Description
Rosemary Gardens was built on the site of the 'Islington Vauxhall', the name given in 1836 to the popular pleasure gardens of the Rosemary Branch. A tavern of that name had existed here from the C16th. The park is also on the site of a C19th Independent School, a factory and various small residential streets; fragments of the north wall of Carmarthen Street, and cobbled streets remain in the park. The park was extended in 1976, and tennis court were added in 1983.
Practical Information
| Site location | Shepperton Road/Sherborne Street/Southgate Road (near Rosemary Street) |
|---|---|
| Postcode | N1 |
| What3Words | ///upset.names.vouch |
| Type of Site | Public Park |
| Borough | Islington |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | Part unrestricted. Part: 8am - 10pm |
| Facilities | Children's playground, accessible play equipment, water play feature, sandpit, toilets; sports facilities: football pitch, tennis courts, basketball hoops, table tennis |
| Public Transport | Rail: Essex Road. Tube/London Overground: Highbury & Islington (Victoria), Angel (Northern). Bus: 76, 141, 271, 341 |
| Research Updated | 1 August 2010 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The public park was designed and opened to the public in June 1960 by Edwin Bayliss, Member of the LCC for East Islington. The 'Islington Vauxhall' site was taken over in 1783 for white-lead works with two windmills erected in 1786 and 1792, later supplanted by steam and no longer in use by 1835 at which time the mill pond was dry. A new tavern was rebuilt nearby next to Islington Common and had popular tea gardens, a pond supplied by the New River, elevated terraced walks and entertainment included pony racing and tightrope displays. The park has notable trees in the north-east corner of the ground; the south-west area is hummocky with scattered trees. Phased improvements have taken place in Rosemary Gardens, with phase I opening in late 2007 to provide new sports facilities, with funding from Islington Council, Barclays Spaces for Sport and Arsenal Football Club. In spring 2009 phase 2 was completed, providing further improvements such as new planting, paths and benches. This was funded by Islington Council and the Department for Children, Schools and Families, and was undertaken with schools and community involvement.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ326839 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 2.63 |
| Site Ownership | LB Islington |
| Site Management | Greenspace; Friends of Rosemary Gardens |
| Dates | 1960; 1976 |
| Designers | Edwin Bayliss, member of LCC for East Islington |
| 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 | 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
Wilton Square was part of the Clothworkers' Estate and was separated from the main area of the estate when New North Road was constructed in 1812. Wilton Square and Wilton Street were built by 1853, the latter renamed Wilton Villas in 1940. In 1847 the central space was occupied by a temporary chapel, replaced by a Baptists chapel in 1863, eventually demolished after 1963. In 1971 the entrance to Wilton Square was blocked from traffic and the central gardens were replanted with new shrubs and railings erected, retaining the mature plane trees.
Arlington Square was part of the Corporate Estate built between 1846-58 by the Clothworkers' Company, who had owned land here since the C14th. Plots on the estate were let for house-building to a number of developers, including Henry Rydon who built Arlington Square and is commemorated in a local street name. Several of the surrounding streets were built to provide artisans' cottages. The garden was originally a private communal area for residents of the square. St Philip's Church was built in 1854-6 on the north side of the square but was demolished in the 1950s following a fire, but it had already been damaged by WWII bombing, which also destroyed many houses in the area. The Clothworkers' Company sold the estate to a private company in 1945 and in the late 1940s ownership of the garden, by then rather neglected, was transferred to Islington Council. The garden was restored and opened to the public in 1953.
Shoreditch Park was laid out by the LCC Parks Department on land cleared after WWII bombing, previously terraced housing. Nearby is the former Gainsborough Pictures film studios used by Alfred Hitchcock. The park is essentially in two parts, divided along the line of Bridport Place where there are a number of 1860s ornate lamp standards. In the 1980s various sports and recreational facilities were added in the western part. In 2008 improvements to the park took place, a huge granite stone was placed in the park, part of 'Boulder' a sculpture project by artist John Frankland in two Hackney parks. In both parks the boulders are intended to be used for climbing.