Newington Green

Story

Newington Green is an open space in north London that straddles the border between Islington and Hackney. It gives its name to the surrounding area, roughly bounded by Ball's Pond Road to the south, Petherton Road to the west, the southern section of Stoke Newington with Green Lanes, Matthias Road to the north, and Boleyn Road to the east.The Green itself is in N16 and the area is covered by the N16, N1 and N5 postcodes. It is not to be confused with Newington which is 4.7 miles farther south.OriginsThe first record of the area is as 'Neutone' in the Domesday Survey of 1086, when it still formed part of the demesne of St Paul’s Cathedral. The thirteenth century saw Newton become Newington, whilst the prefix 'Stoke' was added in the area to the north, distinguishing it from Newington Barrow or Newington Berners in Islington. Newington Barrow later became known as Highbury, after the manor house built on a hill.There was probably a medieval settlement, and the prevailing activity was agriculture, growing hay and food for the inhabitants of nearby London. By the 15th century the area had become more prosperous and in 1445 there were a good number of Londoners living in the hamlet. The name Newington Green was first mentioned in 1480. By the 1490s it was fringed by cottages, homesteads and crofts on the three sides in Newington Barrow manor in Islington. The north side was divided between the manors of Stoke Newington and Brownswood in South Hornsey.