Description
Woodberry Down Estate was built by the LCC to provide 1,667 flats, replacing Victorian houses on land acquired from the Church Commissioners before WWII. Building was delayed by the war and in 1943 the estate scheme was revised, work commencing in 1946. It included amenities such as schools, a library and health centre, and there was an emphasis on providing light and views for the residents, with open spaces and garden areas incorporated among the blocks of flats.
Practical Information
| Site location | Lordship Road/Seven Sisters Road/Woodberry Down |
|---|---|
| Postcode | N4 |
| What3Words | ///leave.desire.lamp |
| Type of Site | Housing/Estate Landscaping |
| Borough | Hackney |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | (unrestricted) |
| Public Transport | Tube: Manor House (Piccadilly). Bus: 253, 259, 279. |
| Research Updated | 1 June 2011 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Spaciously planned estate built north of and adjacent to the New River Reservoirs (q.v.) on a site which had been acquired by the London County Council in 1936/7 by compulsory purchase order and which originally planned to provide 1,667 flats, replacing Victorian houses. By 1939 the freehold of 64 acres of land was purchased from the Church Commissioners, but building was delayed due to World War II. Part of the land purchased also included the Brownswood Bowling Club, which closed in 1940 and whose premises in Green Lanes had had tennis courts and a bowling green. In 1943 the LCC's estate scheme was revised by J H Forshaw, who had co-authored the County of London Plan with Patrick Abercrombie. Planned with schools, a library, health centre and other amenities, and an emphasis on providing light and views for the residents, the estate also had open spaces and garden areas incorporated among the blocks of flats. Building finally began in 1946 and the estate was largely completed by 1952, although work continued into the early 1960s.
Approval was given in 2002 for the regeneration of the estate and plans for redevelopment are in progress. A Neighbourhood Housing Office was opened on the estate in September 2010. The plan includes development of six residential quarters with improved housing and community facilities. Proposed improvements to open space includes a new linear park along the New River, with pocket parks created to enhance existing open spaces. It is intended to preserve or replace the large number of mature trees on the estate as well as undertaking additional tree planting along Seven Sisters Road.
Approval was given in 2002 for the regeneration of the estate and plans for redevelopment are in progress. A Neighbourhood Housing Office was opened on the estate in September 2010. The plan includes development of six residential quarters with improved housing and community facilities. Proposed improvements to open space includes a new linear park along the New River, with pocket parks created to enhance existing open spaces. It is intended to preserve or replace the large number of mature trees on the estate as well as undertaking additional tree planting along Seven Sisters Road.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ321874 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | LB Hackney |
| Site Management | Pinnacle, housing contract manager to Hackney Homes |
| Dates | c.1940s-1960s |
| Designers | J H Forshaw/LCC |
| Listed Structures | LBII: St Olave Church |
| 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 | Hackney |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Estate Renewal |
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
The New River was constructed in the early C17th to bring fresh water into London from Hertfordshire, with 2 loops flowing through Stoke Newington. Following complaints about water flow and leakage, the New River Company leased land and constructed 2 new reservoirs in 1836. Filter Beds and a Pumping Station resembling a medieval castle were built to the west in 1856. In 1946 the Filtration Works ceased to be used, and the New River was terminated beyond this point. The Stoke Newington Reservoirs are preserved as a nature reserve (East Reservoir) and for recreational use (West Reservoir). The Pumping Station was converted into an indoor climbing centre, which has an acre of garden around it. The East Reservoir nature reserve was opened to the public in 2016 as Woodberry Wetlands.
* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
Finsbury Park is situated on what used to be Brownswood, a sub-manor of the vast manor of Hornsey and part of the ancient Forest of Middlesex, used for hunting. The public park was created following The Finsbury Park Act of 1857 in order to provide a much-needed municipal park for local residents and was officially opened in 1869. Although much of the original design was lost over the years, many of the park's original features have now been restored including the re-landscaping of the American Gardens and Alexander McKenzie’s historical flower gardens.
Finsbury Park is situated on what used to be Brownswood, a sub-manor of the vast manor of Hornsey and part of the ancient Forest of Middlesex, used for hunting. The public park was created following The Finsbury Park Act of 1857 in order to provide a much-needed municipal park for local residents and was officially opened in 1869. Although much of the original design was lost over the years, many of the park's original features have now been restored including the re-landscaping of the American Gardens and Alexander McKenzie’s historical flower gardens.
The site was made public property by a deed of gift by Mr T A Mason in February 1925, on the condition that it should be laid out as a garden providing a restful retreat for the aged and infirm. Originally called Seven Sisters Gardens, it was laid out with a central grass plat with a small circular pool at its centre, with seating, perimeter walks, raised mixed borders and a small square pavilion. The garden was later renamed Manchester Gardens. Having become neglected, improvements were undertaken in 2008 and the gardens have been redesigned, although retain a formal layout.