Editing Canonbury

{{Short description|Residential area of Islington, North London}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}
{{infobox UK place
| country                  = England
| pushpin_map              = United Kingdom London Islington
| region                   = London
| population               = 12,072
| population_ref           = (2011 Census. Ward)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=13688876&c=Canonbury&d=14&e=62&g=6330456&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&o=362&m=0&r=1&s=1477318789793&enc=1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024223659/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=13688876&c=Canonbury&d=14&e=62&g=6330456&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&o=362&m=0&r=1&s=1477318789793&enc=1|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 October 2016|title=Islington Ward population 2011|access-date=24 October 2016|publisher=Office for National Statistics|work=Neighbourhood Statistics}}</ref>
| official_name            = Canonbury
| static_image             = Canonbury Square Gardens - geograph.org.uk - 5057747.jpg
| static_image_caption     = Canonbury Square Gardens
| coordinates              = {{coord|51.5437|-0.0883|display=inline,title}}
| os_grid_reference        = TQ325845
| post_town                = LONDON
| postcode_area            = N
| postcode_district        = N1
| london_borough           = Islington
| dial_code                = 020
| constituency_westminster = [[Islington South and Finsbury (UK Parliament constituency)|Islington South and Finsbury]]
}}
'''Canonbury''' is an area in [[London]], forming part of the [[London Borough of Islington]]. It is located within the area between [[Essex Road]], [[Upper Street]] and Cross Street and either side of St Paul's Road in [[North London]]. 

In 1253 land in the area was granted to the Canons of [[St Bartholomew-the-Great|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 19th century.<ref name=Brit>[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=275 'Islington: Growth: Canonbury', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 8: Islington and Stoke Newington parishes (1985), pp. 19-20] accessed: 3 May 2007</ref>

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.

==Geography==
Canonbury is traditionally an area of [[Islington]], and has never been an administrative unit in its own right. For this reason it has never had formally defined boundaries, but approximates to the area between Essex Road, Upper Street and Cross Street and either side of St Paul's Road. The Canonbury [[Wards of the United Kingdom|electoral ward]] within the [[London Borough of Islington]] extends as far east as [[Southgate Road]].

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.<ref>[http://www.opsi.gov.uk/SI/si1993/Uksi_19931417_en_1.htm Statutory Instrument 1993 No. 1417] accessed 3 May 2007</ref>

In the east is the Marquess Estate, a 1,200 dwelling [[council estate]], completed in 1976 on {{convert|26|acre|m2}}, and designed by Darbourne & Darke.<ref name=Brit/> 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.

==Places of interest==
*[[Canonbury House and Canonbury Tower|Canonbury Tower]] – The manor house of Canonbury was constructed by William Bolton of [[St Bartholomew's Hospital|St Bartholomew's Priory]] between 1509 and 1532. At the [[Dissolution of the Monasteries]] it was granted to [[Thomas Cromwell]]. In the 1590s the manor house was rebuilt by [[John Spencer (Lord Mayor of London)|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 the philosopher and Lord Chancellor [[Francis Bacon]], and the Irish novelist and playwright [[Oliver Goldsmith]]. The Tower Theatre Company was based here from 1953 to 2003. It is currently used as a [[Freemasons|Masonic]] research centre.
*[[Canonbury 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 the writers [[George Orwell]] and [[Evelyn Waugh]], and the actor [[Samuel Phelps]].
*The [[Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art]] is in Canonbury Square.
*[[John Spencer Square]] – A residential garden square named after [[John Spencer (Lord Mayor of London)|Sir John Spencer, Lord Mayor of the City of London]], former residents include [[Barbara Castle]], Labour politician and former Secretary of State, and English constitutional historian [[David Starkey]].
*New River Walk – The [[New River (London)|New River]], an [[aqueduct (watercourse)|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 (United Kingdom)|National Lottery]] grant, and has a back-pumping scheme which simulates the water flow of the original aqueduct.
*Arlington Square – voted one of the UK's best garden squares.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hortweek.com/keep-britain-tidy-reveals-nations-10-popular-parks/parks-and-gardens/article/1412451|title=Keep Britain Tidy reveals nation's 10 most popular parks {{pipe}} Horticulture Week}}</ref>

==Literary and artistic connections==
[[File:069 Canonbury Square.jpg|thumb|Canonbury Square]]
[[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.<ref>Orwell, Collected Works, I Have Tried to Tell the Truth, p.283</ref> [[Evelyn Waugh]] lived at 17a Canonbury Square from 1928 to 1930.<ref>Eric A Willats, Streets with a Story</ref> [[Charles Dickens]] wrote a [[Christmas]] story about a [[lamplighter]] in Canonbury, which features the Tower.<ref>[http://www.authorama.com/the-lamplighter-1.html ''The Lamplighter''] [[Charles Dickens]] (Public Domain) accessed 29 September 2009</ref> Leslie Forbes, the travel and [[detective story]] writer,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Raymond |first1=Francine |title=The Embroidered Minds Epilepsy Garden: A Chelsea show garden of the mind |url=https://telegraph.co.uk/gardening/chelsea-flower-show/embroidered-minds-epilepsy-garden-chelsea-show-garden-mind/ |website=The Telegraph |access-date=30 September 2023 |date=13 May 2018}}</ref> and [[Pseudohistory|pseudohistorian]] [[Gavin Menzies]] both lived in the area.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hitt |first1=Jack |title=Goodbye, Columbus! |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/05/magazine/goodbye-columbus.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=30 September 2023 |date=5 January 2003}}</ref> [[Mary Vivian Hughes|M. V. Hughes]] (née Thomas) lived at 1 Canonbury Park North (the house is no longer standing) as a child, and describes life there in her memoir ''A London Child of the 1870s''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Foxed |first=Slightly |date=2020-11-14 |title=Accentuating the Positive |url=https://foxedquarterly.com/anthony-quinn-molly-hughes-literary-review/ |access-date=2024-12-04 |website=Slightly Foxed |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Churches==
[[File:St Paul's Church, Canonbury - geograph.org.uk - 347564.jpg|thumb|St Paul's Church, now a school]]
*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]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://londonchurchbuildings.wordpress.com/2013/12/15/st-paul-essex-road-canonbury/ |title= St Paul, Essex Road, Canonbury|date= 15 December 2013|publisher= London Churches in photographs |access-date=14 January 2016}}</ref> Its parish was merged with St Jude, Mildmay and since 1997 the building has been used as a [[Waldorf education|Steiner school]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.london.anglican.org/directory/st-jude-and-st-paul-mildmay-grove/ |title=St Jude and St Paul Mildmay Grove |publisher=Diocese of London |access-date=14 January 2016 |archive-date=13 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613020525/https://www.london.anglican.org/directory/st-jude-and-st-paul-mildmay-grove/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stpaulssteinerschool.org/ |title=St Paul Steiner school |access-date=14 January 2016}}</ref>
*St Stephen's Church, Church of England, is on Canonbury Road and was built in 1839.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://londonchurchbuildings.wordpress.com/2013/12/15/st-stephen-canonbury-road-canonbury/ |title=St Stephen, Canonbury Road, Canonbury |date=15 December 2013 |publisher=London Churches in photographs |access-date=14 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.ststephenscanonbury.org.uk/ |title= St Stephen's Canonbury |access-date=14 January 2016}}</ref>

==Groups in Canonbury==
* [[Greenpeace]] UK{{snd}}offices based at Canonbury Villas.
* The Canonbury Society aims to conserve the special character of Canonbury by monitoring development.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Welcome to the Canonbury Society|url=https://canonburysociety.org.uk/|access-date=2022-01-07|publisher=The Canonbury Society|language=en-GB}}</ref>
* Islington & Stoke Newington (T.S Quail) Sea Cadet Unit
* The Islington Society 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.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Islington Society|url=https://www.islingtonsociety.org.uk/|access-date=2022-01-07|language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Politics==
* Canonbury forms part of the [[Islington South and Finsbury (UK Parliament constituency)|Islington South and Finsbury]] parliamentary constituency. The constituency's MP is [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] politician [[Emily Thornberry]]. The Islington councillors representing Canonbury are Alex Diner, Clare Jeapes and Nick Wayne (Labour).

==Demography==
The 2011 census showed that the population of Canonbury ward was 72% white (53% British, 15% Other, 4% Irish), and 6% Black African.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ukcensusdata.com/canonbury-e05000369|title=Canonbury - UK Census Data 2011|last=Services|first=Good Stuff IT|website=UK Census Data|access-date=2019-09-05}}</ref>

==Transport and locale==
{{Geographic Location
|title     = '''Neighbouring areas of London.'''
|Northwest = [[Holloway, London|Holloway]]
|North     = [[Highbury]]
|Northeast = [[Newington Green]]
|West      = [[Barnsbury]]
|Centre    = Canonbury
|East      = [[Dalston]]
|Southwest = [[Islington]]
|South     = [[Hoxton]]
|Southeast = [[De Beauvoir Town]]
}}

[[File:Islington Met. B Ward Map 1916.svg|thumb|A map showing the Canonbury ward of Islington Metropolitan Borough as it appeared in 1916.]]

===Nearest stations===
* [[Angel tube station|Angel]]
* [[Essex Road station|Essex Road]]
* [[Canonbury railway station|Canonbury]]
* [[Highbury & Islington station|Highbury & Islington]]

===Buses===
[[London Buses]] routes [[London Buses route 4|4]], [[London Buses route 19|19]], [[London Buses route 30|30]], [[London Buses route 38|38]], [[London Buses route 56|56]], [[London Buses route 73|73]], [[London Buses route 236|236]], [[London Buses route 263|263]], [[London Buses route 341|341]], [[London Buses route 393|393]] and [[London Buses route 476|476]] serve Canonbury.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://content.tfl.gov.uk/bus-route-maps/canonbury-a4.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223141949/http://content.tfl.gov.uk/bus-route-maps/canonbury-a4.pdf |archive-date=2020-02-23 |url-status=live|title=Buses from Canonbury|date=30 June 2018|website=TfL|access-date=23 June 2020}}</ref>

==Education==
[[File:003 Compton Road.jpg|thumb|Compton Road]]

Canonbury Road School, now Canonbury Primary School, opened in 1877.<ref>{{cite web|title=The History of Canonbury Primary School, Islington|url=http://www.locallocalhistory.co.uk/schools/canonbury/history1/index-m.htm|website=www.locallocalhistory.co.uk|publisher=The School Detective|access-date=19 October 2016}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Blunden|first1=Mark|last2=Ross|first2=Tim|title=Boris Johnson primary Canonbury fails Ofsted report|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/boris-johnson-primary-canonbury-fails-ofsted-report-6482227.html|access-date=19 October 2016|work=Evening Standard|date=18 June 2010}}</ref> By 2013, when Ofsted inspected Canonbury Primary School it was rated as a "Good" school.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canonbury Primary School: Ofsted Report|url=http://canonburyprimaryschool.co.uk/our-school/about-canonbury/ofsted-report/|website=www.canonburyprimaryschool.co.uk|publisher=Canonbury Primary School|access-date=19 October 2016}}</ref> In 2013, there were 460 pupils on the school roll.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canonbury Primary School: Ofsted Report 2013|url=http://canonburyprimaryschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Canonbury-Ofsted-Report.pdf|website=www.canonburyprimaryschool.co.uk|publisher=Canonbury Primary School|access-date=19 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020042208/http://canonburyprimaryschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Canonbury-Ofsted-Report.pdf|archive-date=20 October 2016|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web|title=History of St Mary's Church of England Primary School|url=http://www.stmarys.islington.sch.uk/history-of-st-marys-church-of-england-primary-school/|website=www.stmarys.islington.sch.uk|access-date=19 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020050841/http://www.stmarys.islington.sch.uk/history-of-st-marys-church-of-england-primary-school/|archive-date=20 October 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> When Ofsted inspected the school in 2012 it was rated as a "Good" school and there were 178 pupils on the school roll.<ref>{{cite web|title=St Mary's CE Primary School: Ofsted Report 2012|url=http://www.stmarys.islington.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Ofsted-2012-Inspection.pdf|website=www.stmarys.islington.sch.uk|publisher=St Mary's Islington|access-date=19 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020104106/http://www.stmarys.islington.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Ofsted-2012-Inspection.pdf|archive-date=20 October 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[North Bridge House School| North Bridge House Senior School]] is located in Canonbury.<ref>"[http://www.northbridgehouse.com/contact-us Contact Us] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402110453/http://www.northbridgehouse.com/contact-us |date=2 April 2015 }}." [[North Bridge House School]]. Retrieved on 26 March 2015. "North Bridge House Senior School & Sixth Form - Canonbury[...]6-9 Canonbury Place London N1 2NQ"</ref>

==Notable residents==
[[File:Canonbury Tower 20200803 071402.jpg|thumb|right|Canonbury Tower]]
* [[Thomas Cromwell]], [[Lord Privy Seal]], lived in Canonbury Tower from 1533 until his execution in 1540 by order of King [[Henry VIII of England|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
* [[Christopher Smart]], poet, lived in Canonbury House
* [[Francis Ronalds]], inventor of the [[Electric telegraph#First working systems|electric telegraph]], lived at 11 Canonbury Place as a child<ref>{{Cite book|title=Sir Francis Ronalds: Father of the Electric Telegraph|last=Ronalds|first=B.F.|publisher=Imperial College Press|year=2016|isbn=978-1-78326-917-4|location=London}}</ref>
* [[Edmund Ronalds]], chemist, was born at 48 Canonbury Square and later lived at the east end of Canonbury Place<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ronalds|first=B.F.|date=2019|title=Bringing Together Academic and Industrial Chemistry: Edmund Ronalds' Contribution|journal=Substantia|volume=3|issue=1|pages=139–152}}</ref>
* [[Thomas Field Gibson]], [[Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851|Royal Commissioner]] for the [[Great Exhibition]] of 1851, was born at 2 Canonbury Place<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uudb.org/articles/thomasgibson.html|title=Thomas Gibson & Thomas Field Gibson|website=Dictionary of Unitarian and Universalist Biography|access-date=20 November 2017|archive-date=4 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220504212608/https://uudb.org/articles/thomasgibson.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[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 (1 Canonbury Park North)<ref name=":0" />
* [[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]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/BasilSpence |title=Spence, Basil (1907–1976) Plaque erected in 2011 |publisher=English Heritage |access-date=14 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/284793/greater-london-islington-canonbury-place-general|title=Greater London, Islington, Canonbury Place, General {{pipe}} Canmore|website=canmore.org.uk|access-date=6 May 2020|archive-date=27 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727092715/https://canmore.org.uk/site/284793/greater-london-islington-canonbury-place-general|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Dame [[Flora Robson]], actress, lived in Alwyne 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 [[Edward Castle, Baron Castle|Ted Castle]], journalist, lived in John Spencer Square
* [[Alan Davies]], actor/comedian
* [[Spider Stacy]], founding member of the Pogues
* [[Harry Randall (actor)|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<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.islingtontribune.com/news/2011/apr/broadcaster-sir-john-tusa-pens-tribute-his-home-patch-canonbury |title=Broadcaster Sir John Tusa pens a tribute to his home patch of Canonbury |access-date=16 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313074847/http://islingtontribune.com/news/2011/apr/broadcaster-sir-john-tusa-pens-tribute-his-home-patch-canonbury |archive-date=13 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Kenneth Griffith]], actor, producer, presenter and historian, lived at 8 Alwyne Place, which he named Spion Kop
* [[Dido (singer)|Dido]], singer, lived at 1 Willow Bridge Road
* [[Alison Moyet]], singer, lived at 6 Alwyne Road
* [[Keira Knightley]] and her husband [[James Righton]] moved into Canonbury in 2014<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.homesandproperty.co.uk/property-news/canonburys-celebrity-status-is-confirmed-as-keira-knightley-moves-in-32846.html|title=Canonbury's celebrity status is confirmed as Keira Knightley moves in|date=7 January 2014|website=Homes and Property}}</ref>
* [[Kit Harington]], actor, moved into Canonbury in 2015
* [[James Bay (singer)|James Bay]], singer, moved to Canonbury in 2016
* [[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 to 1987
* [[Allegra Stratton]], [[Downing Street Press Secretary]] from 2020 to 2021, and her husband [[James Forsyth (journalist)|James Forsyth]], political editor of ''[[The Spectator]]''<ref>{{cite news|date=28 March 2013|title=Allegra Stratton's My London|newspaper=[[Evening Standard]]|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/esmagazine/allegra-strattons-my-london-8552134.html|access-date=31 December 2014}}</ref>
* [[Emma Watson]], actress, lived at 2 Canonbury Place

==References==
[[File:015 Alwyn Villas.jpg|thumb|Alwyne Villas]]
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060105070937/http://www.canonbury.ac.uk/?tower Canonbury Masonic Research Centre]
*[http://www.towertheatre.org.uk/ Tower Theatre Company]
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/07/a4369007.shtml BBC ''WW2 People's War'' - Joan Windsor's WW2 experiences (including bombing raid on Essex Road)]
*[http://www.canonburysociety.org.uk/ The Canonbury Society]

{{LB Islington}}
{{London Districts}}

[[Category:Districts of the London Borough of Islington]]
[[Category:Areas of London]]