Editing Highbury (section)

== Highbury Barn ==
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[[File:Highbury Barn.jpg|thumb|Highbury Barn, 1819]]
After the Manor house had been destroyed in 1381, the grange and barn remained on the east side of the track that ran south to Hopping Lane, now St Paul's Road, roughly on the line of Highbury Park / Highbury Grove (the A1201). In 1740 a small ale and cake house was opened in the Barn, Highbury.

In 1770 William Willoughby took over Highbury Barn and greatly increased its popularity. He expanded its size and facilities, taking over land and buildings from the farm next door, reaching beyond what is now Kelvin Road and created a bowling green, [[Bat and trap|trap-ball]] grounds and gardens. It could cater for company dinners of 2,000 people, concerts and dancing and became one of the most popular venues in London.

In 1854 events at the annual balls in the grounds of the Barn included the [[aeronaut]] [[Charles Green (balloonist)|Charles Green]]'s balloon ascent. By 1865 there was a huge dancing platform, a rebuilt theatre, high-wire acts, [[pantomime]], music hall and the original [[Chang and Eng Bunker|Siamese twins]]. The Barn became the victim of its own success. After a riot led by students from [[St. Bartholomew's Hospital|Bart's Hospital]] in 1869, locals complained about the Barn's increasingly riotous and bawdy clientele. This led to a court case and in 1871 authorities revoked the Barn's dancing licence.