Eva

Monument to Samuel Rogers and Family

Hornsey · 1.2 miles

Chest tomb of the nonconformist Roger’s family of Stoke Newington. Samuel Roger’s was a celebrated Victorian poet who died in 1855 aged 92. Grade II listed.

Karl Marx

Hornsey Rise · 1.2 miles

A Grade I listed monument stands in the Eastern part of Highgate Cemetery, North London, close to Hornsey Rise. The memorial, dedicated to Karl Marx, his wife Jenny von Westphalen and other family members, consists of a large bronze bust of Marx’s head and shoulders set on a marble plinth. The front of the plinth bears the closing line of *The Communist Manifesto* – “Workers of all lands unite” – while the side panels display further quotations and the dates of birth and death for those interred. The bodies were originally laid to rest elsewhere in the Eastern cemetery after Marx’s death on 14 March 1883. In 1954 the Marx Memorial Committee secured an exhumation licence and, during the night of 26/27 November, the remains of Marx, his wife, daughter Eleanor, grandson Harry Longuet and housekeeper Helene Demuth were moved about 100 yards to the present site. Laurence Bradshaw designed the new tomb, and the Communist Party of Great Britain funded its construction. The memorial was unveiled on 15 March 1956 in a ceremony led by the party’s General Secretary, Harry Pollitt. Entry to Highgate Cemetery is controlled by the Friends of Highgate Cemetery Trust, which charges an admission fee to support upkeep; the tomb itself is owned by the Marx Grave Trust. The site has experienced several acts of vandalism, including painted swastikas in 1960, bomb attempts in the 1970s, blue paint in 2011 and attacks in February 2019. In response, 24-hour video surveillance has been installed around the monument. Visitors can reach the cemetery via public transport to the nearby Hornsey Rise area and follow the designated pathways to the memorial.

Woodberry Wetlands

Woodberry Down · 1.2 miles

Woodberry Wetlands occupies the former East Reservoir in the Manor House area of the London Borough of Hackney, close to Woodberry Down and the Lee Valley. Designated as a Site of Metropolitan Importance, the 4.5 ha (11 acre) reserve opened to visitors on 1 May 2016 after a redevelopment that made the area freely accessible. Management is provided by the London Wildlife Trust on land owned by Thames Water, and dogs are not permitted. Facilities include a boardwalk that traverses the water-edge, a visitors’ centre housing a café, toilet amenities and a classroom, while the northern perimeter is bordered by the New River Path, forming part of the Wetlands to Wetlands Greenway cycle route that links to Walthamstow Wetlands. Opening times are published on the Trust’s listing. The site’s origins lie in the early 17th-century water-supply scheme authorised by King James I in 1604, when the New River was constructed to bring clean water from Hertfordshire and Middlesex to London. The reservoirs themselves were created in 1833, their banks once lined with stone salvaged from the demolition of London Bridge. Today the East Reservoir temporarily stores water before it is processed at the Walthamstow Reservoirs, while the adjacent west reservoir functions as a water-sports centre. Ecologically, the wetlands serve as a resting point for migratory waterfowl such as pochard, shoveler and gadwall, and support resident species including grey heron, reed bunting, kingfisher, damselflies, dragonflies, amphibians and bats. An expansion of reed beds, undertaken by the Trust, aims to enhance habitat for reed bunting, reed warbler and overwintering bittern.

Highbury Fields

Highbury · 1.9 miles

Spanning 11.75 hectares, this open space in Highbury forms the largest parkland within the London Borough of Islington. It runs north from Highbury Corner almost to Highbury Barn, creating a wide green corridor that links the surrounding streets. Managed by Islington Council, the fields are freely accessible and are a well-used thoroughfare for walkers heading toward the nearby Emirates Stadium. Within the park, the landscape is complemented by a range of recreational amenities. Tennis courts are laid out on the lawns, and Highbury Pool, which reopened after a refurbishment in January 2007, offers swimming facilities for locals. The surrounding streets are lined with Georgian and Victorian terraces, notable for their architectural quality and high residential demand. Highbury Place, Highbury Crescent and Highbury Terrace display early examples of town houses built from the late-18th century onward, with some historic occupants such as painter Walter Sickert and politician Joseph Chamberlain recorded in the area’s development history. At the southern edge of the fields stands a war memorial designed by Bertram Mackennal in 1905; the monument bears a wreath, cannons and captured standards, commemorating Islington residents who fell in the Boer War. Public transport is provided by Highbury and Islington station, situated a short walk away, making the park readily reachable for visitors from across London.

Downhills Park

Duckett's Green · 1.9 miles

Spanning roughly 12 hectares (about 30 acres), the green space on the edge of Wood Green and Tottenham provides a mix of open fields and a cultivated garden. The managed area includes a rose garden, alongside facilities for tennis and basketball, while the broader recreation ground accommodates informal sport and leisure. In 2006 the site earned the Green Flag Award, recognising its standards of maintenance and community value. Since July 2015 the park has also acted as a base for several local clubs, notably the Finsbury Park Rugby Football Club, the Og GAA and the Holloway Ladies Gaelic Football Team. The land’s history reaches back to a house called Downhills that existed before 1728. After being purchased by a private developer in 1881, building work only began at the turn of the century. Following a resident-led campaign, the Tottenham Urban District Council acquired the estate and its surrounding fields in 1901, retaining many original features while adding new amenities. Wartime bombing after 1939 led to the loss of several structures, and new children’s play equipment was installed by Haringey Council during the 1980s. The park lies nearest to Duckett’s Green and is freely accessible to the public, offering a blend of historic landscape and contemporary sport facilities.

Estorick Collection

Highbury · 1.9 miles

Modern Italian art finds a dedicated home in Canonbury Square, Islington, where the Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art occupies a converted Grade II-listed Georgian house known as Northampton Lodge. The gallery, recognised as the United Kingdom’s sole institution devoted exclusively to this period, operates as a registered charity and lies close to the Highbury area. The collection originated with Eric Estorick (1913–1993), an American sociologist who began acquiring works after relocating to England following the Second World War. A honeymoon visit to Milan in 1947 introduced the Estoricks to Futurist theory, prompting purchases from Mario Sironi’s studio and a focused building of the holdings between 1953 and 1958. Early public showings included a 1956 exhibition at the Tate Gallery, and a long-term loan to the Tate ran from 1966 to 1975. Shortly before his death, Eric Estorick established the Eric and Salome Estorick Foundation, bequeathing the Italian works to the trust. In 1998 the collection moved to its present premises, a project aided by a Heritage Lottery Fund grant and the former home of architect Sir Basil Spence. Visitors can view Futurist masterpieces by Giacomo Balla, Umberto Boccioni, Carlo Carrà, Gino Severini, Luigi Russolo and Ardengo Soffici, alongside pieces by Giorgio de Chirico, Amedeo Modigliani, Giorgio Morandi, Mario Sironi and Marino Marini, spanning from 1890 to the 1950s. Temporary exhibitions complement the permanent displays. Admission carries a charge, wheelchair access is limited, and opening times are published on the gallery’s listing.