Description
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.
Practical Information
| Site location | Upper Street/Essex Road/Islington Green |
|---|---|
| Postcode | N1 |
| What3Words | ///happen.loving.strain |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Islington |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 8am - dusk |
| Facilities | toilets |
| Events | Various events |
| Public Transport | Tube: Angel (Northern). Rail/London Overground/Tube (Victoria): Highbury and Islington. Bus: 4, 19, 30, 38, 56, 341, 476 |
| Research Updated | 1 August 2010 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The village of Islington was prosperous partly as a result of its important position on the medieval route from the City of London and Clerkenwell towards Highgate. North of the village was rural until the late C18th, with a number of medieval houses at Barnsbury, Highbury and Canonbury; some houses of the 1760s remain near Islington Green. There are C19th buildings on the north side of Islington Green, which was built up by 1817, and on the east side is a late C19th warehouse now used as an antiques bazaar. At the south end of the Green is a statue of Sir Hugh Myddelton by John Thomas, which was erected here in 1862 and unveiled by William Gladstone, then Chancellor of the Exchequer. A goldsmith and merchant, Sir Hugh Myddelton was responsible for building the New River, a man-made water conduit constructed in 1609-13 to bring fresh water from springs 20 miles away in Hertfordshire to supply London's growing population, terminating at the New River Head (q.v.) in Islington. After the formal opening in 1613, the New River Company was created by Charter in 1619 with Sir Hugh Myddelton as its first Chairman. Collins' Music Hall used to be near the Green at the back of Lansdowne Terrace. It was opened in a converted pub by Sam Collins and operated from 1862 - 1958 with many well-known performers including Lily Langtrey, Dan Leno, Gracie Fields, Charlie Chaplin and Tommy Trinder.
In 1928 Islington Green was described as 'a very attractive open space with well-kept lawns and an avenue of well-grown trees' and it is protected under the London Squares and Enclosures (Preservation ) Act of 1906. Improvement works were undertaken in the gardens in recent years and it was re-opened on 2 September 2006 by the Mayor of Islington. With care taken not to impair the historic layout of the Green, the re-landscaping included new planting and lawns, the relocation of the entrance on Essex Road as well as improved seating and lighting. A new war memorial was commissioned following a competition, which was won by sculptor John Maine RA, with lettering by Gary Breeze. This was on the former site of the War Shrine erected in 1918 to commemorate those who died in WWI.
In 1928 Islington Green was described as 'a very attractive open space with well-kept lawns and an avenue of well-grown trees' and it is protected under the London Squares and Enclosures (Preservation ) Act of 1906. Improvement works were undertaken in the gardens in recent years and it was re-opened on 2 September 2006 by the Mayor of Islington. With care taken not to impair the historic layout of the Green, the re-landscaping included new planting and lawns, the relocation of the entrance on Essex Road as well as improved seating and lighting. A new war memorial was commissioned following a competition, which was won by sculptor John Maine RA, with lettering by Gary Breeze. This was on the former site of the War Shrine erected in 1918 to commemorate those who died in WWI.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ316836 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.32 |
| Site Ownership | LB Islington |
| Site Management | Greenspace; Friends of Islington Green |
| Dates | medieval, 1781; 1865 |
| Listed Structures | LBII: Statue to Hugh Myddelton; Slug and Lettuce Pub; Nos. 23 and 24 Islington Green, telephone kiosk outside 26 Islington Green |
| 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 | Yes |
| Local Authority | Islington |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | The Angel |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Archaeological Priority Area |
| Other LA Designation | 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
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.
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.