ISLINGTON (in Domesday and later documents Iseldon, Isendon and in the 16th century Hisselton), a northern metro politan borough of London, England, bounded east by Stoke Newington and Hackney, south by Shoreditch and Finsbury, and west by St. Pancras, and extending north to the boundary of the county of London. Pop. (1931) 321,71 2. The southern part includes Holloway, Highbury, part of Kingsland and Barnsbury and Canonbury. The districts included preserve the names of ancient manors, and in Canonbury, which belonged in the 13th century to the priory of St. Bartholomew, Smithfield, traces of the old manor house remain. The fields and places of entertain ment in Islington were favourite places of resort for London citi zens in the 17th century and later; sports were practised here and the popularity of the place was increased by the discovery of chalybeate wells. At Copenhagen Fields, now covered by the
Caledonian cattle market, a great meeting of labourers was held in 1834. They were suspected of intending to impose their views on parliament by violence and a display of military force was made. The Agricultural Hall, used for cattle and horse shows and other exhibitions, Pentonville Prison and Holloway Prison are in the borough. Islington is a suffragan bishopric in the London diocese. Its population includes metal, textile and transport workers and printers.