Canonbury is a residential district in the London Borough of Islington in the north of 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 the Canons of St Bartholomew’s Priory, Smithfield, and became known as Canonbury. The area continued predominantly as open land until it was developed as a suburb in the early nineteenth century. In common with similar inner London areas, it suffered decline when the construction of railways in the 1860s enabled commuting into the city from further afield. The gentrification of the area from the 1950s included new developments to replace war-damaged properties in Canonbury Park North and South as well as restoration of older buildings.
East Canonbury is the south-eastern corner of the district, bordering on the Regents Canal. Parts of this area were transferred to the district from the London Borough of Hackney in a boundary adjustment (along the line of the northern towpath of the canal), in 1993.
In the east is the New River Estate (formerly the Marquess Estate), a 1,200 dwelling council estate, completed in 1976 on 26 acres (110,000 m2), and designed by Darbourne & Darke. A dark red brick, traffic free estate, it was praised as an example of municipal architecture, but acquired a bad reputation and has since been extensively redeveloped to improve security for residents.
Literary and artistic connections
George Orwell moved to 27b Canonbury Square in the autumn of 1944 - he and his wife having been bombed out of their previous flat, in Mortimer Crescent, on 28 June 1944. Evelyn Waugh lived at 17a Canonbury Square from 1928 to 1930. Charles Dickens wrote a Christmas story about a lamplighter in Canonbury, which features the Tower. Leslie Forbes, the travel and detective story writer, and amateur historian Gavin Menzies both live in the area.
Canonbury Tower - The manor house of Canonbury was constructed by William Bolton of St Bartholomew’s Priory between 1509 and 1532. At the dissolution it was granted to Thomas Cromwell. In the 1590s the manor house was rebuilt by Sir John Spencer, Lord Mayor of the City of London, including the construction of its tower. The tower has been occupied by many historical figures, including Francis Bacon and Oliver Goldsmith. The Tower Theatre Company was based here from 1953 to 2003. It is currently used as a Masonic research centre.
Canonbury Square - An attractive square, developed between 1805 and 1830, it includes a variety of distinct styles. In 1812, when few properties had been built, the New North Road turnpike, now known as Canonbury Road, was constructed and bisects the square. Many significant figures from the arts and literary worlds have lived on the square, including George Orwell, Evelyn Waugh and Samuel Phelps.
The Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art is in Canonbury Square.
New River Walk - The New River, an aqueduct built by Sir Hugh Myddelton to supply fresh water to London, was completed in 1613. The walk is in two parts, with a break at Willowbridge. The southern section received an early National Lottery grant, and has a back-pumping scheme which simulates the water flow of the original aqueduct.
Canonbury Grove - a road running parallel to part of New River Walk, made up of typical attractive 2 and 3 storey early 19th century terraces.
Arlington Square - Voted one of the UK’s best garden squares
St Paul’s, at the junction of Essex Road and Balls Pond Road, was designed in 1826-28 by Charles Barry for the Church of England. Its parish was merged with St Jude, Mildmay and since 1997 the building has been used as a Steiner school.
St Stephen's Church, Church of England, is on Canonbury Road and was built in 1839.
Greenpeace UK - offices based at Canonbury Villas.
The Canonbury Society [1] aims to conserve the special character of Canonbury by monitoring development
Islington & Stoke Newington (T.S Quail) Sea Cadet Unit
The Islington Society [2] was founded in 1960 to safeguard and improve the quality of life in Islington. It focuses on the built environment and public transport, but also takes a special interest in public services and open spaces.
Canonbury forms part of the Islington South and Finsbury parliamentary constituency. The constituency's MP is Labour politician Emily Thornberry. The Islington councillors representing Canonbury are Alex Diner, Clare Jeapes and Nick Wayne (Labour).
The 2011 census showed that the population of Canonbury ward was 72% white (53% British, 15% Other, 4% Irish), and 6% Black African.
Essex Road
Canonbury
Highbury & Islington
Angel tube station
Highbury & Islington tube station
Dalston Junction
Canonbury Road School, now Canonbury Primary School, opened in 1877. It is a Community primary school taking boys and girls from 3 to 11 years of age. In 2010, the school was placed in special measures. By 2013, when Ofsted inspected Canonbury Primary School it was rated as a Good school. In 2013, there were 460 pupils on the school roll.
Founded as a charity school in 1710, St Mary's Church of England Primary School has, since 1967, been situated on Fowler Road in Canonbury. When Ofsted inspected the school in 2012 it was rated as a Good school and there were 178 pupils on the school roll.
The North Bridge House Senior School & Sixth Form is located in Canonbury.
Thomas Cromwell, Lord Privy Seal, lived in Canonbury Tower from 1533 until his execution in 1540 by order of King Henry VIII
Sir Francis Bacon, King James I's Lord Chancellor, lived in Canonbury Tower, 1616-1626
William Babell, musician, died here in 1723
Ephraim Chambers, encyclopaedist, lodged at Canonbury Tower
George Grossmith and Weedon Grossmith, actors and writers, lived at 5 Canonbury Place
John Newbery, publisher of children's literature, lived in Canonbury House
Francis Ronalds, inventor of the electric telegraph, lived at 11 Canonbury Place as a child
Molly Hughes, educator and author, chronicled her childhood in Canonbury in A London Child of the 1870s growing up in a house that "stood at the corner of two roads" with a view down the length of Grange Grove
George Orwell, writer, lived at 27b Canonbury Square
Evelyn Waugh, writer, lived at 17a Canonbury Square
Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell, painters and designers, lived at 26a Canonbury Square
Professor Sir Basil Spence, architect, lived and worked at 1 Canonbury Place from 1956 until his death in 1976. He is commemorated with a blue plaque
Dame Flora Robson, actress, lived in Alwyn Villas
Louis Macneice, poet, lived at 52 Canonbury Park South from 1947 to 1952 and is commemorated with a blue plaque
Barbara Castle, politician, and Ted Castle, journalist, lived in John Spencer Square
Alan Davies, actor/comedian
Spider Stacy, founding member of the Pogues
Harry Randall, music hall and pantomime comedian lived at 4 Canonbury Grove and 2 Alwyne Place
Cate Blanchett, actress lived at 7 Canonbury Grove
Chester P, UK hip-hop artist, member of Task Force and M.U.D. Family
Dame Stella Rimington, head of MI5, lived at 7 Canonbury Grove, in Alwyne Road and in Alwyne Place
Sir John Mummery PC, DL, a Lord Justice of Appeal
Sir Nicholas Barrington, ex UK High Commissioner to Pakistan
William Greaves, co-founder of Capital Kids' Cricket lived at 13 Canonbury Grove
Charlie Weaver, member and front man of Lonsdale Boys Club
Sir John Tusa, broadcaster and arts administrator
Kenneth Griffith, actor, producer, presenter and historian, lived at 8 Alwyne Place, which he named Spion Kop
Dido (singer) used to live at 1, Willow Bridge Road.
Keira Knightley and her husband James Righton moved into Canonbury in 2014
Gareth Morris, principal flute, Philharmonia and New Philharmonia Orchestras (1948-1972) also principal flute professor of Royal Academy of Music (1945-1985), resident of 4, Alwyne Place from 1945-1987
