Editing Islington (section)

===Origins===
[[File:Agricultural Hall Islington ILN 1861.jpg|thumb|left|1861 Royal Agricultural Hall, view from Liverpool Road. Now the rear entrance to the [[Business Design Centre]]]]
[[File:Agricultural Hall Cattle Show ILN 1861.jpg|thumb|left|1861 Cattle show at the Royal Agricultural Hall]]
Some roads on the edge of the area, including [[Essex Road]], were known as ''streets'' by the medieval period, possibly indicating a [[Roman Britain|Roman]] origin, but little physical evidence remains. What is known is that the [[Great North Road (United Kingdom)|Great North Road]] from [[Aldersgate]] came into use in the 14th century, connecting with a new turnpike (toll road) up [[Highgate|Highgate Hill]]. This was along the line of modern Upper Street, with a toll gate at [[The Angel, Islington|The Angel]] defining the extent of the village. The ''Back Road'', the modern [[Liverpool Road]], was primarily a [[drovers' road]] where cattle would be rested before the final leg of their journey to [[Smithfield, London|Smithfield]]. Pens and sheds were erected along this road to accommodate the animals.<ref>[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=7111 'Islington: Communications', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 8: Islington and Stoke Newington parishes (1985), pp. 3–8]. Retrieved 9 March 2007</ref>

The first recorded church, [[St Mary's Church, Islington|St Mary's]], was erected in the twelfth century and was replaced in the fifteenth century.<ref name="Richardson">John Richardson, ''Islington Past'', Revised Edition, Historical Publications Limited, 2000;pp 59–60.</ref> Islington lay on the estates of the [[Bishop of London]] and the Dean and Chapter of [[St Paul's Cathedral|St Pauls]]. There were substantial medieval moated [[manor house]]s in the area, principally at Canonbury and Highbury. In 1548, there were 440 communicants listed and the rural atmosphere, with access to the City and Westminster, made it a popular residence for the rich and eminent.<ref name=Growth/> The local inns harboured many fugitives and sheltered recusants.