Overview
Highbury takes its name from a medieval manor house built on a hill, its elevated position allowing it to look down on the lower manors of Barnsbury, Canonbury, and Holloway. Development began in earnest from 1774, when Highbury Place was built overlooking what is now Highbury Fields, and the area grew steadily through the Georgian and Victorian periods into the genteel residential neighbourhood it remains today.
Talk to us
Looking for a home in Highbury? Speak to Jane Wood & Associates for a discreet, highly personalised search shaped around your priorities.
Our Insight
Highbury suits buyers seeking handsome period architecture and green space within easy reach of central London. Understanding the differences between the streets immediately around the Fields and those further out is essential to making the right decision.
Why live in Highbury
- Highbury Fields, at 29 acres the largest open space in Islington, with tennis courts and Highbury Pool.
- Handsome Georgian terraces on Highbury Place, Highbury Crescent, and Highbury Terrace, directly overlooking the Fields.
- Walking distance to the independent restaurants, cafes, and boutiques of Upper Street, Islington.
- Excellent connectivity, with Highbury and Islington station providing Victoria line and Overground services.
- A less densely populated feel than neighbouring Islington.
Property Landscape
Highbury’s property market is centred on the streets surrounding the Fields. Highbury Place, the earliest development from the 1770s, offers fine Georgian townhouses, while Highbury Terrace and Highbury Crescent add grand Italianate villas with rich stucco decoration from the 1840s. Highbury New Park, developed in the 1850s, is known for its impressive line of large Victorian villas, some divided into apartments and others restored as substantial family houses. The former Highbury Stadium has been carefully redeveloped into Highbury Square, with the listed Art Deco stands converted into apartments around a central garden where the pitch once stood.
Highbury Highlights
- Highbury Barn, once a celebrated 18th and 19th century pleasure garden and now the name of the area’s village centre, with its Victorian clock tower.
- A strong concentration of independent cafes and restaurants, including the beloved Trullo.
- Easy access to Clissold Park and Finsbury Park, two further significant green spaces within walking distance.
Local Alumni
The poet Sir John Betjeman recalled visits to family in Highbury in his autobiographical poem Summoned by Bells, describing the area’s Italianate villas with great affection. Abraham Newland, the chief cashier of the Bank of England, lived on Highbury Place for daytime use only, having reputedly not slept outside the Bank itself for twenty-five years.
Education & Connectivity
Highbury has strong state primary provision, including Gillespie, Canonbury, and St John’s, alongside Highbury Grove School. For transport, Highbury and Islington station provides Victoria line and Overground services, reaching King’s Cross in around five minutes and Oxford Circus in around ten.
Talk to us about Highbury
- Local Expertise: With over 25 years of experience as London buying agents, we know Highbury street by street, from the Georgian terraces around the Fields to the grand villas of Highbury New Park.
- Exclusive Off-Market Access: The finest homes in Highbury rarely reach the open market. Our network means we hear about them early.
- Professional Negotiation: We negotiate exclusively on your behalf, ensuring you secure the right property at the right price with complete confidence.