Green Lanes (London)

History

Green Lanes is an ancient thoroughfare, originally a drovers' road along which cattle were walked from Hertfordshire towards Smithfield Market in London.

Route

It runs from Newington Green north along the western edge of Stoke Newington, thereby forming the border between Hackney and Islington, until it reaches Manor House at the eastern edge of Finsbury Park. Entering the London Borough of Haringey, it then runs 1.4 miles (2.25 km) through the neighbourhood of Harringay. From the junction with Turnpike Lane the road temporarily changes its name and runs for 1.3 miles (2.1 km) through Wood Green as 'High Road', resuming its Green Lanes identity again after the junction with Lascotts Avenue. It then continues north for another 2.2 miles (3.5 km) through Palmers Green and Winchmore Hill in the London Borough of Enfield, until it reaches the junction with Ridge Avenue and Green Dragon Lane at Mason's Corner. The northward continuation into Bush Hill at this point is now blocked.

Sights

Amongst the sights along its route are Clissold Park, the former Engine House of Metropolitan Water Board, Finsbury Park, the New River (which follows a roughly parallel course for some distance), Railway Fields Nature Reserve, the Salisbury Public House and Turnpike Lane Underground Station. In Harringay, there are also the sites of the now demolished Harringay Stadium and Harringay Arena.

Demography

In Newington Green and Harringay there is a strong presence of the Turkish and Kurdish communities. Much of the settlement of the Greek and Greek Cypriot community who had made their home in this part of London has now moved further north to Palmers Green.

Neighbourhoods

Neighbourhoods sited on Green Lanes, from South to North: