Description
The square is named for Sir Richard Cloudesley, who had an estate here from the early C16th. In 1811 the Estate Trustees were permitted to let building leases and the Cloudesley Estate, also called Stonefield, was planned from 1812. Cloudesley Square, begun in c.1825, was the centre of the estate, with Holy Trinity Church built in 1826-29 to serve the growing population. Around the church is a hexagonal railed garden, essentially a strip of grass with a path and a number of mature trees.
Practical Information
| Site location | Cloudesley Square |
|---|---|
| Postcode | N1 0HT |
| What3Words | ///maple.rocks.bucked |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Islington |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Tube: Angel (Northern). Bus: 4, 19, 30, 43 |
| Research Updated | 1 April 2004 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Sir Richard Cloudesley had an estate here from the early C16th and gave c.16 acres of an area called Stonyfield to the parish in 1517. His will left numerous charitable bequests as well as masses to be said for his soul. Contemporary sources at the time of his death describe his distressed state, his body 'restless, on ye score of some sinne by him peraddventure committed' and an exorcism was carried out at his burial at St Mary's (q.v.).
An Act of Parliament of 1811 allowed the Cloudesley Estate Trustees to let 99-year building leases and the Cloudesley Estate, also called Stonefield, was planned from 1812. Carpenter John Emmett took most of the leases and began the estate along Liverpool Road, acquiring the rest of the site in 3 leases between 1824-6. Cloudesley Square was the centre of his estate and was begun c.1825, with terraces of 1826 surviving today. Most of the estate was auctioned in 1837 with the Trust keeping an interest in part of the area including the west sides of Cloudesley Square, eventually selling long leaseholds in the 1970s.
Holy Trinity Church was built in 1826-29 to serve the growing population and was designed by Sir Charles Barry, the third of his Islington churches. The stained glass east window by Willement of 1828 depicts Sir Richard Cloudesley kneeling. It served as the district church until the 1850s when St Andrew's at Thornhill Square (q.v.) was built. In the 1960s it was declared redundant and in 1980 was leased by the Pentecostal Sect as the Celestial Church of Christ. It is surrounded by a strip of garden, largely grass, a few notable trees and with a path around the church and a few shrubs by the door to the west side. The railings were restored in 1980. Most of the surrounding houses are C19th.
An Act of Parliament of 1811 allowed the Cloudesley Estate Trustees to let 99-year building leases and the Cloudesley Estate, also called Stonefield, was planned from 1812. Carpenter John Emmett took most of the leases and began the estate along Liverpool Road, acquiring the rest of the site in 3 leases between 1824-6. Cloudesley Square was the centre of his estate and was begun c.1825, with terraces of 1826 surviving today. Most of the estate was auctioned in 1837 with the Trust keeping an interest in part of the area including the west sides of Cloudesley Square, eventually selling long leaseholds in the 1970s.
Holy Trinity Church was built in 1826-29 to serve the growing population and was designed by Sir Charles Barry, the third of his Islington churches. The stained glass east window by Willement of 1828 depicts Sir Richard Cloudesley kneeling. It served as the district church until the 1850s when St Andrew's at Thornhill Square (q.v.) was built. In the 1960s it was declared redundant and in 1980 was leased by the Pentecostal Sect as the Celestial Church of Christ. It is surrounded by a strip of garden, largely grass, a few notable trees and with a path around the church and a few shrubs by the door to the west side. The railings were restored in 1980. Most of the surrounding houses are C19th.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ312837 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | Celestial Church of Christ |
| Site Management | Church |
| Dates | 1825-26 |
| Listed Structures | LBII: Holy Trinity Church; Nos. 1 - 34 Cloudesley Square and attached railings |
| 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 | Barnsbury |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Local/strategic view corridor. Shopping Policy 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
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.
Thornhill Road Gardens is a site acquired by Islington Vestry in 1889, later maintained by Islington Borough Council. The neighbouring Malvern Terrace had been built as part of the Thornhill Estate. Before housing encroached, much of the area was nursery grounds. Initially called Thornhill Gardens, it contains some fine mature plane trees and has perimeter shrub planting, rose beds and asphalt paths, and a war memorial in the form of an austere cross.
Originally this was a private communal garden for residents of Lonsdale Square, which was laid out in 1838 on the Drapers' Company Estate. The land had once been used as a pen for cattle on their way to Smithfield Market. Unlike the gardens in most Islington squares it remained in private ownership until the 1960s, with a gardener employed until 1959. The gardens were then offered to Islington Borough Council for a nominal sum of £50. Railings had been removed during WWII, and were replaced with reproductions in 1970/71 when the garden was restored.