St Silas Church Gardens (Islington)
Brief Description
Initially dedicated as Christ Church, the church was designed by S S Teulon in 1860 but completed by E P Loftus Brock in 1863, problems having arisen with the building. It was dedicated to St Silas in July 1867. The chancel was added in 1884. It has a small railed garden fronting Penton Street with a War Memorial with a path around it, with roses, grass and three trees including a yew and London plane.
Practical Information
- Previous / Other name:
- St Silas Pentonville
- Site location:
- Penton Street
- Postcode:
- N1 9UL
- What 3 Words:
- crest.stocks.actor
- Type of site:
- Public Gardens
- Borough:
- Islington
- Open to public?
- Yes
- Opening times:
- 8am - dusk
- Special conditions:
- Facilities:
- Events:
- Public transport:
- Tube: Angel (Northern). Bus: 153, 174
- Research updated:
- 01/04/2012
- Last minor changes:
- 19/07/2023
Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news. www.saint-silas.org.uk; www.islington.gov.uk/parks
Full Site Description
The parish was set up at the instigation of the vicar of St James Pentonville, Fr Courtenay, and land that had previously been a brewery was purchased and initially a temporary iron chapel was set up. It was replaced by a new church designed by S S Teulon, the foundation stone laid on 19 July 1860. However there were problems with the building, and the east end had to be rebuilt further back from the road. Fr Courtenay sued the architect and builder for using Kentish ragstone, which had proved too soft. A simpler building was completed by E P Loftus Brock and opened in 1863, originally dedicated as Christ Church. The dedication to St Silas took place when it was consecrated on 16 July 1867. St Silas, sometimes called Silvanus from the Greek word for 'wood', was one of the companions of St Paul and a relatively rare dedication for a church. St Silas Church is unusual in that it has embarked on a project to combine the need for a new roof with installation of solar panels, a scheme that was granted planning permission in 2009.
Sources consulted:
Bridget Cherry & Nikolaus Pevsner, The Buildings of England: London 4: North (Penguin, 1998); 'Our History' on St Silas Church website
Further Information (Planning and Conservation)
- Grid ref:
- TQ310833 (531051,183302)
- Size in hectares:
- 0.02
- Site ownership:
- Church: Diocese of London
- Site management:
- LB Islington Greenspace
- Date(s):
- 1860s
- Designer(s):
- Listed structures:
- LB: St Silas with All Saints and St James
- 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:
- Local/strategic view corridor
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.