About
The Caledonian Park is Islington’s second largest park at 7.4 hectares (18.3 acres). Situated on the site of the former Caledonian Cattle Market once the biggest cattle market in North London. The park is made up of a wide variety of natural habitats and spaces for fun and fitness. With seasonal events
Extensive grassy space for ball games, picnicking or just sunbathing, flower and nature gardens, an orchard, a pond, woodland areas and walks, pétanque plus handsome and historical 1850s clock tower and railings…Caledonian Park will not disappoint…Enjoyyyyy!
History
In 1970 Islington Council created Caledonian Park on about 18 acres of the former cattle market, by this time a derelict site.
The centrepiece of the park is a 155ft (47.5m) high grade II* listed Clock Tower built in 1853.
The 1980s and 1990s saw a period of decline for the park as neglect, lack of investment and appreciation meant the space became one to avoid not to visit.
The dedication of Islington Council saw the tide turn for the fortunes of Caledonian Park in the late 1980s. With the implementation of environmental management plans, extensive tree and shrub planting the rehabilitation of the park began.
The park is now a Borough Grade 1 Site of Importance for Nature Conservation, mainly for its woodlands.
In recent years, the park has benefitted from further ma
A new children’s natural play area and conventional playground equipment was opened in 2010. A section with formal garden spaces and extensive tree, shrub and herbaceous planting, intended for community use, was opened in August 2013.
In December 2016, Islington Council was awarded a £1.87 million Heritage Lottery Fund grant to repair and make accessible the Clock Tower, park gates and railings and to build a Heritage Centre, providing information on the park’s history, a café and toilets. The Cally Clock Tower Centre opened in June 2019, and the Tolpuddle Café opened in July 2019.
N.B. All Below (Getting there – Closing Times) sourced: https://www.
Park Map
It will be here soon
Getting there Accessibility
Buses: 274 to Market Road; 390 to York Way; 17, 91, 259, 274 to Caledonian Road
Tube: Caledonian Road (Piccadilly Line)
Overground: Caledonian Road and Barnsbury
Use Islington Council’s Intera
Opening times
All Islington Council parks with gates open by 8am daily. All parks are open 365 days a year (including Christmas and New Year’s Day).
Closing times
Closing times vary throughout the year, but gate locking usually starts at sunset. As there are a number of parks to lock it can take some time to lock them all. You can find when we start locking our parks each month below:
- January – 5pm
- February – 6pm
- March (GMT*) – 6pm
- March (BST*) – 8pm
- April – 8pm
- May – 9pm
- June – 9pm
- July – 9pm
- August 9pm
- September 8pm
- October (BST*) – 7pm
- October (GMT*) – 5pm
- November – 5pm
- December – 5pm
*GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) – times stated are valid until the clocks go forward one hour in March and from when the clocks go back one hour in October.
*BST (British Summer Time) – times stated are valid from when the clocks go forward one hour in March and until the clocks go back one hour in October.
If you accidently get locked in an Islington Park, please call 020 7527 7272.