Coordinates: 51°34′16″N 0°06′03″W / 51.5712°N 0.1009°W / 51.5712; -0.1009

Finsbury Park is a 46 hectare (115 acre) public park in the London Borough of Haringey.^[1] Officially part of the London area of Harringay,^[2] it is also adjacent to Stroud Green, the Finsbury Park district and Manor House. It was one of the first of the great London parks laid out in the Victorian era.

Overview[link]

Avenue of mature trees, Finsbury Park

The park provides a large green space in central north London. It has a mix of open ground, formal gardens, avenues of mature trees and an arboretum area with a mix of more unusual trees. There is also a lake, a children's play areas, a cafe and an art exhibition space.

The Parkland Walk, a linear park, starts here, and provides a pleasant, traffic free, pedestrian and cycle route with much of the feel of a country walk, that links the park with Crouch Hill Park, Crouch End, and Highgate tube station.

Sports facilities in the park include football pitches, a bowling green,^[3] an athletics stadium, and tennis and basketball courts. Unusually for London, the park hosts two facilities for "American" sports: an American football field, home to the 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011 national champions London Blitz, and diamonds for softball and baseball, home to the 2007 and 2008 national champions the London Mets.

In recent years the park has been used for large public events such as Madstock!, the Fleadh, Big Gay Out, Party in the Park and Rise: London United.

A £5 million Heritage Lottery Fund Award, made in 2003, enabled significant renovations including cleaning the lake, building a new cafe and children's playground and resurfacing and repairing the tennis courts.

History[link]

Before the park[link]

The park was landscaped on the northeastern extremity of what was originally a woodland area in the Manor or Prebend of Brownswood. It was part of a large expanse of woodland called Hornsey Wood that was cut further and further back for use as grazing land during the Middle Ages. In the mid-18th century a tea room had opened on the knoll of land on which Finsbury Park is situated. Londoners would travel north to escape the smoke of the capital and enjoy the last remains of the old Hornsey Wood. Around 1800 the tea rooms were developed into a larger building which became known as the Hornsey Wood House/Tavern. A lake was also built on the top of the knoll with water pumped up from the nearby New River. There was boating, a shooting and archery range, and probably cock fighting and other blood sports. The Hornsey Wood Tavern was destroyed in the process of making the area into a park, but the lake was enlarged. Once the park had opened, a pub across the road from its eastern entrance along Seven Sisters Road called itself the Hornsey Wood Tavern after the original. This pub was later renamed the Alexandra Dining Room and closed for business in April 2007. It was subsequently demolished.

Creation of the park[link]

Sunset in Finsbury Park

During the early part of the second quarter of the 19th century, following developments in Paris, Londoners began to demand the creation of open spaces as an antidote to the ever-increasing urbanisation of London. In 1841 the people of Finsbury in the City of London petitioned for a park to alleviate conditions of the poor. The present-day site of Finsbury Park was one of four suggestions for the location of a park. Originally to be named Albert Park, the first plans were drawn up in 1850. Renamed Finsbury Park, plans for the park's creation were finally ratified by an Act of Parliament in 1857. Despite some considerable local opposition, the park was formally opened on Saturday 7 August 1869. Although the park's name was taken from the area where the 19th century benefactors who created it lived, Finsbury Park had earlier been part of an area that bore the name as part of the Finsbury division of the Ossultone Hundred.

Twentieth century to present[link]

The City from Finsbury Park

Through the late 19th century and early 20th century the park was a respectable and beautifully manicured space for people to relax and exercise. By the early 20th century, it was also becoming a venue for political meetings including pacifist campaigns during the First World War. During World War II, it hosted anti-aircraft guns and was one of the gathering points for heavy armour prior to the D-Day invasions.

Despite decline during the 1970s, recent lottery funding has enabled something of a renaissance in the park's fortunes. It is now a very pleasant north London park, containing Tennis courts, a running track, an occasional art gallery, a softball field and many open spaces for various leisure activities. It is also one of the most diverse places in London, with many different communities making use of the facilities.

^[4]

The park and music[link]

The park became an established music venue. Notable events have included:

• In 1967, Jimi Hendrix burned his guitar on stage for the first time ever.
• In 1992 at the Madstock concert, Morrissey was heckled off stage by the crowd after performing his song "National Front Disco". Many fans took exception to the song as they believed that it had a pro-racism message, and Morrissey himself was seen on stage flailing a Union Jack, which is often used by far-right groups.
• On June 12, 1993, Bob Dylan kicked off his 1993 European Tour, with a performance at the Park.

Mackenzie Garden, Finsbury Park

• The park hosted the Fleadh Festival on June 6 and 8, 1996, featuring performances by The Corrs and Sting.
• It was the site of a comeback concert by the Sex Pistols during their 1996 Filthy Lucre Tour.
• In 1997, KISS performed there for the last show of their hugely successful Alive/Worldwide Tour.
• In 2002, Oasis used the park for a gig during their 2002 world tour.
• Also in 2002, New Order played at the park, which features on a live DVD 511.
• In September 2003, rap-metal band Limp Bizkit played a huge free show in the park to make up for a cancelled UK date.^[5]
• In spring 2007, Groove Armada filmed their music video for the song Song 4 Mutya featuring Mutya Buena at the park.
• Following their Christmas Number One, Rage Against the Machine played a free gig on 6 June 2010 at the park.
• In June 2011 Bob Dylan again played in the park at the Feis festival.

Friends of Finsbury Park[link]

A summer evening in Finsbury Park

The Friends of Finsbury Park [1], founded in 1986, publish a history of the park and organise a range of environmental and arts activities in the park. They have produced a Vision for Finsbury Park supported by many local people and community groups.

Nearest tube and rail stations[link]

• Finsbury Park station
• Manor House tube station
• Harringay railway station
• Harringay Green Lanes railway station

References[link]

1. ^ Finsbury Park Management Plan 2007 – 2011
2. ^ Ward boundaries classify the park as being within Harringay Ward - Haringey Council Map showing the ward boundaries.
3. ^ Finsbury Park Bowls Club
4. ^ Much of this section owes thanks to Hayes, Hugh (2001), A Park for Finsbury, Friends of Finsbury Park, ISBN 0-9540637-0-8 
5. ^ The Gorge website

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Finsbury Park

• Finsbury Park Virtual Tour
• Harringay Online's Harringay Timeline
• Harringay Online - website for Harringay residents.
• A blog for Finsbury Park N4 - Aggregator of N4 community information, park activities and events.
• Harringay, Haringey Group on Flickr
• Haringey Council webpages on Finsbury Park
• Finsbury Park mentioned in John Betjeman's poem, 'The Cockney Amorist'
• Transition Finsbury Park

v t e Parks and open spaces in London Royal parks Bushy Green Greenwich Hyde Kensington Regent's Richmond St James's Large urban parks Alexandra Battersea Blackheath Burgess Crystal Palace Finsbury Hampstead Heath Parliament Hill Southwark Victoria Wimbledon Country parks Bayhurst Wood Belhus Woods Eastbrookend Fairlop Waters Fryent Hainault Forest Havering High Elms Hornchurch Lee Valley South Norwood Stanmore Stockley Trent Commons Barnes Bromley Cannon Hill Clapham Eel Brook East Sheen Ham Hayes Kenley Mitcham Old Oak Peckham Rye Plumstead Putney Putney Lower Stanmore Stoke Newington Streatham Tooting Tylers Wandsworth Wimbledon Winn's Marshes Aveley Crayford Erith Hackney Hornchurch Ingrebourne Leyton Rainham Tottenham Walthamstow Wennington Woodland Bostall Coldfall Dulwich Epping Forest Grangewood Park Highgate Lesnes Abbey Oxleas Queen's Russia Dock Sydenham Hill House gardens Belair Park Boston Manor House Cannizaro Park Danson Park Grovelands Park Grove Park Hampton Court Park Kenwood House Langtons Morden Hall Park Osterley Park Syon House Entry-fee charging Kew Gardens London Wetland Centre Community gardens Phoenix Garden Calthorpe Project

Coordinates: 51°31′34″N 0°06′12″W / 51.52603°N 0.10347°W / 51.52603; -0.10347

Finsbury
Finsbury  Finsbury shown within Greater London
OS grid reference	TQ315825
London borough	Islington
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LONDON
Postcode district	EC1
Postcode district	WC1
Dialling code	020
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
EU Parliament	London
UK Parliament	Islington South and Finsbury
London Assembly	North East
List of places: UK • England • London

Finsbury is a district of central London, England. It lies immediately north of the City of London and Clerkenwell, west of Shoreditch, and south of Islington and City Road. It is in the south of the London Borough of Islington. The Finsbury Estate is in the western part of the district. The eastern part of the district is now sometimes known as St Luke's.

Etymology[link]

The name is first recorded as Vinisbir (1231) and means "manor of a man called Finn."^[1]

History[link]

In the Middle Ages Finsbury was part of the great fen which lay outside the walls of the City of London.^[2] It gave its name to the Finsbury division of the Ossulstone hundred of Middlesex. In the early 17th century trees were planted and gravel walks made, and the area became a place for recreation. In 1641 the Honourable Artillery Company moved to Finsbury, where it still remains, and in 1665 the Bunhill Fields burial ground was opened in the area. Building on Finsbury Fields began in the late 17th century. The parish church of St Luke's was built in 1732-33, and at the end of the 18th century a residential suburb was built with its centre at Finsbury Square.^[2]

In 1832 the parliamentary borough of Finsbury was created, covering a considerably wider area, part of the Finsbury division of Ossultone hundred. In 1857 a park was opened some 3 miles north of Finsbury for the enjoyment of the residents of the parliamentary borough, and named Finsbury Park.^[1]

The Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury in the County of London was created in 1900, covering the area of Finsbury and Clerkenwell. In 1938, Dr. Chuni Lal Katial was elected mayor of Finsbury, making him the first Asian mayor in the United Kingdom. In 1942 the borough council erected a controversial statue of Vladimir Lenin in Holford Square (now demolished). The borough was abolished in 1965 and absorbed into the borough of Islington.

Famous residents[link]

• George Cruikshank, the Victorian illustrator, lived in Amwell Street.
• Arthur Mullard, comic actor.
• Violet Kray, mother of the gangster Kray brothers. Twins Ronnie and Reggie were arrested at her flat in Braithwaite House, Finsbury, in connection with gangland crimes including murder and fraud on 8 May 1968.^[3]

Today[link]

The name Finsbury is now most often used of the western part of the district, the home of the former Finsbury Town Hall, Finsbury Estate, Exmouth Market, the Sadler's Wells Theatre, Islington Local History Centre, Islington Museum and City University.

Transport[link]

Nearest places:

• Clerkenwell
• Pentonville
• Islington
• City of London

Nearest tube stations:

• Angel tube station
• Barbican tube station

Gallery[link]

• 

  Finsbury Town Hall

• 

  Lubetkin-designed Finsbury Health Centre

• 

  Finsbury War Memorial

References[link]

v t e London Borough of Islington Districts Angel Archway Barnsbury Canonbury Clerkenwell Farringdon Finsbury Finsbury Park Highbury Highgate Holloway Islington Kings Cross Lower Holloway Mildmay Nag's Head Newington Green Pentonville St. Luke's Tufnell Park Upper Holloway Attractions Almeida Theatre Business Design Centre Emirates Stadium House of Detention museum Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art Islington Local History Centre Islington Museum The King's Head Theatre London Canal Museum Museum of the Order of St John Sadler's Wells Theatre St. Luke's LSO Union Chapel Wesley's Chapel Street markets Camden Passage Chapel Market Exmouth Market Nag's Head Market Whitecross Street Market Parks and open spaces Barnard Park Bingfield Park Bunhill Fields Caledonian Park Gillespie Park Highbury Fields Paradise Park Rosemary Gardens Spa Fields Gardens Whittington Park Constituencies Islington South and Finsbury Islington North Tube and rail stations Angel Archway Arsenal Caledonian Road Canonbury railway station Crouch Hill railway station Drayton Park railway station Essex Road railway station Farringdon Finsbury Park station Highbury and Islington Holloway Road Old Street Tufnell Park Upper Holloway railway station Other topics People Public art Schools