Description
The land in this area was part of the estate of the Clothworkers' Company, who owned and maintained this small area of green space at Prebend Street. The garden is partly surrounded by low walls, with grass, a few mature plane trees, shrubs around the perimeter and a number of seats. In 1928 the garden was described as 'a small enclosure at the junction of roads containing a number of trees'.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Prebend Street Enclosure |
|---|---|
| Site location | Prebend Street/Popham Street |
| Postcode | N1 |
| What3Words | ///oldest.bridge.elite |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Islington |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Rail: Essex Road. Bus: 271. |
| Research Updated | 1 June 2009 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Prebend Street is named after the medieval estate of the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral who were owners of the land before it was acquired by the Clothworkers' Company in the reign of Henry VIII. Adjacent is St James Church, which was built of Kentish ragstone in 1873/5 and designed by the architect to the Clothworkers' Company, F W Porter. The Clothworkers' C16th Lambe's Chapel in the City had been demolished in 1872 and a half-figure of William Lambe dating from 1612 is in St James's Church over the door, together with Flemish roundels that were formerly in the chapel.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ321837 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.08 |
| Site Ownership | LB Islington |
| Site Management | Greenspace |
| Dates | C19th |
| 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 | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
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
Behind St James Close is the private communal garden for residents of Victorian almshouses built by the Clothworkers Company in 1855. The eight 2-storey yellow brick houses were originally built in two blocks at right angles to each other, but they are now linked by new buildings and a screen wall between Nos. 4 and 5. The entrances are now at the rear of the buildings with consequent alterations to the main facades. They face onto a pleasant communal garden, which has recently been re-landscaped.
Union Square was built on land within the Clothworkers' Estate, which was developed from 1846. The gardens were provided for private use by leaseholders of surrounding houses but as early as 1908 had been proposed for public use by the MPGA, the area by that time densely populated and with little open space. By 1946 Union Square was owned by the London and Manchester Assurance Company who then passed the freehold to Islington Borough Council. In 1966 the square was bisected when the Packington Estate was rebuilt but the gardens were reinstated and opened to the public in c.1968.
In 1563 the Clothworkers' Company was bequeathed 60 acres of land in the area by Dame Anne Packington. The Clothworkers' Estate was developed from 1846-50 and included Arlington and Union Squares, and Packington Square was built by 1861. The area was badly bombed in WWII and the Clothworkers' Co. subsequently sold their land in 1945 although from 1937 the Packington Estate had been administered by City Parochial Foundation. Part of the estate was sold to private developers and Islington Council purchased 22.5 acres in 1963. An earlier private proposal for rebuilding the estate had been rejected as it would have dispossessed unprotected tenants. After a long public enquiry, construction of the new estate began in 1967, completed 3 years later. The objective was to created a community atmosphere with public amenities, including recreational and open space, the main public area of which is Packington Gardens, adjacent to the Regent's Canal.