IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Highbury Crescent, LONDON, N5 1RT

Attractive old houses overlooking Highbury Fields across the road.

A jogger makes her way around the edge of Highbury Fields on a cold but sunny winter's day.

It is said that in London you are never more than a few feet from a rat, although the animals are seldom seen by the public. Islington Council is all too aware of the problem, however, and is here imploring people not to feed squirrels and pigeons because it provides food for rats as well. The notice is posted at the beginning of Queen's Walk which crosses Highbury Fields from Highbury Crescent.

There used to be an old stone-covered spring here which in the 15th century supplied water via a series of lead conduits as far as Moorgate. This gave Highbury Fields its earlier name of Conduit Field. In the 19th century, the whole area around what is now Highbury Fields consisted of open fields and dairy pasture. The fields supplied milk to the city and they were also a favourite place for Londoners to visit and taste warm milk straight from the cow. The fields were acquired by the Metropolitan Board of Works from the descendants of John Dawes who was a wealthy stockbroker and lived at Highbury Manor House. They were declared open to the public on 24th December 1885. In this photograph, Highbury Crescent is to the right.

An unusual name.There is a Melgund Castle in County Angus, Scotland, but whether that's relevant here I don't know.

Dated 1906 on the foundation stone and elsewhere, altered and enlarged to Fieldway Crescent front in 1973-6. Architect: Henry T. Hare. The principal front of Hare's building faces Holloway Road, and is faced in Portland stone, and there is a 1906 wing in Fieldway Crescent of red brick set in English bond with stone dressings.

A line of sturdy black and yellow bollards provides a barrier to cars on the inner edge of Highbury Crescent which skirts Highbury Fields.