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Inventory Site Record

Tufnell Park Playing Fields (Islington)

Brief Description

Tufnell Park Playing Fields were formed on the site of a C19th cricket pitch. It was later the University of London Playing Field, but is now owned by LB Islington and is a large grassy expanse, part railed with trees around its south, north and west boundaries.

Practical Information
Site location:
Campdale Road/Tufnell Park Road
Postcode:
N7 0EG
What 3 Words:
rugs.spring.squad
Type of site:
Public Park
Borough:
Islington
Open to public?
Yes
Opening times:
8am - dusk
Special conditions:
No dogs
Facilities:
Children's playground, cricket net, tennis courts, football pitches, toilets
Events:
Public transport:
Tube: Tufnell Park (Northern). Bus: 4, 134, 390
Research updated:
01/09/2010
Last minor changes:
19/07/2023

Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news. www.islington.gov.uk/services/parks-environment/parks/your_parks/greenspace_az

Full Site Description

What is now called Tufnell Park Road was probably once a Roman road. The Tufnell family came to own the northern manor of Barnsbury and built the Tufnell Park Estate. The site of the medieval manor house of Barnsbury was on the corner of Tufnell Park Road and Holloway Road, the site of the Odeon Cinema. William Tufnell was the son of a brewer with rich relatives among whom was his godfather through whom he acquired the manor in 1753/4, provided he changed his name to Joliffe. An Act of Parliament of 1768 enabled Tufnell to grant building leases although these were not taken up until the C19th, and building was not underway to any extent until the 1830s, continuing until the end of the C19th. The Tufnell Park Estate surveyor, George Truefitt, designed the majority of the 1860s villas as well as the church of St George, now St George's Theatre. Later housing was less well designed.

Sources consulted:

Bridget Cherry & Nikolaus Pevsner, The Buildings of England: London 4: North (Penguin, 1998); Ben Weinreb & Christopher Hibbert, 'The London Encyclopaedia' (Macmillan, revised ed. 1993); Mary Cosh, 'Barnsbury', (London 1981).

Further Information (Planning and Conservation)
Grid ref:
TQ294860 (529467,186041)
Size in hectares:
1.92
Site ownership:
LB Islington
Site management:
Greenspace; Tufnell Park Playing Fields Partnership Panel
Date(s):
C19th
Designer(s):
Listed structures:
None
On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens:

No
Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965:

No
Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931:

No

Local Authority Data

The information below is taken from the relevant Local Authority's planning legislation, which was correct at the time of research but may have been amended in the interim. Please check with the Local Authority for latest planning information.

On Local List:
No
In Conservation Area:
No
Tree Preservation Order:
No
Nature Conservation Area:
No
Green Belt:
No
Metropolitan Open Land:
No
Special Policy Area:
No
Other LA designation:
None

Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.