36-468: 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 . Islington has access to large open spaces in neighbouring London boroughs . The Islington district of Finsbury Park
72-399: A car or van, 6.0%; train, 3.7%; work mainly at or from home, 3.6%. In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough had a total population of 65,721. This rose steadily throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; exceeding 200,000 in the middle of the century. When the railways arrived the rate of population growth increased—reaching nearly 400,000 by the turn of
108-665: Is Islington Council . The borough is home to football club Arsenal , one of the Premier League clubs in England, and its home Emirates Stadium . Islington was originally named by the Saxons Giseldone (1005), then Gislandune (1062). The name means 'Gīsla's hill' from the Old English personal name Gīsla and dun ' hill ', 'down'. The name then later mutated to Isledon , which remained in use well into
144-750: 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 to the west – in Camden ; and Victoria Park to the east – in Tower Hamlets . 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 and Thornhill Square . Because of
180-557: Is represented by Jeremy Corbyn , elected in 2024 as an independent . He was formerly a member of the Labour Party , and was its leader and the Leader of Her Majesty's Opposition between 2015 and 2020. Islington South and Finsbury is represented by Emily Thornberry , former Shadow First Secretary of State and Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and current Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade of
216-400: The 2001 census Islington had a population of 175,797. It was 75% White, including 5% White Irish, 6% Black African, 5% Black Caribbean and 2% Bangladeshi. Thirty-two per cent of the borough's residents were owner–occupiers. According to the 2011 census , Islington has the highest population density of local authorities in England and Wales—13,875 people per square kilometre. Islington has
252-1029: The County of London in 1889 and became a metropolitan borough in 1900. It was amalgamated with the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury to form the London Borough of Islington in Greater London in 1965. The borough comprised the districts of Pentonville (also partly in Clerkenwell/Finsbury), Islington (also partly in Clerkenwell/Finsbury), Barnsbury , Lower Holloway , Holloway , Tufnell Park (also partly in St Pancras), Archway , Highbury , and Canonbury . The neighbouring boroughs were Finsbury , Hackney , Stoke Newington , Shoreditch , St Pancras . The parish of St Mary Islington operated as an open vestry . It
288-561: The Freedom of the Borough of Islington. 51°32′N 0°08′W / 51.533°N 0.133°W / 51.533; -0.133 Metropolitan Borough of Islington Islington was a civil parish and metropolitan borough in London , England. It was an ancient parish within the county of Middlesex , and formed part of The Metropolis from 1855. The parish was transferred to
324-471: The Labour Party . In the Victorian Age , some parts of Islington such as Clerkenwell were known for their poverty , which George Gissing describes in his naturalist novel, The Nether World (1889). Since this time, Islington has been a subject of gentrification and with the median house price rising rapidly since the 2020 pandemic . With new headquarters for Facebook and Google close to
360-579: The Musical Theatre Academy are both based in Islington. The borough currently maintains 47 primary schools, 10 secondary schools, three special schools and five Pupil Referral Units. In 2000, Cambridge Education Associates, a private firm, took over the management of the Islington's state schools from the local education authority . The Islington Gazette is a local newspaper. The following people and military units have received
396-476: The metropolitan boroughs of Islington and Finsbury . The new entity remains the second smallest borough in London and the third-smallest district in England . The borough contains two Westminster parliamentary constituencies ; Islington North , represented by former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn , and Islington South & Finsbury represented by Labour MP Emily Thornberry . The local authority
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#1732790777583432-436: The 17th century when the modern form arose. In medieval times, Islington was just one of many small manors in the area, along with Bernersbury , Neweton Berewe or Hey-bury , and Canonesbury (Barnsbury, Highbury and Canonbury – names first recorded in the 13th and 14th centuries). "Islington" came to be applied as the name for the parish covering these villages, which became the Metropolitan Borough of Islington in 1900. On
468-699: The Borough: The Piccadilly line carries passengers to key London destinations, including the West End and Heathrow Airport . The Northern and Victoria lines also link the borough to the West End, whilst the Northern line (Bank branch) also passes through the City of London . Just beyond the borough's boundaries are King's Cross St Pancras (in the London Borough of Camden ) and Moorgate (in
504-806: The City). There are also several London Overground stations in the borough, all but one of which are in London fare zone 2: There are several other National Rail stations in Islington, which offer direct services to destinations across London, East Anglia and South East England : Farringdon and Finsbury Park are served by Thameslink services, with some trains travelling direct to Gatwick Airport , as well as destinations including Cambridge , Peterborough , Brighton and Sevenoaks . Other stations, including Finsbury Park, are served by Great Northern trains which normally operate between Moorgate and Welwyn Garden City or Stevenage via Hertford North . The Elizabeth line calls at Farringdon. Moorgate lies just to
540-640: The area to the west bordering the London Borough of Camden . The central London area includes Farringdon and Old Street stations both in Zone 1. Areas in the borough include: The local authority is Islington Council, based at Islington Town Hall on Upper Street. Since 2000, for elections to the London Assembly , the borough forms part of the North East constituency. Islington is represented by two parliamentary constituencies. Islington North
576-548: The borough's residents identified as Christian, 12.8% Muslim, 1.7% Jewish and 42.7% had no religion. Christians and Muslims live throughout the borough, while the Jewish population is most concentrated in the north of the borough in the Hillrise and Junction wards (bordering Highgate and Crouch End ). The following table shows the ethnic group of respondents in the 2001, 2011 and 2021 censuses in Islington. The following shows
612-503: The century; with the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury particularly suffering deprivation, poverty and severe overcrowding. The increase in population peaked before World War I , falling slowly in the aftermath until World War II began an exodus from London towards the new towns under the Abercrombie Plan for London (1944). The decline in population reversed in the 1980s, but it remains below its 1951 level. According to
648-593: The combined area became 3,672 acres (14.9 km ); in 2005, this had a population of 182,600, or a population density of 12,288/km . In 1901 Islington the population density was 26,778/km . Islington Local History Centre holds records of the Metropolitan Borough of Islington, including council and committee minutes, rate books and publications. Under the Metropolis Management Act 1855 any parish that exceeded 2,000 ratepayers
684-744: The corner of Holloway Road and Camden Road. The electric supply service became part of the London Electricity Board following the Electricity Act 1947 . It was a local act parish so it did not come under the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 and the vestry continued to be responsible for poor relief, instead of a separately elected board of guardians. This anomaly was rectified by the Metropolitan Poor Act 1867 ( 30 & 31 Vict. c. 6). The parish
720-533: The early 20th century was used to hold many suffragettes . The Borough boasts a large transport network for rail, bus, cycles and road users. There are ten London Underground stations in the borough across London fare zones 1, 2 and 3. These stations are principally served by the Northern , Piccadilly and Victoria lines, although the Circle , Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines also pass through
756-427: The edge of the borough, along with Lawyer offices Slaughter & May on the edge of the borough, near the City of London , the borough has seen a steady house prices, with median incomes rising significantly. Inmarsat has its head office in the borough. There is one prison in Islington, a men's prison, HM Prison Pentonville . Until it closed in 2016 there was also a women's prison HM Prison Holloway , which in
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#1732790777583792-434: The lower tier of local government within the metropolis comprised various parish vestries and district boards . In 1900 the lower tier was reorganised into metropolitan boroughs , two of which were called Islington and Finsbury , the latter covering the combined area of the parishes of Clerkenwell , St Luke and St Sepulchre , and the extra-parochial areas of Charterhouse and Glasshouse Yard . The modern borough
828-578: The merger with Finsbury to form the modern borough, the Islington name was used for the whole borough. The area of the modern borough had historically been part of the county of Middlesex . From 1856 the area was governed by the Metropolitan Board of Works , which was established to provide services across the metropolis of London. In 1889 the Metropolitan Board of Works' area was made the County of London . From 1856 until 1900
864-536: The part of the Parkland Walk which is in the borough. London Borough of Islington The London Borough of Islington ( / ˈ ɪ z l ɪ ŋ t ə n / IZ -ling-tən ) is a London borough which forms part of Inner London , England. Islington has an estimated population of 215,667. It was formed in 1965, under the London Government Act 1963 , by the amalgamation of
900-584: 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 and redevelopment, not all have survived, but one notable remaining example, open to the public, is Culpeper Community Garden, near the Angel . There are three Local Nature Reserves in Islington, Gillespie Park (2.8 hectares (6.9 acres)), Barnsbury Wood (0.35 hectares (0.86 acres)), and
936-474: The religious identity of residents residing in Islington according to the 2001, 2011 and the 2021 censuses. The London Borough of Islington is home to two higher education institutions: Moorfields Eye Hospital is a major centre for postgraduate training of ophthalmologists , orthoptists , optometrists , and nurses . The borough also currently contains three colleges of further education : There are two performing arts colleges. The Urdang Academy and
972-561: The second highest proportion of Irish people in the country, behind London Borough of Brent . A 2017 study by Trust for London and the New Policy Institute found that a third of Islington residents lived in poverty. This is above the London average of 27%. It also found that 14% of local employees were in jobs which pay below the London Living Wage – the fourth lowest figure of any London borough. 39% of
1008-482: The south of the borough, in the City of London, whilst King's Cross lies to the borough's immediate west, with destinations including Sheffield , Leeds , Newcastle , Edinburgh and Inverness . In March 2011, the main forms of transport that residents used to travel to work were: underground, metro, light rail, tram, 19.4% of all residents aged 16–74; bus, minibus or coach, 10.3%; on foot, 10.3%; bicycle, 6.2%; driving
1044-656: The vestry was abolished and replaced by the Islington Metropolitan Borough Council. The act allowed for the London County Council (1889-1965) and the metropolitan boroughs to transfer powers to and from each other, if both the county council and a majority of the boroughs agreed. Unlike municipal boroughs which received a grant of a charter of incorporation, the London metropolitan boroughs had no charters, being created by act of parliament. The first election of councillors
1080-492: Was added to the bills of mortality area in 1636. The vestry was incorporated by the Metropolis Management Act 1855 as an administrative vestry in the metropolitan area managed by Metropolitan Board of Works . On 21 March 1889 the MBW was abolished and the parish was transferred from the County of Middlesex to the newly formed County of London . Because of the reforms directed by the London Government Act 1899 , on 1 November 1900
1116-557: Was created in 1965 under the London Government Act 1963 . It was a merger of the old Islington and Finsbury metropolitan boroughs. The southern part of the borough, south of the A501 Pentonville Road and City Road, forms part of the central London congestion charging zone and the Ultra Low Emission Zone . A significant part of the southern section of the borough borders the City of London , with
Parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Islington - Misplaced Pages Continue
1152-501: Was formed in 1900. Statistics compiled by the London County Council , in 1901 show the population growth in London, over the preceding century. The area of the borough in 1901 was 3,091 acres (12.5 km ). The populations recorded in National Censuses were: Islington Vestry 1801–1899 Metropolitan Borough 1900–1961 By comparison, after amalgamation with Finsbury , to form the modern London Borough of Islington ,
1188-451: Was large enough in terms of population to avoid being grouped into a poor law union and remained a single parish for this purpose. Islington Town Hall on Upper Street was the headquarters of Metropolitan Borough of Islington and remains the headquarters of its successor body, Islington London Borough Council . The metropolitan borough was conterminous with the Vestry authority, when it
1224-586: Was re-divided into eleven wards (electing vestrymen ): No. 1 or Tufnell (12), No. 2 or Upper Holloway (12), No. 3 or Tollington (9), No. 4 or Lower Holloway (15), No. 5 or West Highbury (15), No. 6 or East Highbury (12), No. 7 or Thornhill (9), No. 8 or Barnsbury (6), No. 9 or St Mary's (9), No. 10 or Canonbury (9) and No. 11 or St Peter's (12). The metropolitan borough was divided into eleven wards for elections: Barnsbury, Canonbury, Highbury, Lower Holloway, Mildmay, St Mary, St Peter, Thornhill, Tollington, Tufnell and Upper Holloway. For elections to Parliament ,
1260-503: Was set for 1 November 1900, with a third of the councillors going out of office each year. The borough was divided into wards, with three councillors for each ward. There were aldermen at a ratio of one to every six councillors. The chairman of the council received the title of mayor . The vestry started work on an electricity supply service at Eden Grove in 1894, which became operational in 1896. New streets were lit with electric light from 1906. In 1936 electricity showrooms were opened at
1296-413: Was to be divided into wards; as such the incorporated vestry of St Mary Islington was divided into six wards (electing vestrymen ): No. 1 or Upper Holloway (9), No. 2 or Lower Holloway (12), No. 3 or Highbury (15), No. 4 or Thornhill (18), No. 5 or Barnsbury (18), No. 6 or St Mary's (15), No. 7 or Canonbury (15) and No. 8 or St Peter's (18). In 1896 as its population had increased the incorporated vestry
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