The

London Borough of Islington The London Borough of Islington ( ) is a London borough in Inner London. Whilst the majority of the district is located in north London, the borough also includes a significant area to the south which forms part of central London. Islington has ...

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. 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 Finsbury Park is a public park in the London neighbourhood of Harringay. It is in the area formerly covered by the historic parish of Hornsey, succeeded by the Municipal Borough of Hornsey. It was one of the first of the great London parks ...

is next to the southern end of

, in

Haringey The London Borough of Haringey (pronounced , same as Harringay) is a London borough in North London, classified by some definitions as part of Inner London, and by others as part of Outer London. It was created in 1965 by the amalgamation of ...

. The "Green Route" of the

Regent's Canal Regent's Canal is a canal across an area just north of central London, England. It provides a link from the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal, north-west of Paddington Basin in the west, to the Limehouse Basin and the River Thames in e ...

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; 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 The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London borough covering much of the traditional East End. It was formed in 1965 from the merger of the former metropolitan boroughs of Stepney, Poplar, and Bethnal Green. 'Tower Hamlets' was originally ...

. Many other open spaces such as Clissold Park 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 terraces of mostly Georgian houses, many of which are listed buildings. The central public gardens contain attractive flower beds and several London plane trees ...

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 garden A community garden is a piece of land gardened or cultivated by a group of people individually or collectively. Normally in community gardens, the land is divided into individual plots. Each individual gardener is responsible for their own plo ...

s 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 inclu ...

List of open spaces

* The

Artillery Ground The Artillery Ground in Finsbury is an open space originally set aside for archery and later known also as a cricket venue. Today it is used for military exercises, cricket, rugby and football matches. It belongs to the Honourable Artillery Com ...

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

John Bunyan John Bunyan (; baptised 30 November 162831 August 1688) was an English writer and Puritan preacher best remembered as the author of the Christian allegory ''The Pilgrim's Progress,'' which also became an influential literary model. In addition ...

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 ...

, , former burial ground converted into a garden square * Claremont Square 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, United St ...

is located about halfway along the

Parkland Walk The Parkland Walk is a linear green pedestrian and cycle route in London, which follows the course of the railway line that used to run between Finsbury Park and Alexandra Palace, through Stroud Green, Crouch End, Highgate and Muswell Hill. It ...

* Duncan Terrace Gardens & Colebrook Row Gardens, * Elthorne Park, *

Finsbury Square Finsbury Square is a square in Finsbury in central London which includes a six-rink grass bowling green. It was developed in 1777 on the site of a previous area of green space to the north of the City of London known as Finsbury Fields, in the pa ...

, * Fortune Street Park, * Freightliners City Farm is in Lower Holloway. This small urban farm contains a wide range of animals from rabbits to cows to chickens and pigs * Highbury Fields, *

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 Isl ...

, * Jewish Burial Ground, * Joseph Grimaldi 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 Canonbury is a residential area of Islington in the London Borough of Islington, North London. It is roughly in the area between Essex Road, Upper Street and Cross Street and either side of St Paul's Road. In 1253 land in the area was granted to ...

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

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

enters the

Islington Tunnel The Islington Tunnel takes the Regent's Canal under Angel, Islington, as the longest such tunnel in London. The way for short boats and barges only opened in 1818; the pavements above are waymarked so the otherwise discontinued towpaths are co ...

, near City Road Lock. A linear walk is marked through the streets and parks above the tunnel * Rosemary Gardens, *

Spa Fields Spa Fields is a park and its surrounding area in the London Borough of Islington, bordering Finsbury and Clerkenwell. Historically it is known for the Spa Fields riots of 1816 and an Owenite community which existed there between 1821 and 1824. The ...

, * 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 Barnsbury Square is a garden square in the Barnsbury district of Islington, North London. It is bounded by Victorian architecture, Victorian Villa#Villas abroad, villas and Regency architecture, Regency and Victorian Terraced houses in the United ...

* Bartholomew Square *

* Claremont Square * Cloudesley Square * Edward 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 * Milner Square * Myddelton Square *

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 no ...

* Percy Square *

* Tibberton Square * Union Square, Islington * Vernon Square * Wilmington Square * 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 fo ...

(), 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