Park of the week

101. Whittington Park

This park, in Upper Holloway is, like the hospital, named after Dick Whittington. It could be said that there are two Dick Whittingtons, the real man, rich, successful and generous, and the pantomime character, joyful and keen on cats. The story goes that as the pantomime version was climbing Highgate Hill having left London after failing to make his riches, he heard the bells of St Mary Le Bow in Cheapside (I don’t think you could hear them from Highgate these days) and believed they were sending him a message to return to London. The place where he is meant to have stopped is marked by the Whittington Stone, together with cat. Some have said that rather than a pet, he may have had a catte, a type of boat, or that his purchases were called exchats. Anyway, there’s a topiary cat next to the entrance of Whittington Park. 

Whittington Park started life in 1954 as a small public open space but it was not officially opened until August 1973, by which time it had grown to around six times the original size. A time capsule, to be opened in 50 years' time, August 2023, was buried with a message to be read by future Islingtonians – not long to wait now. 

The park was recommended to me by a friend and FRS member, and it didn’t disappoint. There are lots of different areas to visit. It has green space, but also next to the Holloway Road entrance is a wildflower meadow, to the west is a small woodland and several native species hedgerows, managed through the traditional craft of ‘layering’, which provide good cover for birds. There’s a wide range of bird species for such an urban location: of mistle thrush, goldfinch, greenfinch and house sparrows, a species which is now rare in many parts of London. It’s been designated a Site of Local Importance to Nature Conservation.

The park has rose and shrub beds, an ecology garden, wildlife pond and the community garden, maintained by the Whittington Park Community Association 4H Garden Group. 4H stands for Hops, Herbs, Health and Happiness.

There are also a community classroom and a war memorial, commemorating the fallen from one particular street, Cromwell Road, which was where the park now is.

There’s a floodlit astroturf pitch, table tennis tables, a children's playground, sandpits, water play feature, picnic tables and a skate park. There are also toilets, and a café run by the local community association. There’s no car park but we found space on a nearby street.

Judith Field

Whittington Park, Holloway Road, London N19 4RS