Angel | |
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Angel Wings sculpture by Wolfgang and Heron with Price & Myers |
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Angel shown within Greater London | |
OS grid reference | TQ315845 |
• Charing Cross | 2 mi (3.2 km) SSW |
London borough | |
Ceremonial county | Greater London |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | LONDON |
Postcode district | N1 |
Postcode district | EC1 |
Dialling code | 020 |
Police | Metropolitan |
Fire | London |
Ambulance | London |
EU Parliament | London |
UK Parliament | |
London Assembly | |
Angel is an area on the northern fringe of central London. It is located 2 miles (3.2 km) north-northeast of Charing Cross on the Inner Ring Road at a busy transport intersection. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in London. It is a significant commercial and retail centre, and a business improvement district. Angel straddles the ancient boundary of the parishes of Clerkenwell and Islington that later became the metropolitan boroughs of Finsbury and Islington. It is named from the former Angel Inn which stood on the corner of Islington High Street and Pentonville Road. Since 1965 the whole area has formed part of the London Borough of Islington in Greater London.
The area is named after the Angel Inn, which existed from the 17th century.
The boundary of the ancient parishes of Clerkenwell and Islington cut through the area. The southern part of Liverpool Road and the western side of Islington High Street, including the Angel Inn were in the parish of Clerkenwell. Despite this, both parts were considered to form part of the town of Islington. There is a traditional story that a pauper died in Islington and had to be taken to Clerkenwell for burial, which caused the land to be forfeited. The parishes were located outside the City of London. As they became populated suburbs of the city this was reflected in the addition of Clerkenwell in 1604 and Islington in 1636 to the bills of mortality weekly statistical returns. The parishes were governed by vestries and were subject to the Middlesex Quarter Sessions. In 1855 the area became part of the district of the Metropolitan Board of Works and the parish vestries were incorporated as local authorities. In 1889 the parishes were transferred from the County of Middlesex to the County of London. Clerkenwell became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury and Islington became the Metropolitan Borough of Islington in 1900. The two boroughs were combined in 1965 as the London Borough of Islington in Greater London.