Andover Estate

Last updated

Roth Walk on Andover Estate Image of Roth Walk on Andover Estate.JPG
Roth Walk on Andover Estate

The Andover Estate, in Holloway, North London, is a large Islington London Borough Council housing estate which is flanked by Hornsey Road (west), Seven Sisters Road (south), Durham Road (east) and Birnam Road (north). It falls into the N7 postcode district of London.

Contents

Rebuilding Holloway in the 1950s and 1960s

The older part of the estate along Andover Road was built in 1938. The newer buildings, which make up the majority of the estate, were built from 1973 to 1979.

This area of Holloway was rebuilt after streets of old housing were knocked down in the 1960s. When the estate was built it was seen as a model housing estate, and provided over 1000 homes in an area of high deprivation.

Three large uniquely designed triangular buildings rise into the sky on the estate, named Didbin, Noll and Docura Houses respectively, after local architects. Some of the blocks of dwellings were named after railway junctions: Andover, Barmouth, Chard, Methley, Rainford and Yeovil. [1]

Many similar estates being built at the same time. Nearby Elthorne Estate was designed quite similarly in the mid-1970s but unlike Andover's three big blocks didn't have any high rise development.

Other nearby housing estates, Six Acres Estate, Harvist Estate, and Elthorne Estate were built when it was considered more viable to modernise rather than rebuild after the area suffered bomb damage some twenty five years earlier in World War II.

"Beyond the hoodie"

The estate was subject to a 2007 ITV documentary in which an MP, Ann Widdecombe, spent a night in one of the flats to highlight the supposed problem of youths causing trouble. The youth of Andover Estate then got together with a London film maker, Michelle Golding , to produce a film rebutting the Ann Widdecombe programme. Young residents put across their side of the story to demonstrate that they are more likely to be victims of crime than perpetrators.

The film highlights the actual reduction in crime on the estate over the last couple of years and the problem of much of the crime being committed by non-residents. It also discusses the negative impact created by what is described as the sloppy journalism of the Ann Widdecombe film.

Overview / Trivia

The estate has various well known residents in former EastEnders TV actor Marc Bannerman, renowned close-up magician and artiste Fay Presto also lived there for over 25 years.

One of the UK’s top rappers Skinnyman grew up on the nearby Six Acres Estate and also spent many of his younger years hanging around on Andover Estate. His highly acclaimed album Council Estate of Mind is believed to be about his upbringing in this area. One half of popular house / garage music duo Truesteppers, Andy Lysandrou grew up on Andover Estate as well.

John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) also grew up on the nearby Six Acres Estate.

On the edge of the estate on Sonderburg Road by Seven Sisters Road is Harmsworth hospital, (named and built after Sir Harold Harmsworth) an animal hospital run by the RSPCA, which was the focal point of the television reality TV series Animal Hospital , and was presented by the now disgraced TV personality Rolf Harris. The informative and educational series ran for nine years on the BBC.

A segment on The Catherine Tate Show was filmed on Selden Walk, and the 2015 comedy Chewing Gum was also partly filmed on the estate

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Borough of Islington</span> London borough in United Kingdom

The London Borough of Islington is a London borough which forms part of Inner London, England. Islington has an estimated population of 215,667. It was formed in 1965, under the London Government Act 1963, by the amalgamation of the metropolitan boroughs of Islington and Finsbury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Highbury</span> Human settlement in England

Highbury is an area in North London and located in the London Borough of Islington. Highbury was owned by Ranulf, brother of Ilger, and included all the areas north and east of Canonbury and Holloway Roads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holloway, London</span> Human settlement in England

Holloway is an area of north London in the London Borough of Islington, England, 3.3 miles (5.3 km) north of Charing Cross, which follows the line of the Holloway Road (A1). At the centre of Holloway is the Nag's Head commercial area which sits between the more residential Upper Holloway and Lower Holloway neighbourhoods. Holloway has a multicultural population and includes the Emirates Stadium, home of Arsenal F.C.. Until 2016, it was the site of Holloway Prison, the largest women's prison in Europe. Before 1965, it was in the historic county of Middlesex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northwood, London</span> Area in the London Borough of Hillingdon and Harrow

Northwood is an area in the London Borough of Hillingdon, North West London, located 14.5 miles (23.3 km) north-west of Charing Cross. Northwood was part of the ancient parish of Ruislip, Middlesex. The area was situated on the historic Middlesex boundary with Hertfordshire, and since being incorporated into Greater London in 1965, has been on the Greater London boundary with that county.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tufnell Park</span> Human settlement in England

Tufnell Park is an area in north London, England, in the London boroughs of Islington and Camden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islington</span> District of London, England

Islington is a district in the north of Greater London, England, and part of the London Borough of Islington. It is a mainly residential district of Inner London, extending from Islington's High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy High Street, Upper Street, Essex Road, and Southgate Road to the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elephant and Castle</span> Area in London, England

Elephant and Castle is an area of South London, England, in the London Borough of Southwark. The name also informally refers to much of Walworth and Newington, due to the proximity of the London Underground station of the same name. The name is derived from a local coaching inn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liverpool Road</span>

Liverpool Road is a street in Islington, North London. It covers a distance of 1+14 miles (2.0 km) between Islington High Street and Holloway Road, running roughly parallel to Upper Street through the area of Barnsbury. It contains several attractive terraces of Georgian houses and Victorian villas, many of which are listed buildings. There are a number of pubs, small businesses and restaurants along its route, as well as some secluded garden squares. The vast majority of the street is residential, with a bustling shopping and business area at the southern, Angel, end.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aylesbury Estate</span> Housing estate in Walworth, London

The Aylesbury Estate is a large housing estate located in Walworth, South East London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolitan Cattle Market</span>

The Metropolitan Cattle Market, just off the Caledonian Road in the parish of Islington was built by the City of London Corporation and was opened in June 1855 by Prince Albert. The market was supplementary to the meat market at Smithfield and was established to remove the difficulty of managing live cattle at that latter site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Islington</span>

The London Borough of Islington is short of large parks and open spaces, given its status in recent decades as a desirable place of residence. In fact, Islington has the lowest ratio of open space to built-up areas of any London borough. The largest continuous open space in the borough, at 11.75 hectares, is Highbury Fields.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Market Estate</span> Housing estate in London

Market Estate is a public housing estate consisting of 271 flats and maisonettes situated to the north of Caledonian Park in the London Borough of Islington. It is named after the Metropolitan Cattle Market which operated on the site until the 1960s. After slaughter the carcasses of cattle and sheep were sent by underground trains to Smithfield Market to be traded. Three of the six blocks that make up the estate are named after breeds of animal that were traded in the market: Tamworth (pigs), Kerry (cows) and Southdown (sheep). The remaining three blocks are called the Clock tower blocks after the market's clock tower which still stands in Caledonian Park. This contains a working clock used as a prototype for the mechanism of Big Ben.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coram's Fields</span> Urban open space in London, England

Coram's Fields is a seven acre urban open space in the Kings Cross area of the London Borough of Camden. Adults are only permitted to enter if accompanied by children.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Mary Magdalene Gardens</span> Park in Islington, north London

St Mary Magdalene Gardens is a public open space located between Holloway Road and Liverpool Road in Islington, north London. It is located on the old burial ground of St Mary Magdalene Church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stonebridge, London</span> Human settlement in England

Stonebridge is a locality in the London Borough of Brent. Stonebridge is situated in southern Brent, on Harrow Road between Harlesden and Wembley. The A404 runs through the district known locally as Brentfield and Hillside, while to the south are railway tracks and to the west is the North Circular Road along with Stonebridge Park station. The area is known for the previously troubled 1960s Stonebridge housing estate, which was completely redeveloped in the 2010s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freightliners City Farm</span> City farm in London, England

Freightliners City Farm is an urban farm located in Lower Holloway in the London Borough of Islington. It is the only urban farm in the borough.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caledonian Road, London</span> Road in London Borough of Islington

Caledonian Road passes for about a mile and a half north–south through the London Borough of Islington. It connects North London, from Camden Road near its junction with Holloway Road, and central London's Pentonville Road in the south. It is known colloquially as the "Cally" and forms the entirety of the A5203.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitecross Street</span>

Whitecross Street is a short street in Islington, in Inner London. It features an eponymous street market and a large housing estate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cloudesley Square</span>

Cloudesley Square is a square in the Barnsbury district of Islington, North London. It is bounded by Georgian terraced houses, all of which are listed buildings. The central area is occupied by the Gothic Revival former Holy Trinity Church, designed by Charles Barry.

St Mary's Gardens is an 18th-century garden triangle in Central London. The "square" is in the London Borough of Lambeth and has an unusual triangular shape. Since 1968 in planning policy it is a Conservation Area. Three rows of houses front its communal green, granted Grade II listed status under the statutory protective and recognition scheme in 1981.

References

  1. 'Streets with a story: The book of Islington', Eric A Willats (1986, rev. 2017), p.14 [ permanent dead link ]. Retrieved 16 May 2017

51°33′47″N0°06′52″W / 51.56293°N 0.11432°W / 51.56293; -0.11432