became known as 'New Bunhill Fields Burial Ground' and was in use until 1854. Part of the site was concreted over for Andersons Timber Yard, hence the name given to the new square. When the area was being developed for private housing in the 1990s, the burial ground was exhumed. Andersons Square comprises flats overlooking landscaped gardens, laid out for the private for use of residents although there is public access as a requirement of planning permission.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Jones Burial Ground; New Bunhill Fields Burial Ground |
|---|---|
| Site location | Gaskin Street |
| Postcode | N1 |
| What3Words | ///cities.soak.almost |
| Type of Site | Housing/Estate Landscaping |
| Borough | Islington |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | private but publicly accessible |
| Public Transport | Tube: Angel (Northern). Rail: Essex Road. Bus: 38, 56, 4, 19, 30, 43, 73, 341. |
| Research Updated | 1 April 2004 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The Revd. Evan John Jones purchased No. 5 Church Row in 1817 and converted the rear garden and paddock for a nonconformist burial ground. The earlier use of part of the site for a burial ground may have been connected to Islington Chapel, which dated from 1788 and was itself built on nursery ground, although the chapel opened in 1815. Jones Burial Ground became known as 'New Bunhill Fields Burial Ground' and by the time it closed in 1854 between 12,000 and 17,000 burials appear to have taken place on the c.1acre site. Part of the burial ground was concreted over when it became Andersons Timber Yard, hence the name given to the new square.
When the area was being developed for private housing by Grove Manor in the 1990s, the burial ground was exhumed, and the remains were reburied in LB Islington's Trent Park Cemetery in Cockfosters (q.v.). An archaeological dig by Museum of London Archaeological Services revealed a hoard of some 1,470 coffin plates here, and coffins were stacked 7 deep in places. Not all the burial ground site has been developed for housing and its boundary to the south west stretched to Upper Street, and further graves may remain in this area. The housing development of Andersons Square comprises flats overlooking new landscaped gardens by Andrews, Downie Partners. Landscaping includes various features such as circular pond, pergola/shelter with seating, gravel paths, areas of grass and variety of shrubs and other plants. There is no indication of the site's previous use as a burial ground.
In 1997 the developers decided to commission a sculpture for the new garden and through the Royal Society of Sculptors selected 3 sculptors for a limited competition, which was won by John Roberts who had previously made a stone angel for Lincoln Cathedral and has sculptures at Westminster Abbey. His bronze 'Angel on the Green' was unveiled by the Mayor of Islington in 1999.
When the area was being developed for private housing by Grove Manor in the 1990s, the burial ground was exhumed, and the remains were reburied in LB Islington's Trent Park Cemetery in Cockfosters (q.v.). An archaeological dig by Museum of London Archaeological Services revealed a hoard of some 1,470 coffin plates here, and coffins were stacked 7 deep in places. Not all the burial ground site has been developed for housing and its boundary to the south west stretched to Upper Street, and further graves may remain in this area. The housing development of Andersons Square comprises flats overlooking new landscaped gardens by Andrews, Downie Partners. Landscaping includes various features such as circular pond, pergola/shelter with seating, gravel paths, areas of grass and variety of shrubs and other plants. There is no indication of the site's previous use as a burial ground.
In 1997 the developers decided to commission a sculpture for the new garden and through the Royal Society of Sculptors selected 3 sculptors for a limited competition, which was won by John Roberts who had previously made a stone angel for Lincoln Cathedral and has sculptures at Westminster Abbey. His bronze 'Angel on the Green' was unveiled by the Mayor of Islington in 1999.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ317837 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | private |
| Dates | C19th (burial ground); garden 1990s |
| Designers | Andrews Downie Partners (1990s) |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Islington |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Archaelogical Priority Area |
| Other LA Designation | Area of Opportunity; Rail Safeguarding Area |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
Islington Green is a triangular site that was the former village green and at one time housed the village cage or prison and stocks. Originally unenclosed, in 1777 the green was given to the parish by the Lord of the Manor, and in 1781 railings were erected around it. It was used as a meeting place, and for hustings and polling booths after the 1832 Reform Act. The statue of Sir Hugh Myddelton was installed to the south in 1862 and in 1865 it was laid out as a public garden. The site was acquired by Islington Borough Council in 1897. Recently re-landscaped, a wide tarmac path runs through the site, flanked by fine plane trees, with floral displays and a flag pole and War Memorial installed in 2006.
St Mary's Church Gardens is the former parish churchyard where many historical dignitaries were buried. There has been a church here from at least the early C14th although the medieval church was replaced by a new building in 1751-54. The body of the church was rebuilt in 1954-56 following WWII bomb damage, although the C18th tower and steeple remain. St Mary's churchyard was enlarged in 1793, and after it closed for burial it was laid out as a public garden in 1885. The early C19th layout of main diagonal paths and forecourt remains intact. Headstones are stacked around its perimeter walls and there are fine mature plane and lime trees. The gardens were enhanced on the north side in the1960s with the construction of a sunken rock garden. An ornamental sundial with floral beds and a drinking fountain was added in 2001.
Gibson Square is the corresponding square to Milner Square to the north, and was the first of the two squares to be built as part of the Milner-Gibson Estate. In 1823 Thomas Milner Gibson of Theberton Hall in Suffolk had obtained a licence to build on the land, which was part of the Manor of Barnsbury. The central garden was provided for the use of residents of the new houses until the 1930s when upkeep passed to Islington Council and the garden was open to the public. In 1970 a ventilator shaft for the new Victoria Line was built in the gardens, its design resembling a classical temple with a domed roof in order to better harmonise with the garden, which has ornamental beds with roses, lawns, and a variety of trees.