Located in Islington North and bounded by the bustling Holloway and Caledonian Roads, this predominantly residential area is tucked in between two of the most vibrant and distinct streets in North London. With an abundance of convenient stations – Caledonian Road & Barnsbury Overground to the south, Highbury & Islington to the east, and Holloway Road and Caledonian Road Underground stations to the north – and a huge number of bus routes down both Holloway and Caledonian Road, the neighbourhood couldn’t ask for better connections to the rest of town. A mish-mash of Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian and post-war council estates line the wide, almost suburban streets, which, alongside the many green spaces such as Paradise Park and St. Mary Magdalene Garden, provide quiet oases to get away from the rowdy main roads. The area’s location towards the fashionable Highbury means the house prices are higher than further north, but the neighbourhood still remains a very popular location with students and locals alike, helping contribute to the locale’s celebrated multiculturalism and community spirit, reflected in the variety of independent cafes, restaurants and bars dotted throughout.

No consensus can be drawn by historians, but it is believed that the name Holloway derives from either the ‘Hollow’ or dip in the road caused by the cattle driving route from the North into Smithfield, or ‘Hallow’, referring to the road’s significance as part of the pilgrimage route to Walsingham. The road was in such a poor state due to the transport of cattle by the 14th century that the Bishop of London commissioned a new toll road up Highgate Hill, which was the origin of the Great North Road reaching from London to Edinburgh. Predominantly rural until the 19th century, the area was supplemented by the building of Caledonian Road in 1826 to link the New Road in Islington to Holloway Road, and named after the Caledonian Asylum which housed the children of poor exiled Scots. Pentonville Prison was built in 1842 and became the model for British prisons throughout the empire, and cemented the area as an undesirable location until, like much of North London, it experienced rapid residential and commercial growth around the turn of the 20th century with the introduction of the railways. The area’s proximity to King’s Cross made it a target during the Second World War, damaging beyond repair many of the residencies on Caledonian Road, which created the space for much of the social housing blocks that we know the area to possess today.

The world-famous pop sensation, Elton John, lived at 29 Furlong Road with his long- time collaborator Bernie Taupin from 1968 to 1969. At the time the duo were staff songwriters for DJM Records, writing material for Roger Cook and Lulu, and performing on recordings such as The Hollies’ “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”. Elton would go on to record such hits as ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ and Disney’s Lion King soundtrack for which he won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. He is a champion of worldwide LGBTQ rights and supports many AIDS foundations.

Heath Ledger lived at Pearl House, Roman Way in 2007 whilst filming for Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, but sadly died from a drug overdose in 2008 before the film was released, posthumously winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor the following year. He is also famous for roles in A Knight’s Tale and Brokeback Mountain.

Pentonville Prison once held such famous names as Oscar Wilde, George Best, Pete Doherty, Boy George, and George Michael. It also held its final execution as late as July 1961, when 21-year-old Edwin Bush was hanged for murder, after being the first British criminal caught through the Identikit facial composite system! The famous executioner Albert Pierrepoint carried out 43 executions at the prison.

During the Blitz, the site that is now occupied by the beautiful Paradise Park was hit by a huge V2 rocket missile on Boxing Day 1944. There were over 340 casualties including 73 deaths, and 20 buildings were destroyed, one of which was the Prince of Wales public house. The crater left over was 9 metres wide and 4.5 metres deep!

The large London Square development was recently completed in this neighbourhood, which describes itself as “one of London’s most dramatic regeneration projects”. Sitting between 423 and 425 Caledonian Road, the scheme consists largely of luxury 1 and 2 bedroom apartments in an attempt to attract a wealthier population from nearby Islington and King’s Cross. Civic improvements to the public space and road system on Highbury Corner were also recently completed, alleviating traffic and creating a tasteful town square. Many locals were especially happy that separate bike lanes were included, making cycling into the centre of London considerably safer. Looking forward, Peabody Developers have recently acquired the site of the former HM Prison Holloway which can be found just north of this postcode. In 2019 it was agreed that 985 new homes will be built on the site as well as a 1.4 acre public park, retail space, and a Women’s Centre. These added facilities, as well as a provision stipulating that over 50% of housing should be affordable, were secured by Islington Council.