Description
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.
Practical Information
| Site location | Union Square |
|---|---|
| Postcode | N1 |
| What3Words | ///save.silent.bolts |
| Type of Site | Garden Square; |
| Borough | Islington |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 8am - dusk |
| Facilities | none |
| Public Transport | Rail: Essex Road. Tube: Angel (Northern). Bus: 38, 56, 73, 271, 341, 476 |
| Research Updated | 1 April 2012 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Union Square is a small mid-C19th garden square built on land that was part of the Clothworkers' Estate, which was developed from 1846 by Samuel Angell, Surveyor to the Company. The square was developed for Henry Rydon who also developed Arlington Square (q.v.). The garden was accessible to the lessees of the houses in the square and was maintained by the largest leaseholder, who collected annual subscriptions from the co-lessees. In 1908 it was proposed that the gardens should be converted for public use by the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association, since the area by that time was already 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. A planter in the south of the garden has an inscription detailing the donation of the garden by London And Manchester Assurance Company.
In 1966 the square was bisected when the Packington Estate was rebuilt and the housing on the west side of Union Square was demolished, the east side of c.1853 surviving. The gardens were reinstated and opened to the public in c.1968. The garden is railed and has grass, a number of rose beds and a perimeter path, with raised beds, trees and shrubs, and a central water feature.
In 1966 the square was bisected when the Packington Estate was rebuilt and the housing on the west side of Union Square was demolished, the east side of c.1853 surviving. The gardens were reinstated and opened to the public in c.1968. The garden is railed and has grass, a number of rose beds and a perimeter path, with raised beds, trees and shrubs, and a central water feature.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ322836 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.16 |
| Site Ownership | LB Islington |
| Site Management | Greenspace |
| Dates | 1851-53 |
| Listed Structures | LBII: Nos 3 - 15 Union Square; 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 | 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
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.
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'.
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.
