Canonbury
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Canonbury is a place in the London Borough of Islington in the north of London. It is roughly in the area between Essex Road, Upper Street and Cross Street and either side of St Pauls Road. Its roots go back as far as the 14th century, but development of modern-day Canonbury began in the early 19th century. Post war expansion (from 1950s-1970s) saw a further wave of development to what is now a typically diverse cultural and socio-economic inner London area.
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[edit] Nearest places
[edit] Famous residents
- Thomas Cromwell, Lord Privy Seal, lived in Canonbury Tower from 1533. His residency ended abruptly in 1541 when he was beheaded by King Henry VIII.
- Sir Francis Bacon, King James I's Lord Chancellor, lived in Canonbury Tower, 1616-1626.
- George Orwell, writer, lived in Canonbury Square
- Evelyn Waugh, writer, lived at 17 Canonbury Square
[edit] Nearest railway stations
[edit] Pubs and bars in Canonbury
- The Marquess Tavern
- 25 Canonbury Lane
- The House
- Compton Arms
- The Alwyne
- The Canonbury Tavern - shut in late 2006 - famously had a "No sex on the premises" bylaw passed in the 19th century.
[edit] Places of interest
- Canonbury Tower - Built in the 16th century, the tower has been occupied by many historical figures, including Francis Bacon and Thomas Cromwell. It is currently used as a Masonic research centre.
- Canonbury Square - An attractive square, bisected by Canonbury Road. Many significant figures from the arts and literary worlds have lived on the square, including George Orwell, Evelyn Waugh and Samuel Phelps. The Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art is nearby.
- New River Walk - The New River, an aqueduct built by Sir Hugh Middleton to supply fresh water to London, was completed in 1613. The walk and waterway are reasonably well kept and parts provide a quiet, if a little short walk.
[edit] Groups in Canonbury
- The Tower theatre company
Based at Canonbury Tower until 2003
- Greenpeace
UK offices based at Canonbury Villas.
[edit] Politics
Sickert Court, Marquess Estate Canonbury, January 2006
- The local MP is Labour politician Emily Thornberry (her full constituency is Islington South and Finsbury). The Islington councillors representing Canonbury are Barbara Smith, Lucy Watt and Paula Belford (all Liberal Democrat).
