Description
The Manor of Canonbury is so-called for its one-time ownership by the Priory of St Bartholomew, dating back to Henry III's reign. The manor was purchased in 1570 by Sir John Spencer and inherited by his daughter whose husband became Earl of Northampton in 1618, and whose family continues to own the property. Canonbury Tower adjoins the main Canonbury House, and was leased separately from the 1650s and both had a number of illustrious tenants. The Tower was used as the Tower Theatre from the 1960s to 2003, and is now managed by Canonbury Tower Charitable Trust. In the small garden is a mulberry tree said to be planted in the early C17th when Sir Francis Bacon was tenant.
Practical Information
| Site location | Canonbury Place |
|---|---|
| Postcode | N1 2NQ |
| What3Words | ///needed.palm.pure |
| Type of Site | Private Garden |
| Borough | Islington |
| Open to Public | Occasionally |
| Opening Times | Guided tours of Canonbury Tower by Islington Guides (contact via e-mail on info@ciga.org.uk) |
| Public Transport | Rail: Essex Road, Highbury & Islington then bus. Tube: Highbury & Islington (Victoria) then bus. Bus: 271, 4, 19, 30, 277, 43, 38, 56, 73, 341. |
| Research Updated | 1 April 2012 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The Manor was in the ownership by the Priory of St Bartholomew, and Prior Bolton had a residence here dating back to Henry III's reign. When the Priory was dissolved in 1539 the Manor of Canonbury, together with that of Highbury, was granted by the King to Thomas Cromwell, although after his execution in 1540 it reverted to the Crown, remaining so until it was granted to the Duke of Northumberland by Edward VI. In 1570 it was sold to John (later Sir John) Spencer, Clothworker and Lord Mayor of London, who made various improvements to the house. After his death in 1609/10 the manor was inherited by his daughter Elizabeth who in 1599 had married William, second Lord Compton. He became Earl of Northampton in 1618 and Canonbury remains in the family's ownership today. Illustrious tenants of Canonbury House included Sir Francis Bacon from1616-25, and Sir Thomas Coventry in 1625, who like Bacon was Attorney General. During the Commonwealth the third Earl of Northampton lived mainly at Canonbury although from the 1650s the family was forced to mortgage Canonbury to pay debts, at which time Canonbury Tower was separately leased to the main House.
The present Canonbury House with the adjacent Tower in the garden was built in 1795 and from the C18th onwards both Canonbury House and Canonbury Tower were tenanted by a succession of important figures in the world of literature, politics and the press, including Henry Woodfall of the 'Public Advertiser' and dramatist Oliver Goldsmith from 1762-64. Between 1770 - 80 the southern range was demolished and replaced by fine villas that are now Nos.1 - 5 Canonbury Place. A community hall was built in the garden in 1907. In the 1960s Canonbury Tower was leased to the Tower Theatre, which was established by the Tavistock Repertory Company, but after the lease expired in 2003 the company moved to Hornsey Road Baths.
The small garden of the Tower has an old mulberry tree, said to be planted in Francis Bacon's tenure, and it abuts the larger private garden of Canonbury House. The Canonbury Tower Charitable Trust was established in 1985 with the objectives of refurbishing and promoting Canonbury Tower and 6/9 Canonbury Place. The Tower recently underwent a complete refurbishment, both internally and externally.
The present Canonbury House with the adjacent Tower in the garden was built in 1795 and from the C18th onwards both Canonbury House and Canonbury Tower were tenanted by a succession of important figures in the world of literature, politics and the press, including Henry Woodfall of the 'Public Advertiser' and dramatist Oliver Goldsmith from 1762-64. Between 1770 - 80 the southern range was demolished and replaced by fine villas that are now Nos.1 - 5 Canonbury Place. A community hall was built in the garden in 1907. In the 1960s Canonbury Tower was leased to the Tower Theatre, which was established by the Tavistock Repertory Company, but after the lease expired in 2003 the company moved to Hornsey Road Baths.
The small garden of the Tower has an old mulberry tree, said to be planted in Francis Bacon's tenure, and it abuts the larger private garden of Canonbury House. The Canonbury Tower Charitable Trust was established in 1985 with the objectives of refurbishing and promoting Canonbury Tower and 6/9 Canonbury Place. The Tower recently underwent a complete refurbishment, both internally and externally.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ320845 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | Marquess of Northampton |
| Site Management | Canonbury Tower Charitable Trust |
| Dates | 1795 |
| Listed Structures | LB: Canonbury Tower, Canonbury House |
| 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 | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | CA |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Archaeological Priority 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
Canonbury Square was developed in the early C19th on land owned by the Marquess of Northampton. Before the square was fully built it was divided by Canonbury Road and consequently had two garden enclosures, which were formed by c.1840. Initially private, the gardens were first opened to the public in 1884 and later conveyed by the Marquess to Islington Borough Council. The layout of the gardens changed in the 1950s, and in 2006 Loire Valley Wines Legacy Gardens enabled a major makeover, which included a small vineyard and rose bed in the west garden reflecting the planting of the vineyards in the Loire Valley.
John Spencer Square was laid out in 1963 with Prior Bolton Street, Grange Grove and St Mary's Grove as part of postwar rebuilding in the Canonbury area. The square overlooks the residents' communal garden, which has some mature trees but is otherwise rather featureless. It is named after Sir John Spencer who was Lord Mayor of London and had a country retreat at Canonbury in the early C17th; he is buried in St Helen's Bishopsgate. Former residents include Labour Party Cabinet Minister Barbara Castle and her husband Ted Castle (d.1979), journalist and GLC Alderman.
New River Walk follows part of the former waterway of the New River, constructed in 1609-1613 to bring fresh water from springs in Hertfordshire to supply London's growing population. The section of the route through Islington is formed into a series of linear parks, preserved as a nature trail, although the continuous stretch of water in these gardens is actually formed by ponds landscaped to resemble the former river. It was first planted as a garden in the 1860s by the New River Company but remained open water until 1946. It was transferred to Islington Council in 1951, who undertook re-landscaping and opened the public gardens in 1954. Astey's Row Rock Gardens are at the southern end of the New River Walk where the river had been enclosed in pipes in 1892-93 when the area was built over. In the 1950s the pipes were removed and the rock gardens laid out by Vanstone's of Much Hadham. Additional re-landscaping took place in 1996-98, and the gardens were re-opened by Princess Alexandra on 18 June 1998.