Pentonville Road, N1

Pentonville Road connects Kings Cross and the Angel, Islington.

"From Pentonville Road Looking West/Evening" (1884)
Credit: John O’Connor (Museum of London)

Pentonville Road, renamed in 1857 after the new town of Pentonville, was originally built in the mid-18th century as part of the New Road, a bypass of Central London designed for coach traffic. Numerous factories and commercial premises were established on the road in the 19th and 20th centuries, particularly after the arrival of railways in the 1840s.

The road was designed as an integral part of Pentonville, a new suburb named after landowner Henry Penton. It was situated away from the city and became a local hub for manufacturing. There was a debate over the final route of the road - the original plan running through and owned by the Skinners Company and the New River Company was rejected in favour of the route further north via Battle Bridge.

After completion in 1756, the route now covered by Pentonville Road was largely fields, with Battle Bridge occupying the space where King’s Cross now is. The road’s route included a tavern known as Busby’s Folly - a meeting place of a drinking group known as the Society of Bull Feathers. The tavern was moved around 1780 to Penton Street and renamed the Belvedere Tavern with the current building dating from 1876.

There has been a bus service along Pentonville Road since 1829 but a coach service begun in 1798 between Paddington and Bank but was quickly withdrawn. The road was turnpiked in 1830. Until 1882, the upkeep of the road was paid by the local parish.

The street is distinguished by the "set back" housing lines originally intended to provide an atmosphere of spaciousness along the road.

The poet John Betjeman’s parents ran a cabinet makers at 34–42 Pentonville Road. It was established in 1859 and produced the Tantalus drinks cabinet in 1881.

Pentonville Road is one of the locations on the London version of the Monopoly board game.

By the 21st century, most of the manufacturing base along Pentonville Road had disappeared. The original townhouses are now residential or are student accommodation.

We are not hiding from you - just hiding from all the spammers!

You can get in touch by following the Contact Us instructions on the ABOUT page

Main source:	Wikipedia
	Further citations and sources

NEARBY LOCATIONS OF NOTE

Angel Angel tube station is a London Underground station in The Angel, Islington. It is on the Bank branch of the Northern Line.

Angel

Philharmonic Hall The Philharmonic Hall was a major music hall throughout the 1860s and early 1870s.

Philharmonic Hall

Spa Green Estate, EC1R The Spa Green Estate is a post-war realisation of a 1930s plan for social regeneration through Modernist architecture.

Spa Green Estate, EC1R

White Conduit Fields White Conduit Fields in Islington was an early venue for cricket and several major matches are known to have been played there in the 18th century.

White Conduit Fields

White Conduit Street (1950s) A line of children hold hands as they walk along the middle of White Conduit Street towards the junction with Chapel Market in Islington in the 1950s.

White Conduit Street (1950s)

NEARBY STREETS

Acton Street, WC1X Acton Street is found on the east side of Gray’s Inn Road and connects it with King’s Cross Road (Finsbury)

Acton Street, WC1X

Affleck Street, N1 Affleck Street was built by a Mr A. Attneave in 1884 (King’s Cross)

Affleck Street, N1

All Saints Street, N1 All Saints Street is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (King’s Cross)

All Saints Street, N1

Ampton Place, WC1X Ampton Place was previously called Frederick Place (Finsbury)

Ampton Place, WC1X

Amwell Street, EC1R Amwell Street is called after the nearby New River, which starts at Amwell, Hertfordshire (Finsbury)

Amwell Street, EC1R

Angel Arcade, EC1V Angel Arcade is named, along with many ’Angel’ streets of the area, after the famous pub (Angel)

Angel Arcade, EC1V

Angel Building, EC1V Angel Building is a block on St John Street (Angel)

Angel Building, EC1V

Angel Corner House, N1 Angel Corner House is located on Islington High Street (Angel)

Angel Corner House, N1

Angel House, N1 Angel House is a block on Pentonville Road (Angel)

Angel House, N1

Angel Mews, N1 Angel Mews is an ancient side street in Islington (Angel)

Angel Mews, N1

Angel Square, EC1V Angel Square is one of the streets of London in the EC1V postal area (Angel)

Angel Square, EC1V

Archery Fields House, WC1X Archery Fields House on Wharton Street was named after the historic use of the land (Finsbury)

Archery Fields House, WC1X

Arlington House, EC1R Arlington House is located on Arlington Way (Angel)

Arlington House, EC1R

Arlington Way, EC1R Arlington Way was called Arlington Street before 1936 (Finsbury)

Arlington Way, EC1R

Aztec Row, N1 Aztec Row is part of Berners Street, Islington (Islington)

Aztec Row, N1

Baron Street, N1 Baron Street is named after Joseph Barron, landlord of the White Lion inn during the late eighteenth century (Angel)

Baron Street, N1

Batchelor Street, N1 Batchelor Street is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (Islington)

Batchelor Street, N1

Battle Bridge House, WC1X Battle Bridge House is sited on Gray’s Inn Road (Finsbury)

Battle Bridge House, WC1X

Benyon House, EC1R Benyon House is sited on Myddelton Passage (Finsbury)

Benyon House, EC1R

Berners House, N1 Berners House is a block on Barnsbury Road (Islington)

Berners House, N1

Berners Road, N1 Berners Road is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (Angel)

Berners Road, N1

Bethany House, WC1X Bethany House is a block on Lloyd Square (Finsbury)

Bethany House, WC1X

Bevin Court, WC1X Bevin Court is a modernist housing project designed in the post-war period by the Tecton architects (Pentonville)

Bevin Court, WC1X

Bevin Way, WC1X Bevin Way was called after prominent Labour politician Ernest Bevin (Pentonville)

Bevin Way, WC1X

Bonington House, N1 Bonington House is a block on Killick Street (Islington)

Bonington House, N1

Bradleys Close, N1 Bradleys Close is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (Islington)

Bradleys Close, N1

Bridge Wharf, N1 Bridge Wharf is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (King’s Cross)

Bridge Wharf, N1

Britannia Street, WC1X Britannia Street, King’s Cross, dates from the 1770s (King’s Cross)

Britannia Street, WC1X

Bromfield Street, N1 Bromfield Street is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (Angel)

Bromfield Street, N1

Bruce Kenrick House, N1 Bruce Kenrick House is a block on Killick Street (King’s Cross)

Bruce Kenrick House, N1

Business Design Centre, N1 The Business Design Centre is a Grade II listed building located between Upper Street and Liverpool Road (Islington)

Business Design Centre, N1

Cable House, WC1X Cable House is a block on Great Percy Street (Finsbury)

Cable House, WC1X

Caledonia House, N1 Caledonia House can be found on Pentonville Road (King’s Cross)

Caledonia House, N1

Calshot House, N1 Calshot House is a building on Priory Green (Islington)

Calshot House, N1

Calshot Street, N1 Calshot Street is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (Islington)

Calshot Street, N1

Camden Passage, N1 Camden Passage was built as Cumberland Row in 1767 (Angel)

Camden Passage, N1

Carnegie Street, N1 Carnegie Street is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (Islington)

Carnegie Street, N1

Centenary Building, EC1R Centenary Building is a block on Spencer Street (Finsbury)

Centenary Building, EC1R

Chadwell Street, EC1R Chadwell Street is one of the streets of London in the EC1R postal area (Pentonville)

Chadwell Street, EC1R

Chalbury Walk, N1 A street within the N1 postcode (Islington)

Chalbury Walk, N1

Chapel Market, N1 Chapel Market is a daily street market in Islington (Islington)

Chapel Market, N1

Chapel Place, N1 Chapel Place lies off the north side of Chapel Market towards Liverpool Road (Islington)

Chapel Place, N1

Claremont Close, EC1R Claremont Close occupies a location that was initially developed in the 1820s as Claremont Mews, primarily serving Claremont Terrace and the northern side of Myddelton Square (Angel)

Claremont Close, EC1R

Claremont Square, N1 Claremont Square is a square and reservoir on Pentonville Road (Pentonville)

Claremont Square, N1

Claremont Street, EC1R A street within the N1 postcode (Angel)

Claremont Street, EC1R

Collier Street, N1 Collier Street is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (Islington)

Collier Street, N1

Corbet House, N1 Corbet House is a block on Maygood Street (Islington)

Corbet House, N1

Cruikshank Street, EC1R Cruickshank Street was named after George Cruikshank, 19th century illustrator who lived on nearby Amwell Street (Pentonville)

Cruikshank Street, EC1R

Cumming Street, N1 A street within the N1 postcode (King’s Cross)

Cumming Street, N1

Cynthia Street, N1 Cynthia Street is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (Pentonville)

Cynthia Street, N1

Dalby House, EC1V Dalby House is a block on City Road (Angel)

Dalby House, EC1V

Denmark Grove, N1 Denmark Grove is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (Islington)

Denmark Grove, N1

Derby Lodge, WC1X Derby Lodge is one of the streets of London in the WC1X postal area (King’s Cross)

Derby Lodge, WC1X

Devon House, N1 Devon House is a block on Upper Street (Angel)

Devon House, N1

Dewey Road, N1 A street within the N1 postcode (Islington)

Dewey Road, N1

Dignum Street, N1 A street within the N1 postcode (Islington)

Dignum Street, N1

Dinwiddy House, N1 Dinwiddy House is a block on Pentonville Road (King’s Cross)

Dinwiddy House, N1

Donegal Street, N1 Donegal Street is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (Islington)

Donegal Street, N1

Duncan Street, N1 Duncan Street is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (Angel)

Duncan Street, N1

Duncan Terrace, N1 Duncan Terrace is named after Admiral Duncan the commander of the Naval Fleet at the Battle of Camperdown against the Dutch in 1797 (Islington)

Duncan Terrace, N1

Eckford Street, N1 Eckford Street is a road in the N1 postcode area (Islington)

Eckford Street, N1

Elsinore House, N1 Elsinore House is a block on Barnsbury Road (Islington)

Elsinore House, N1

Fernsbury Street, WC1X Fernsbury Street is a turning off of Margery Street (Finsbury)

Fernsbury Street, WC1X

Field Street, WC1X Field Street is one of the streets of London in the WC1X postal area (King’s Cross)

Field Street, WC1X

Fife Terrace, N1 A street within the N1 postcode (Islington)

Fife Terrace, N1

Foxcroft House, N1 Foxcroft House is a block on Pentonville Road (King’s Cross)

Foxcroft House, N1

Frearson House, N1 Frearson House is a block on Weston Rise (Pentonville)

Frearson House, N1

Frederick Street, WC1X Frederick Street is a road in the WC1X postcode area (Finsbury)

Frederick Street, WC1X

Friend Street, EC1V Friend Street is a road in the EC1V postcode area (Finsbury)

Friend Street, EC1V

Godson Street, N1 A street within the N1 postcode (Islington)

Godson Street, N1

Grant Street, N1 The present Grant Street is the remnant of Warren Street, an L-shaped road running between Chapel Market and White Conduit Street, renamed Grant Street in 1936 (Islington)

Grant Street, N1

Granville Street, WC1X Granville Street is a road in the WC1X postcode area (Finsbury)

Granville Street, WC1X

Great Percy Street, WC1X Great Percy Street is one of the streets of London in the WC1X postal area (Finsbury)

Great Percy Street, WC1X

Grendon House, N1 Grendon House is located on Collier Street (Islington)

Grendon House, N1

Half Moon Crescent, N1 Half Moon Crescent is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (Islington)

Half Moon Crescent, N1

Hardwick Street, EC1R Hardwick Street is one of the streets of London in the EC1R postal area (Finsbury)

Hardwick Street, EC1R

Harvest Lodge, N1 Harvest Lodge a plain brick, four-storey block of flats was built in 1962 (Islington)

Harvest Lodge, N1

Hayward House, N1 Hayward House is a four-storey block of flats immediately north of St Silas’s Church (Islington)

Hayward House, N1

Headland House, WC1X Headland House is a block on Gray’s Inn Road (Finsbury)

Headland House, WC1X

Henry Place, N1 Henry Place predated the Barnsbury Estate (Islington)

Henry Place, N1

Hermes Street, N1 Hermes Street is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (Pentonville)

Hermes Street, N1

Hermit Street, EC1V Hermit Street links Friend Street with Rawstorne Street (Finsbury)

Hermit Street, EC1V

Hill House Apartments, N1 A street within the N1 postcode (Pentonville)

Hill House Apartments, N1

Holford Street, WC1X Holford Mews, Holdford Place and Holford Street were all named after the Holford family, who worked on the New River scheme (Finsbury)

Holford Street, WC1X

Holford Yard, WC1X Holford Yard is named after the Holford family, who worked on the New River scheme in the 18th century (Pentonville)

Holford Yard, WC1X

Hurst House, N1 Hurst House can be found on Weston Rise (Pentonville)

Hurst House, N1

Hydra Building, EC1R Hydra Building is a block on Hardwick Street (Finsbury)

Hydra Building, EC1R

Inglebert Street, EC1R Inglebert Street is a road in the EC1R postcode area (Finsbury)

Inglebert Street, EC1R

Islington High Street, N1 Islington High Street is part of the main road through Islington at Angel (Angel)

Islington High Street, N1

James Lighthill House, WC1X James Lighthill House is a block on Penton Rise (Pentonville)

James Lighthill House, WC1X

James’s Gardens, N1 James’s Gardens was established in the 1810s. (Angel)

James’s Gardens, N1

Killick Street, N1 Killick Street is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (Islington)

Killick Street, N1

King’s Cross Road, WC1X This is a street in the WC1X postcode area (Finsbury)

King’s Cross Road, WC1X

Leeke Street, WC1X Leeke Street is one of the streets of London in the WC1X postal area (King’s Cross)

Leeke Street, WC1X

Lloyd Baker Street, WC1X Lloyd Baker Street is one of the streets of London in the WC1X postal area (Finsbury)

Lloyd Baker Street, WC1X

Lloyd House, WC1X Lloyd House is located on Lloyd Street (Finsbury)

Lloyd House, WC1X

Lloyd Square, WC1X Lloyd Square is one of the streets of London in the WC1X postal area (Finsbury)

Lloyd Square, WC1X

Lloyd Street, WC1X Lloyd Street is a road in the WC1X postcode area (Finsbury)

Lloyd Street, WC1X

Lloyds Row, EC1R Lloyds Row is a road in the EC1R postcode area (Finsbury)

Lloyds Row, EC1R

Lorenzo Street, N1 Lorenzo Street is a road in the N1 postcode area (King’s Cross)

Lorenzo Street, N1

Mandeville Houses, N1 Mandeville Houses, fronting Mantell Street and Liverpool Road was the earliest housing scheme built by Finsbury Borough Council (Islington)

Mandeville Houses, N1

Mantell Street, N1 Mantell Street, originally Sermon Lane, is now part of Tolpuddle Street (Islington)

Mantell Street, N1

Maygood Street, N1 Maygood Street is a road in the N1 postcode area (Islington)

Maygood Street, N1

Maynard House, N1 Maynard House is located on Penton Street (Islington)

Maynard House, N1

Muriel Street, N1 A street within the N1 postcode (Islington)

Muriel Street, N1

Myddelton Passage, EC1R Myddelton Passage is an alleyway with an interesting story (Finsbury)

Myddelton Passage, EC1R

Myddelton Square, EC1R Myddelton Square is named after Sir Hugh Myddelton (1560–1631), the founder of the New River Company, who developed the square (Finsbury)

Myddelton Square, EC1R

Naoroji Street, WC1X Naoroji Street is one of the streets of London in the WC1X postal area (Finsbury)

Naoroji Street, WC1X

Newstead House, N1 Newstead House is sited on Liverpool Road (Islington)

Newstead House, N1

Noble House, N1 Noble House is sited on Islington High Street (Angel)

Noble House, N1

Northeast Place, N1 Northeast Place matched the adjacent Northwest Place (Angel)

Northeast Place, N1

Northwest Place, N1 Northwest Place, off Chapel Market, was formerly West Place (Angel)

Northwest Place, N1

Owen Street, EC1V Owen Street is a road in the EC1V postcode area (Angel)

Owen Street, EC1V

Owen’s Row, EC1V Owen’s Row is a road in the EC1V postcode area (Finsbury)

Owen’s Row, EC1V

Paget Street, EC1V Paget Street is one of the streets of London in the EC1V postal area (Finsbury)

Paget Street, EC1V

Parkfield Street, N1 Parkfield Street is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (Angel)

Parkfield Street, N1

Penton Grove, N1 The narrow loop of Penton Grove, now reduced to an L-shaped alley, was laid out on the site of one of the bowling greens belonging to Prospect House (Dobney’s). (Islington)

Penton Grove, N1

Penton House, N1 Penton House is a block on Hermes Street (Islington)

Penton House, N1

Penton Rise, WC1X Penton Rise is a road in the WC1X postcode area (Pentonville)

Penton Rise, WC1X

Penton Street, N1 Penton Street is a through-route leading on to the narrower Barnsbury Road which continues its line northwards into Islington (Islington)

Penton Street, N1

Pentonville Road, N1 Pentonville Road connects Kings Cross and the Angel, Islington (Pentonville)

Pentonville Road, N1

Percy Circus, WC1X Percy Circus was once referred to as "one of the most delightful bits of town planning in London" (Finsbury)

Percy Circus, WC1X

Pierrepoint Arcade, N1 Pierrepoint Arcade is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (Islington)

Pierrepoint Arcade, N1

Pierrepoint Row, N1 Pierrepoint Row is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (Islington)

Pierrepoint Row, N1

Pierrepont Arcade, N1 A street within the N1 postcode (Islington)

Pierrepont Arcade, N1

Pollard House, N1 Pollard House is a block on Northdown Street (King’s Cross)

Pollard House, N1

Pride Court, N1 Pride Court is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (Angel)

Pride Court, N1

Prideaux House, WC1X Prideaux House can be found on Great Percy Street (Finsbury)

Prideaux House, WC1X

Prideaux Place, WC1X Prideaux Place is a road in the WC1X postcode area (Finsbury)

Prideaux Place, WC1X

Prospect House, N1 Prospect House is a block on Donegal Street (Islington)

Prospect House, N1

Rawstorne Place, EC1V Rawstorne Place is one of the streets of London in the EC1V postal area (Finsbury)

Rawstorne Place, EC1V

Rawstorne Street, EC1V Rawstorne Street was named after a local 18th century bricklayer called Thomas Rawstorne (Finsbury)

Rawstorne Street, EC1V

Redmond House, N1 Redmond House is a building on Carnegie Street (Islington)

Redmond House, N1

Regent’s Canal Towpath, N1 Regent’s Canal Towpath lies along the canal of the same name (Islington)

Regent’s Canal Towpath, N1

Regents Wharf, N1 Regents Wharf is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (King’s Cross)

Regents Wharf, N1

Risinghill Street, N1 Risinghill Street is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (Islington)

Risinghill Street, N1

Ritchie Street, N1 Ritchie Street is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (Islington)

Ritchie Street, N1

River Street, EC1R River Street is one of the streets of London in the EC1R postal area (Finsbury)

River Street, EC1R

Rodney House, N1 Rodney House is sited on Donegal Street (Islington)

Rodney House, N1

Rodney Street, N1 Rodney Street is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (Islington)

Rodney Street, N1

Sadler House, EC1V Sadler House is a block on Rosebery Avenue (Finsbury)

Sadler House, EC1V

Sanders House, WC1X Sanders House is a building on Great Percy Street (Finsbury)

Sanders House, WC1X

Seabrooke Place, N1 Seabrook Place once connected Angel Mews and White Lion Street (Angel)

Seabrooke Place, N1

Southern Street, N1 Southern Street is a road in the N1 postcode area (Islington)

Southern Street, N1

Spitfire Studios, N1 Spitfire Studios is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (King’s Cross)

Spitfire Studios, N1

St Helena Street, WC1X St Helena Street connects Naoroji Street and Fernsbury Street (Finsbury)

St Helena Street, WC1X

St Katharineâ€™s House, N1 St Katharine’s House is at the corner of Penton Street and the eastern stub of what had been Wynford Road until that street was cut off to its west by the large Half Moon Estate (Islington)

St Katharineâ€™s House, N1

St Katharines House, N1 St Katharines House is a building on Barnsbury Road (Islington)

St Katharines House, N1

St Philip House, WC1X St Philip House is a building on Lloyd Baker Street (Finsbury)

St Philip House, WC1X

Stelfox House, WC1X Stelfox House is sited on Penton Rise (Pentonville)

Stelfox House, WC1X

Stuart Hill House, N1 Stuart Hill House is sited on Killick Street (King’s Cross)

Stuart Hill House, N1

Swinton Street, WC1X Swinton Street was named after the two Swinton brothers. (Finsbury)

Swinton Street, WC1X

The Laboratory Building, EC1R The Laboratory Building is a block on Rosebery Avenue (Finsbury)

The Laboratory Building, EC1R

Thornhill Bridge Wharf, N1 A street within the N1 postcode (Islington)

Thornhill Bridge Wharf, N1

Tolpuddle Street, N1 Tolpuddle Street is a more recent street of Islington (Islington)

Tolpuddle Street, N1

Torrens Street, EC1V Torrens Street is one of the streets of London in the EC1V postal area (Angel)

Torrens Street, EC1V

Tunbridge House, EC1R Tunbridge House is sited on St John Street (Finsbury)

Tunbridge House, EC1R

Tunbridge House, EC1V Tunbridge House is a block on St John Street (Finsbury)

Tunbridge House, EC1V

Union Square, N1 Union Square (sometime Union Court) was approached by a narrow alley (Angel)

Union Square, N1

Vernon Rise, WC1X Vernon Rise is one of the streets of London in the WC1X postal area (Finsbury)

Vernon Rise, WC1X

Vernon Square, WC1X Vernon Square is a road in the WC1X postcode area (Finsbury)

Vernon Square, WC1X

Vittoria House, N1 Vittoria House is a block on Charlotte Terrace (Islington)

Vittoria House, N1

Warren Mews, N1 Warren Mews began in 1889 (Islington)

Warren Mews, N1

Wells House, EC1R Wells House is a block on Lloyds Row (Finsbury)

Wells House, EC1R

Weston Rise, N1 Weston Rise is a road in the N1 postcode area (Pentonville)

Weston Rise, N1

Wharton Street, WC1X Wharton Street is one of the streets of London in the WC1X postal area (Finsbury)

Wharton Street, WC1X

White Conduit Street, N1 White Conduit Street was laid out and built up with houses and tenements from the mid-1790s (Islington)

White Conduit Street, N1

White Lion Street, N1 White Lion Street is named after the former White Lion inn on Islington High Street (Angel)

White Lion Street, N1

Wicklow Street, WC1X Wicklow Street is one of the streets of London in the WC1X postal area (King’s Cross)

Wicklow Street, WC1X

Widford House, N1 Widford House is sited on Elia Mews (Angel)

Widford House, N1

Wollaton House, N1 Wollaton House is a building on Batchelor Street (Islington)

Wollaton House, N1

Worthington House, EC1R Worthington House is located on Myddelton Passage (Finsbury)

Worthington House, EC1R

Wynford Road, N1 Wynford Road is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (Islington)

Wynford Road, N1

Wynyatt Street, EC1V Wynyatt Street is one of the streets of London in the EC1V postal area (Finsbury)

Wynyatt Street, EC1V

Click here to explore another London street
We now have 681 completed street histories and 46819 partial histories

Click here to see photos of the area