Highbury Fields

An Act of Parliament in December 1885 resulted in Highbury Fields being purchased for “perpetual use by the public for exercise and recreation”. It is the largest park in Islington, north London. We can still see the original interplay between open grassland and the formal design of interlocking avenues of London plane trees laid out in the early years of the park.

The chief concern is conservation: conservation of the individual trees and, above all, of the nineteenth and early twentieth century landscape design. The vistas of open fields united by avenues of plane trees are the main feature of this design. While both the park’s landscaping and its complement of London plane trees have suffered some degradation over the years, all the most important features remain and flourish.

Those parts that are in poor condition can be rescued, restored and conserved for many decades to come.