Heritage Plaques

Islington’s Heritage Plaques showcase our culturally rich and colourful heritage by commemorating the significant people, places, and events in the borough. There are currently 102 plaques spread out on various sites across the borough. Search the full list of Heritage Plaques below and be inspired by some of the amazing people, places and events of Islington.

  • Architecture & Buildings

Red Bull Playhouse

Built around 1605, it became the longest-lived London Jacobean playhouse

Built around 1605, the year of the Gunpowder Plot, the Red Bull Playhouse stood in Red Bull Yard (now Hayward’s Place, off St John Street, Clerkenwell) until 1665. It was converted from the yard of an inn called ‘the Red Bull’ and was at least as large as the better-known Globe Theatre, if not larger. It became the longest-lived London Jacobean playhouse, surviving the English Civil War and Commonwealth, becoming a safe venue for entertainment into the Restoration. Its Islington Heritage Plaque was unveiled on on Wednesday 29 August 2018. Read more in our blog post about the playhouse

Basil Spence (1907-1976)

Architect. 1 Canonbury Place, N1.

A English Heritage Plaque.

James Edmondson (1857-1931)

Highbury builder. 86 Highbury Park, N5.

A London Borough of Islington plaque in conjunction with the Sotheby Rd Conservation Society. Unveiled in October 2013.

North London Synagogue (1868-1959)

First purpose-built synagogue built in Islington. Barnes Court, Lofting Road, N1.

An Islington People's Plaque, unveiled in June 2015.