The Angel, Islington

Metropolitan Borough of Islington

The Angel, Islington, is a historic landmark and a series of buildings that have stood on the corner of Islington High Street and Pentonville Road in Islington, London, England. The land originally belonged to the Clerkenwell Priory and has had various properties built on it since the 16th century. An inn on the site was called the Angel Inn by 1614, and the crossing became generally known as the Angel. The site was bisected by the New Road, which opened in 1756, and properties on the site were rebuilt several times up to the 20th century. The corner site gave its name to Angel tube station, opened in 1901, and the surrounding Angel area of London.

The current structure was completed in 1903 and was known as the Angel Hotel. The building was acquired by J. Lyons and Co. in 1921 and was used as a restaurant. In 1935 it was chosen as a property for the British version of Monopoly. The building was sold to the London County Council in 1959 to be demolished as part of plans for road improvement works that did not take place. It was returned to private ownership, renovated from 1979 and reopened in 1982 as the Angel Corner House.

History

Early history

In the early 16th century a building in this area of London on the Great North Road was known as the Sheepcote. It was named after lands belonging to St John's Priory.[2] The building was being used as an inn by the end of the 16th century and was known as the Angel by 1614.[3] The inn took its name from the Angel of the Annunciation which appeared on the sign.[4]

The Angel Inn became a useful stop when travelling from the City of London, as the rural area outside it was considered dangerous, with travellers having armed escorts from Wood's Close[5][6] to Islington.[7] Despite its name, and common association with Islington, the grounds of the inn and all of the western edge of Islington High Street were in neighbouring Clerkenwell