London Borough of Islington

**The London Borough of Islington** is a London borough in North and Inner London. It was formed in 1965 by merging the former metropolitan boroughs of Islington and Finsbury. The borough contains two Westminster parliamentary constituencies; Islington North and Islington South & Finsbury.

## Etymology

Islington was originally named by the Saxons *Giseldone* (1005), then *Gislandune* (1062). The name means 'Gīsla's hill' from the Old English personal name Gīsla and *dun* 'hill', 'down'. The name then later mutated to *Isledon*, which remained in use well into the 17th century when the modern form arose. In medieval times, Islington was just one of many small manors in the area, along with *Bernersbury*, *Neweton Berewe* or *Hey-bury*, and *Canonesbury* (Barnsbury, Highbury and Canonbury - names first recorded in the 13th and 14th centuries). "Islington" came to be applied as the name for the parish covering these villages, and was the name chosen for the Metropolitan Borough of Islington, on its formation in 1899. On the merger with Finsbury, to form the modern borough this name came to be applied to the whole borough.

## Districts of Islington

The borough includes the areas:

* Angel
* Archway
* Ashburton Grove
* Barnsbury
* Canonbury
* Clerkenwell
* Finsbury
* Finsbury Park
* Highbury
* Holloway
* Islington
* Kings Cross
* Newington Green
* Pentonville
* St Luke's
* Tufnell Park

## Wards

* Barnsbury
* Bunhill
* Caledonian
* Canonbury
* East Canonbury
* Clerkenwell
* Finsbury Park
* Highbury East
* Highbury West
* Hillrise
* Holloway
* Junction
* Mildmay
* St. Georges
* St. Marys
* St. Peters
* Tollington

## Major public and private bodies in Islington

There are two prisons in Islington, a male prison, HM Prison Pentonville and a women's prison Holloway, that held many suffragettes.

## Economy

As of 2008 Square Enix's Europe offices are on the second floor of the Castle House in Borough of Islington.

## Cultural attractions and institutions in Islington

* Almeida Theatre
* Courtyard Theatre
* Emirates Stadium (and the former Arsenal Stadium at *Highbury*)
* Islington N1 Centre
* The Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art in Canonbury Square
* Hen and Chickens Theatre
* *Islington Arts Factory*, in Parkhurst Road,
* London Canal Museum, located in New Wharf Road, King's Cross
* Islington Museum, located at Finsbury Library (opens 2008)
* The King's Head Theatre
* Sadler's Wells Theatre
* *Technology Mile* - wireless access throughout Upper Street and Holloway Road.
* Union Chapel, Islington

## Farms

Lower Holloway in Islington is home to Freightliners City Farm which is one of the many city farms throughout London. The farm, which isn't like an industrial farm, contains a wide range of animals from rabbits to cows to chickens and pigs all free for the public to view.

## Demographics of Islington

According to the 2001 census Islington has a population of 175,797. It is 75% White, 6% Black African, 5% Black Caribbean and 2% Bangladeshi. 32% of the borough's residents are owner–occupiers.

## Education

### Universities

The London Borough of Islington is home to two higher education institutions:—

* City University at Northampton Square, formerly the Northampton Institute, founded in 1894; and
* London Metropolitan University, North Campus on the Holloway Road, formed from the merger of the University of North London and London Guildhall University in 2002. The University of North London was founded in 1896 as the Northern Polytechnic Institute.

### Colleges

The borough also currently contains two colleges of further education:—

* City and Islington College; and
* Westminster Kingsway College (while major improvement works are carried out at King's Cross).

### Schools

The borough currently maintains 47 primary schools, 10 secondary schools, three special schools and five Pupil Referral Units. In 2000, Cambridge Education Associates, a private firm, took over the management of the Islington's state schools from the local education authority.