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Tales from the crypt… and churchyard… of St Mary Magdalene, Holloway Road

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Jennifer Watson-Bore takes a wander around the Islington’s second parish church.  As you walk down Holloway Road from Highbury Corner, you will discover the church of St Mary Magdalene, with a small part of its churchyard opposite the façade of Islington Central Library. St Mary Magdalene began life in 1814 as a chapel-of-ease for St … Read More

All aboard through the Islington tunnel!

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In addition to leading walking tours in Islington our guide Chris Annus also regularly takes to the water… As a guide for the London Canal Museum I’m incredibly lucky to not only share the history of the Regent’s Canal with people but also take them through one of its atmospheric tunnels on our very own … Read More

How Islington became Caledonian

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Iain Monaghan reveals how Islington acquired a Caledonian Road, two ‘Caledonian Road’ stations, the Caledonian Estate and Caledonian Park… The story of how Islington has so many places named ‘Caledonian’ can be traced back to a single, long-demolished building: the Caledonian Asylum. The Caledonian Asylum was a charitable residential school founded by wealthy Scots in … Read More

Benjamin Britten in Islington

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John Finn explores the celebrated composer’s multiple Islington addresses.  English Heritage’s blue plaques mark places where significant people have lived or worked, or where historical events have taken place. But alongside them in Islington you’ll also find green plaques doing pretty much the same job. Latterly, these have been installed annually as the result of … Read More

Benjamin Franklin, a Founding Father in Finsbury

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Benjamin Franklin is one of history’s most famous Americans. Lulu Martyn-David explains the Founding Father’s deep links to our patch of London.  Born: Boston, Massachusetts 17 January 1706Died: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 17 April 1790 What is a man who was born and died in America in the 18th century doing here on our latest Finsbury blog? Not just any man, but a … Read More

Compton Terrace

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. One of the great things about walking around in Islington is the opportunity to come across unexpected hidden streets and some interesting architectureSuch is the case with Compton Terrace. Nestling alongside busy Upper Street (A1) is an interesting street featuring the splendid Union Chapel, Georgian-era terraced houses and some delightful community gardens.  To get … Read More

Holloway Prison in WW2 – Diana Mosley

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The Peabody Trust bought the site of former Holloway Prison from the Ministry of Justice in March 2019 and are committed to delivering 985 new homes, including 60% affordable housing. Their aim is to create a place that the whole community is proud of with new homes, community facilities, open space, and a Women’s Building. … Read More

Roy Kerridge

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Lieutenant-Commander Roy S. Kerridge: A British ‘Death or Glory Boy’? Or member of the ‘suicide squad’? Both terms were commonly ascribed to the Bomb Disposal Officers who regularly ran headlong into mortal danger in their attempts to defuse the many types of German bombs raining down over London during what became known as the Blitz. … Read More

A pub crawl along the Underground River Fleet

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Sally Stevens drops in on some of the hostelries that remind us of the presence of Clerkenwell’s hidden river. The Fleet River, the largest of London’s hidden rivers, may have disappeared underground but at street level there is evidence of its earlier use as a clean water source for brewing and gin making at the … Read More