Park of the week

117. Caledonian Park

This is a large green space in Islington. Before London grew outwards, the area was known as Copenhagen Fields and was open fields and paths. It had been the grounds of a mansion, Copenhagen House.

In the Nineteenth Century, Copenhagen Fields was the site of several mass meetings, such as the 1834 Trade Unionist rally against the treatment of the Tolpuddle Martyrs. A petition was handed to Parliament and the sentences were eventually repealed in 1836.

The centrepiece of the park is a 155ft Grade II listed clock tower. This is all that remains of the Metropolitan Cattle Market, opened in 1855 by the City of London Corporation as a replacement for the market at Smithfield. As a result, Smithfield closed as a live cattle market, re-opening as a 'dead meat market' in 1867, which it remains today.

The cattle market at what’s now Caledonian Park closed at the outbreak of World War II and never re-opened. The meat market closed in the 1950s and the area was eventually cleared for the development of council housing. The public park was laid out and opened in 1958. In the 1960s the park was planted with ornamental gardens and in the early 1980s many trees were planted.

The clock tower suffered from vandalism in the Twentieth Century, but it was refurbished and reopened in 2019 and is meant to have the original working mechanism, although the one in the photo didn’t because we were there in the afternoon. You can climb the 220 steps to the top of the tower on Saturdays. but there are a lot of health warnings about needing to be fit, and about the steep steps, ladders and confined spaces. It’s unsuitable for the under tens.

In 2010 the Darwin Trail was set out in the park, 10 slate markers with information designed showing how the work of Charles Darwin (1809-1882) remains with us today, encouraging an understanding of the importance of urban ecology, wildlife habitats and biodiversity.

The park also has woodland areas, a community orchard and garden, grass meadows and a large open grass space, children’s playground and a tarmac ball court. There are a café and toilets. We managed to find a space to park on a nearby street.

Judith Field

Caledonian Park, Market Road, London N7 9PL