The New River, as any Islington guide will tell you, is neither new, nor a river. The man-made waterway was dug in the early 17th century to bring fresh water from rural Hertfordshire into London. It has inspired many over centuries including, in 2015, John Bourdeaux who founded a brewery on its banks. Having enjoyed … Read More
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
For many centuries Islington’s abundant natural water sources played an important part in its history. From medieval times, drovers taking livestock to Smithfield market stopped in the Islington countryside to feed and water their animals. By the Tudor age Islington was known as ‘Cowtown’ because its rich pasture was ideal for dairy farming and pleasure-seekers … Read More