This quaint residential neighbourhood sits peacefully in between Essex Road, Upper Street, and City Road. With its relatively small population of under 8,000, its wide Regency-style streets, and the canal which trickles through to the south, the area remains tranquil compared to the hustle and bustle of nearby Old Street and Islington. The area does, however, have its own abundant sources of entertainment; with a healthy balance of traditional and more modern pubs, large clubs, and even a couple of famous comedy venues. It’s also incredibly well connected, containing Angel Underground Station to the south and Essex Road just a short walk away to the north, as well as a number of bus routes from New North Road and Upper Street, all of which provide access to the area’s two schools. The Regent’s Canal offers a quiet escape with its trendy waterside cafés and bars, and a location for modern luxury apartments too, but despite the growing number of these large blocks, when walking around the area it is clear that it proudly holds onto its charming village feel.

Remaining almost entirely rural until the early nineteenth century, the area was industrialised with the introduction of the Regent’s Canal in 1820, which was designed to carry goods from Limehouse into the city. The City Road Basin, which opened in 1820, was constructed so that boats could moor and unload cargo, and became the centre of a huge expansion in international trade. It brought great prosperity to the area’s industry, as well as the population to accommodate it, and the amenities to provide for this new population. Canal trade began to fall after the Second World War and the basin areas became run-down and derelict, and the area was left relatively untouched until the council built the Wharf Road Estate in the 1980s. In 2004, the Islington Borough Council adopted the City Road Basin Masterplan, which began the development of the high-rise apartments which are synonymous with the area today, and opened up the basin to the public for the first time in its history.

The English playwright and author, Joe Orton, lived, despite his relative fame, in a tiny flat on Noel Road with his lover Kenneth Halliwell. He had a short but prolific career writing scandalous black comedies, inspiring the adjective Ortonesque which critics regularly use to refer to more contemporary works. He and Halliwell were arrested and imprisoned in 1962, for often rather comically, defacing library books by vandalising their covers before returning them, as well as tearing out illustrations to decorate their walls. Orton lived in this neighbourhood until his death at the hands of Halliwell, who had allegedly become jealous of his partner’s success.

Noel Road seems to have been a hotbed for creatives throughout the years, and another notorious resident was the painter Walter Sickert, who lived at number 54, where he produced his works ‘The Hanging Gardens of Islington’ and ‘Fading Memories of Walter Scott’. Multiple historians also consider Sickert to be one of the prime suspects in the Jack the Ripper murders, including the prolific crime novelist Patricia Cornwell who has published two works providing evidence to support her claims!

One of the only pubs in London whose doors open up directly onto the towpath, The Narrowboat, is located in this neighbourhood just off Wharf Road. While it was once a pub to provide for the canal workers, it is now a modern gastropub with canalside balconies, offering the perfect setting for a summer drink.

Despite a fall in house prices due to the surge in terraced house sales following the increase in Stamp Duty on second homes, many of which were owned by wealthy politicians, the average cost of a house in the area remains unaffordable for most and many remain uninhabited. However, its proximity to Angel tube station means that the area’s abundant entertainment venues are always busy, but manage to maintain their community feel. One resident we spoke to mentioned that despite the wide array of pubs and bars, whenever he visits he is always made to feel like a local.

The lack of affordable housing throughout Islington has prompted the council to commit to building 2000 new affordable homes, 500 of which will be new council flats. However, In this neighbourhood recent developments have been commercial, with the Old Sorting House completed in 2019 providing nearly 2,000 m2 of office space. South of here, just across the canal, there is an abundance of proposed new development with three residential-led schemes under construction just north Shoreditch Park. Angel will also be greatly affected by the introduction of Crossrail 2 which is planned to pass through the station. Despite £1.8 billion being invested in the project in 2020 it is unclear when the project will materialise as plans have been underconsideration in different forms since the 1970s.