A little History
The Metropolitan Cattle Market, built in 1855, covered the whole site of what is now Cally Park and Market Estate.
Most famous for its weekly "Pedlars' Market" it closed in 1939 for livestock, but the cobbled area held flea markets until the late sixties when the estate was built. Today only its clocktower, railings and 3 market gin palaces remain.
In the early 19
century, Islington had been the last halting place for cattle being driven to
Smithfield Market. Two men, Samuel Rhodes and Richard Laycock, amassed large
land-holdings for local dairy farming. Much of this land was used first for
brickfields, then new estates, but Laycock first switched from dairy farming to
the provision of cattle lairs. His main premisies were round Laycock's Yard,
near the later Highbury and Islington Station, and his successors retained some
land for dairying as well. There were 54 licensed dairy establishments in the
neighbourhood in 1865, when an outbreak of cattle plague forced reorganisation
of the arrangements for milk supply.
The inconvenience of having a live cattle market at Smithfield had long been
obvious, but the Corporation of London was reluctant to take action. John
Perkins had tried to establish a market on the south side of Lower Street in
1836, but this had failed. In 1855 the Corporation, finally stirred to act,
acquired Copenhagan House and some of the surrounding fields, and build a
market, with yards for 7000 cattle and 42,000 sheep, and lodging for the
drovers. When the market was not in session, a flea market operated.
Tradition has it, that Copenhagen House and Copenhagen Fields were named in honour of a noble but otherwise unknown Dane who lived there in the 17th century. The following century saw it laid out as a pleasure garden with skittle alley and a superb view across the fields of London. The Fields were to have their share of stirring events.
In 1780 the landlady of Copenhagen House was given troops to protect her property against Gordon Rioters on their way to burn Lord Mansfield's mansion at Ken Wood. Many political meetings took place in the fields including a huge demonstration in support of the Tolpuddle Martyrs in 1834.
At one public meeting addressed by John Thelwall, on 26th October 1795, in Copenhagen Fields, it was claimed that over 150,000 people were in attendance. He famously declared there, "I do not mean equality of property. that is totally impossible in the present state of human intellect and industry. The equality I mean is equality of rights. The equality which protects the poor against the insults and oppressions of the rich, as well as the rich against the insults and invasions of the poor."
"Copenhagen House.'I tell you, citizens, we mean to new-dress the Constitution and turn it, and set a new nap on it' Shakespeare"; showing an election fair in Copenhagen Fields. On a platform to the right a gesticulating figure, over whose head another, grinning, is holding green umbrella. Another man is holding a sheet inscribed "Resolution of the London Correspond Society"
ISLINGTON
Stretching north from where two routes from the City met at the Angel, was built up early with roadside settlements along Upper Street and High Street, forming Islington town, and farther north at Lower and Upper Holloway. Canonbury, Highbury, and Barnsbury, which had been medieval manors, were built up as middle-class suburbs in the 19th century. The south-west corner of the parish, near King's Cross, was given over to industry, working-class housing, and institutions, which included the Royal Caledonian asylum, the Metropolitan cattle market, and Holloway and Pentonville prisons.
We are working to make a better Islington for everyone!
That means change, but a change for the better in 2005.
Make use of the Caledonian Park!
Consequences for the Caledonian Park of the redevelopment and regeneration of Market Estate-Caledonian Park
The Regeneration of Caledonian Park will be going ahead!
Islington West Area Planning Sub Committee have given the go ahead to the
demolition of the Market Estate and approved the Planning Application for
the new estate.
The historic decision was taken at a meeting held at the Barnsbury Complex,
Offord Road, N1 on Tuesday 11th January 2005 at 7:30pm.
Comprehensive
redevelopment of the Market Estate will involve rebuilding and replacement of
existing housing blocks. To achieve this, two areas in the north-eastern and
north-western parts of the park would be lost during demolition and construction
in exchange for an area of the existing estate to the north of the clock tower.
All of the existing ecological habitats are of relatively recent origin (around 20 years), and are therefore easily re-creatable but the woodland would take time to mature to the current stage of development. Plans to enhance the ecological value of the park have been drawn up by London Conservation Services.
There will be the same level of nature value. Ultimately, the overall area of the parkland will remain the same, there will be no loss of green space and the historic symmetry of the site will be restored with the reopening of the north-south axis of the park between Market Road and North Road.
Key elements of this process are:
· Re-design of the Caledonian Park to maximise usage by all sections of the community
· Improving the safety and security in the Caledonian Park and its surrounds
· Enhancement of the nature conservation importance of the Caledonian Park
· Restoration and the improvement of the setting of the Clock Tower
· Restoration of the listed railings and integration of same as key elements of the redevelopment site
If you would like more information on the park, please email friends@caledonianpark.org.uk
METRA newsletter January 2005
A Better Park for All
If you have any
queries regarding the regeneration of Market Estate, contact METRA.
If residents
of Market Estate require information about developments or wish to be informed of meetings,
please contact
Tenants Friend
Freephone 0500 291 999
Local residents are very pleased to work with Southern Housing Group as partners in the redevelopment of the Park and Market Estate.
Click here the SHG website
METROPOLITAN POLICE SERVICE
Islington Police Station
Community Contact Office
2 Tolpuddle St
Islington
London N1 OYY
Telephone 020-7421 0362
Click here Islington Safer Neighbourhoods Survey
Friends of Caledonian Park
FCP are working together with other local people through the Tenants & Residents Associations such as Surr Street and Corporation Street Tenants & Residents Association, the York Way Tenants Association and the Shearling Way Tenants Association.
Contact Details
Friends of Caledonian Park
Unit 17
Clocktower Workspace
4 Shearling Way
Islington
London
N7 9TH
Friends of Caledonian Park gratefully acknowledge our 2003 funding from UnLtd
UnLtd want to support people who have the ideas and commitment to make a really positive difference in their communities.
This could include you!
paulcarbury@unltd.org.uk
