The London Borough of Islington is short of large parks and open spaces, given its status in recent decades as a desirable place of residence. In fact, Islington has the lowest ratio of open space to built-up areas of any London borough. The largest continuous open space in the borough, at 11.75 hectares (29 acres), is

Highbury Fields Highbury Fields is an open space in Highbury, in the London Borough of Islington. At 11.75 hectares (29 acres), it is the largest open space in the borough. It extends north from Highbury Corner almost as far as Highbury Barn. As well as parkla ...

. Islington has access to large open spaces in neighbouring

London borough The London boroughs are the 32 local authority districts that together with the City of London make up the administrative area of Greater London; each is governed by a London borough council. The present London boroughs were all created at ...

s. The Islington district of Finsbury Park is next to the southern end of Finsbury Park, in Haringey. The "Green Route" of the Regent's Canal tow path provides access to

Regent's Park Regent's Park (officially The Regent's Park) is one of the Royal Parks of London. It occupies of high ground in north-west Inner London, administratively split between the City of Westminster and the Borough of Camden (and historically betwee ...

to the west – in

Camden Camden may refer to: People * Camden (surname), a surname of English origin * Camden Joy (born 1964), American writer * Camden Toy (born 1957), American actor Places Australia * Camden, New South Wales * Camden, Rosehill, a heritage res ...

; and

Victoria Park Victoria Park may refer to: Places Australia * Victoria Park Nature Reserve, a protected area in Northern Rivers region, New South Wales * Victoria Park, Adelaide, a park and racecourse * Victoria Park, Brisbane, a public park and former golf ...

to the east – in Tower Hamlets. Many other open spaces such as

Clissold Park Clissold Park is an open space in Stoke Newington, in the London Borough of Hackney. It is bounded by Greenway Close (to the north), Church Street (south), Green Lanes (west) and Queen Elizabeth's Walk (east); the south-east corner abuts St ...

in Hackney are situated on the borders of the borough. Islington also contains many well-kept public squares and greens, such as

Canonbury Square Canonbury Square is a garden square in Canonbury, North London. It is bounded by Terraced houses in the United Kingdom, terraces of mostly Georgian architecture, Georgian houses, many of which are listed buildings. The central public gardens con ...

and

Thornhill Square Thornhill Square together with the adjacent Thornhill Crescent form a garden square in the Barnsbury district of Islington, North London. It is bounded by Victorian terraced houses, all of which are listed buildings. The central public gardens ...

. Because of the perceived open space deficit, many small community gardens grew up in Islington from the 1970s on. Created and maintained by local residents on sites made derelict by

the Blitz The Blitz was a German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom in 1940 and 1941, during the Second World War. The term was first used by the British press and originated from the term , the German word meaning 'lightning war'. The Germa ...

and redevelopment, not all have survived, but one notable remaining example, open to the public, is Culpeper Community Garden, near the

Angel In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...

List of open spaces

* The Artillery Ground is an open space on the edge of the City. It has belonged to the

Honourable Artillery Company The Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) is a reserve regiment in the British Army. Incorporated by royal charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII, it is the oldest regiment in the British Army and is considered the second-oldest military unit in the w ...

since 1638. While it is not normally open to the public, the ground contains many sports facilities that are used by local schools * Barnard Park, *

Bunhill Fields Bunhill Fields is a former burial ground in central London, in the London Borough of Islington, just north of the City of London. What remains is about in extent and the bulk of the site is a public garden maintained by the City of London Cor ...

is a burial ground, adjacent to the Artillery Ground. It contains many dissenter burials, including

Daniel Defoe Daniel Defoe (; born Daniel Foe; – 24 April 1731) was an English writer, trader, journalist, pamphleteer and spy. He is most famous for his novel ''Robinson Crusoe'', published in 1719, which is claimed to be second only to the Bible in its ...

, John Bunyan and

William Blake William Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his life, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of the poetry and visual art of the Romantic Age. ...

. It is administered by the

Corporation of London The City of London Corporation, officially and legally the Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of the City of London, is the municipal governing body of the City of London, the historic centre of London and the location of much of the United King ...

. Part contains historic graves; but part is laid to a pleasant and quiet park. * Caledonian Park, - on the site of the former

Caledonian Cattle Market The Metropolitan Cattle Market (later Caledonian Market), just off the Caledonian Road in the parish of Islington (now the London Borough of Islington) was built by the City of London Corporation and was opened in June 1855 by Prince Albert. ...

once the biggest cattle market in North London *

Charterhouse Square Charterhouse Square is a garden square, a pentagonal space, in Farringdon, in the London Borough of Islington, and close to the former Smithfield Meat Market. The square is the largest courtyard or yard associated with the London Charterhouse, m ...

, , former burial ground converted into a garden square *

Claremont Square Claremont Square is a square in the Angel (Pentonville) part of Islington, London. Its central green mound, hiding a reservoir, is dotted with mature trees on all four sides (embankments). On its north side is Pentonville Road. It is lined on ...

is a former reservoir that is closed to the public * Compton Terrace Garden, *

Crouch Hill Park Crouch may refer to: Places * Crouch Island, Antarctica * Crouch, Swale, a hamlet within Boughton under Blean, Kent, England * Crouch, Tonbridge and Malling, near Sevenoaks, Kent, England * River Crouch, Essex, England * Crouch, Idaho, Unite ...

is located about halfway along the Parkland Walk * Duncan Terrace Gardens & Colebrook Row Gardens, * Elthorne Park, * Finsbury Square, * Fortune Street Park, * Freightliners City Farm is in

Lower Holloway Lower Holloway is a district in the London Borough of Islington, London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east ...

. This small urban farm contains a wide range of animals from rabbits to cows to chickens and pigs *

, *

Islington Green Islington Green is a small triangle of open land at the convergence of Upper Street and Essex Road (once called Lower Street) in the London Borough of Islington. It roughly marks the northern boundary between the modern district of Angel and Isli ...

, * Jewish Burial Ground, *

Joseph Grimaldi Joseph Grimaldi (18 December 1778 – 31 May 1837) was an English actor, comedian and dancer, who became the most popular English entertainer of the Regency era.Byrne, Eugene"The patient" Historyextra.com, 13 April 2012 In the early 1800s, ...

Park, * King Square Gardens, , is a park in the St Luke's area * Laycock Street Open Space, * Market Road Gardens, * New River Walk including Astey's Row Rock Gardens/Astey's Row Playground, is a linear walk that connects the

and Canonbury along the banks of the New River *

Newington Green Newington Green is an open space in North London that straddles the border between Islington and Hackney. It gives its name to the surrounding area, roughly bounded by Ball's Pond Road to the south, Petherton Road to the west, Green Lanes and ...

* Paradise Park, * The Parkland Walk is a linear park along the route of a disused railway line from Finsbury Park to Highgate Woods, a small part of which is in Islington with the rest being in Haringey * Petherton Green is a linear walk along the route of the New River, which was culverted and covered in 1868-70, and an avenue of trees and grass planted down the middle * The Regent's Canal enters the Islington Tunnel, near City Road Lock. A linear walk is marked through the streets and parks above the tunnel * Rosemary Gardens, * Spa Fields, * St Mary's Church Gardens (also known as Islington Parish Church), * St Mary Magdalene Gardens * Thornhill Gardens (also known as Thornhill Road Gardens), * Tufnell Park Playing Fields, * Whittington Park, * Wray Crescent,

Garden squares

* Alwyne Square * Andersons Square * Arlington Square * Arundel Square * Barnsbury Square * Bartholomew Square *

Cloudesley Square Cloudesley Square is a square in the Barnsbury district of Islington, North London. It is bounded by Georgian terraced houses, all of which are listed buildings. The central area is occupied by the Gothic Revival former Holy Trinity Church, design ...

* Edward Square * Finsbury Square *

Gibson Square Gibson Square is a garden square in the Barnsbury district of Islington, North London. It is bounded by Regency architecture, Regency and Victorian architecture, Victorian Terraced houses in the United Kingdom, terraced houses, most of which are ...

Granville Square Granville Square is a prominent tower located at 200 Granville Street in the Financial District within the city's downtown core of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Completed in 1973, the building stands at 138.4 metres (454 feet) tall. The to ...

* King Square *

Lloyd Square Lloyd Square, a List of garden squares in London, garden square in Clerkenwell,Church of ...

Lonsdale Square Lonsdale Square is a garden square in the Barnsbury district of Islington, North London. It is bounded by unusual Tudor Gothic Revival terraced houses, with picturesque gables and Elizabethan-style windows, and is probably unique among squares. Al ...

* Milner Square *

Myddelton Square Myddelton Square, the largest square in Central London's Clerkenwell, is a residential public garden square of the 1820s to 1840s, with playground, with many trees; its houses are built with exposed brickwork, Georgian style, with high-ceilinged g ...

Northampton Square Northampton Square, a green town square, is in a corner of Clerkenwell projecting into Finsbury, in Central London. It is between Goswell Road and St John Street (and Spencer and Percival Streets), has a very broad pedestrian walkway on the nor ...

* Percy Square *

* Tibberton Square * Union Square, Islington * Vernon Square *

Wilmington Square Wilmington Square is a garden square in the Clerkenwell district of Islington, North London. It is bounded by Regency and Victorian terraces, most of which are listed buildings. The central public gardens contain flower beds and mature trees, ...

* Wilton Square

Local Nature Reserves

There are three Local Nature Reserves in Islington,

Gillespie Park Gillespie Park is a 3.4 hectare Local Nature Reserve and Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation in Highbury in the London Borough of Islington. It also hosts the Islington Ecology Centre, which provides environmental education for ...

(), Barnsbury Wood (), and the part of the Parkland Walk which is in the borough.

References

External links

Islington Council list

Parks and Gardens list

Culpeper Community Garden

Caledonian Park

Freightliners farm
{{DEFAULTSORT:Islington Parks And Open Spaces Parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Islington Squares in the London Borough of Islington

List of open spaces

Garden squares

Local Nature Reserves

See also

References

External links