Canonbury Square
Canonbury Square, east side
Canonbury Square is located in London Borough of Islington
Canonbury Square
Shown within London Borough of Islington
Postal codeN1
Coordinates51°32′37″N 0°06′02″W / 51.543575°N 0.100492°W / 51.543575; -0.100492
Construction
Construction start1805
Completionby 1830
Canonbury Square, west side

Canonbury Square is a garden square in Canonbury, North London. It is bounded by terraces of mostly Georgian houses, many of which are listed buildings. The central public gardens contain attractive flower beds and several London plane trees of great age. The Evening Standard newspaper described it in 1956 as “London’s most beautiful square”. Many significant figures from the arts and literary worlds have lived in the square, including George Orwell, Evelyn Waugh, Samuel Phelps, Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell.

History

Henry Leroux of Stoke Newington started building the north-west range of the square in 1805, on land owned by the Marquess of Northampton. In 1812, when few properties had been built, the New North Road turnpike, now known as Canonbury Road, was constructed and bisected the square, creating east and west sides.[1] The new road interfered with the quiet of the rudimentary square, affecting the economics of the venture and subsequently the unity of design of the buildings surrounding it and the time taken to complete construction. The layout is rectangular with a large villa, Northampton Lodge, in the centre of the terraces on the north side. The earliest terrace differs from the rest, and none of the sides join with each other.[2] The east side bears a name-plaque at no. 28 which originally bore the name "Marquis Terrace", but it is now blank.[3]

Like other parts of Islington, from the 1860s the area began to decline, largely because of the exodus along the railways to newer, more rural suburbs. By the end of the Second World War parts of the square had become derelict. Nos. 37-39 in the north-east section of the square were demolished, and the space created was filled with a terrace of five new houses of complementary design. From the 1960s, the square was rediscovered by middle-class families, the houses were renovated, and it became newly fashionable.

The central garden was formed in the 1840s. The 4th Marquess of Northampton opened his private square-gardens to the public in 1884, the first land-owner to do so, and in 1888 he donated the land to the Islington Council. The original railings were removed during the Second World War and replaced by chicken-wire netting, but in the 1950s the gardens were redesigned and enclosed with new reproduction railings.[3]

Places of interest

Canonbury Tower

Notable people

27b Canonbury Square, former home of George Orwell

In film

Canonbury Square appears in The Flesh is Weak (1957),[16] and The Salvage Gang (Children's Film Foundation, 1958).[17]

References

  1. "Islington: Growth, Canonbury". British History Online. British History Online. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  2. Cosh, Mary (2005). A History of Islington. London: Historical Publications Ltd. p. 142. ISBN 0-948667-97-4.
  3. 1 2 Cosh, Mary (1993). The Squares of Islington - Part II. London: Islington Archaeology & History Society. pp. 38–44. ISBN 0-9507532-6-2.
  4. "Goldsmith, Oliver". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
  5. "History of Canonbury Tower". Canonbury Masonic Research Centre. Archived from the original on 19 December 2011. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  6. The Lamplighter Charles Dickens (Public Domain) accessed 29 September 2009
  7. "Daniel, George (1789-1864)". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
  8. 1 2 Willats, Eric A. (2017). Islington: Streets With a Story (PDF) (2 ed.). London: Islington Heritage Service. ISBN 978-0-9511871-04. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 January 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  9. "Samuel Phelps - Tragedian". Blue Plaques. English Heritage. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  10. Manley, Jeffrey (31 March 2018). "Roundup: A Legacy, a Plaque, 2 Lists and a Mystery". Evelyn Waugh Society. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  11. Orwell, George (9 February 2015). Collected Works. I Have Tried To Tell The Truth: 1943 - 1944. p. 283. ISBN 978-1846559488.
  12. "Heritage Plaques". Islington Life. London Borough of Islington. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  13. "Plaque replaced at Orwell's house" (PDF). Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society. 6 (2): 5. Summer 2016.
  14. Orwell, George (2 July 2009). Packer, George (ed.). Narrative Essays: Some Thoughts on the Common Toad. Harvill Secker. ISBN 978-1846553271. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  15. Zwart, Pieter (1973). Islington: A History and Guide. London: Sidgwick & Jackson Limited. p. 97. ISBN 0-283-97937-2.
  16. "The Flesh Is Weak". ReelStreets. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  17. "The Salvage Gang". ReelStreets. Retrieved 8 November 2021.

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