Description
Thornhill Estate was laid out by Joseph Kay, surveyor from 1813-1849 for the Thornhill family from Yorkshire. By the early C19th they owned large tracts of land, including 86 acres in Islington, largely let for dairy farming. Thornhill Crescent was begun c.1849 by Samuel Pocock, a dairy farmer in the area. St Andrew's Church was built in 1852-54 on a site donated by George Thornhill and is surrounded by a public garden with flower beds, paths and trees around the perimeter. The need for the new church reflected the growth of the parish.
Practical Information
| Site location | Thornhill Crescent/Bridgeman Road |
|---|---|
| Postcode | N1 |
| What3Words | ///swept.tight.giant |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Islington |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 8am - dusk |
| Special Conditions | no dogs |
| Public Transport | London Overground: Caledonian Road & Barnsbury. Rail/Tube (Northern, Metropolitan, Hammersmith & City; Circle, Victoria, Piccadilly):King's Cross. Bus: 17, 91, 259, 274, 153 |
| Research Updated | 1 April 2012 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Thornhill Estate was laid out by Joseph Kay, estate surveyor. See also Thornhill Square (q.v.) for history of the family and estate. Thornhill Crescent was begun in c.1849 by Samuel Pocock, a dairy farmer in the area. St Andrew's Church was built in 1852-54 by Francis B Newman and John Johnson chosen following a competition. The need for a new church reflected the growth of the parish, and St Andrew's was the largest of the new churches in Islington. The site was offered by George Thornhill who also donated £500 towards the £6,500 building costs. Samuel Pocock donated £100 for railings and Mr Wontner of Tibberton Square (q.v.) donated £2. The foundation stone was laid by the Bishop of London and St Andrew's was consecrated in 1854 by the Lord Mayor of London in the presence of City dignitaries. Around the church is a pleasant garden with flower beds, paths and trees around the perimeter, with entrance gates to the church and gardens to the south. Near Thornhill Crescent is Barnsbury Wood (q.v.), which was left as open space when the estate was built.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ308841 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.19 |
| Site Ownership | LB Islington |
| Site Management | Greenspace |
| Dates | 1846-52 |
| Designers | Joseph Kay |
| Listed Structures | LB - St Andrew's Church; Nos. 1 - 33 Thornhill Crescent |
| 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 | Barnsbury Square |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Local/strategic view corridor (part to west) |
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
Barnsbury Wood is an area of woodland between Thornhill Crescent and Huntingdon Street left as open land when the Thornhill Estate was built in the 1850s. It was originally the garden of the Vicarage of St Andrew's Church. The garden was later abandoned and became woodland. It was purchased by Islington Council in 1974, originally to build on but due to the awkwardness of access it was decided to leave it as open space. It is now managed for ecology and is the smallest nature reserve in London
Thornhill Estate was laid out by Joseph Kay, surveyor for the Thornhill family from Yorkshire. By the early C19th they owned large tracts of land, including 86 acres in Islington, largely let for dairy farming. Thornhill Square was begun in c.1847. The central gardens were railed from c.1852 and were only open to keyholders until 1946, when Captain Thornhill donated them to the public. They were opened by the Mayor of Islington in 1947, and newly laid out in 1953 as part of Coronation Year improvements. Fine trees in the garden include a native black poplar and mature London plane trees.
Mountfort Terrace was built in 1841, part of the Bishop Estate to the south of Barnsbury Square. The Terrace is fronted by an open area, owned by freeholders of the surrounding houses, which in 1928 was described as a ‘small oval shaped area planted with shrubs and a few trees'. It is now largely tarmaced with some roses and a number of trees including eucalyptus, false acacia, specimen conifers and walnut. C19th houses remain on the west side of the terrace. The portrait painter Frederick Ullman lived at No. 4 in 1886-88.