Rising six storeys above the Victorian streets of Canonbury, a red-brick tower built in the early 1500s stands as the oldest building in Islington. Canonbury Tower has survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the Great Fire of London, the Blitz, and centuries of urban development. Its rooms once hosted Thomas Cromwell, Francis Bacon, and Oliver Goldsmith; its walls hold plasterwork dated 1599 and oak panelling from the 16th century.
Construction and Early History
Canonbury Tower was built between 1509 and 1532 by William Bolton, Prior of St Bartholomew's Priory and Master of the Works for Henry VII's chapel at Westminster Abbey. The tower formed part of a manor house for the Augustinian canons of St Bartholomew's, constructed on land granted to the priory in 1253. The name "Canonbury" derives from "Canons' Burgh," reflecting these monastic origins.
The tower stands 66 feet (20 metres) high and was never intended for defence. Its flat roof was designed to provide views across Middlesex and the City of London. Some sources have suggested that the base incorporates pre-Roman work, though this remains unconfirmed. A reset doorway bearing Prior Bolton's rebus survives in the central range.
Thomas Cromwell's Residence
By 1529, Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex and Henry VIII's chief minister, held a lease of the manor house. Records indicate he occupied Canonbury from 1533 until his attainder and execution in 1540. The property escheated to the Crown upon his death. Cromwell played a central role in the Dissolution of the Monasteries; the irony that he lived in a building constructed by monks was noted by contemporaries.
Note: Historical sources consistently refer to Thomas Cromwell (circa 1485β1540), not Oliver Cromwell (1599β1658), the later Civil War leader. No evidence has been found linking Oliver Cromwell to residence at Canonbury Tower.
Francis Bacon and the 17th Century
Sir Francis Bacon, philosopher, statesman, and Attorney General, leased Canonbury House from 1616 to 1625. During his residence, Bacon was appointed Lord Keeper of the Great Seal and later Lord Chancellor. The Francis Bacon Society was granted tenancy of part of the building in 1924 and established its headquarters there, maintaining a library within the tower until later changes of use.
The central east range of the building survives with a long gallery on the first floor featuring an elaborately moulded plaster ceiling dated 1599. The Compton Room retains 16th-century oak panelling, and the staircase preserves joinery from the same period.
Oliver Goldsmith and Literary Visitors
The Irish writer Oliver Goldsmith took a room at Canonbury House at Christmas 1762, occupying it for approximately eighteen months. James Boswell recorded visiting on 26 June 1763: "I then walked out to Islington to Canonbury House, a curious old monastic building now let out in lodgings where Dr. Goldsmith stays. I took tea with him and found him very chatty."
Tradition holds that Goldsmith worked on "The Vicar of Wakefield" in what became known as the Spencer Room, though this cannot be definitively proven. Washington Irving, author of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," also stayed at the tower and described it as a "show house" charging visitors sixpence for admission.
Restoration and Later Use
The 5th Marquess of Northampton completely restored the tower in 1907β08, removing ivy that had damaged the brickwork. During the Second World War, the 16th-century oak panelling and chimney pieces were removed to Castle Ashby House for safekeeping; the area suffered negligible bomb damage.
The Tower Theatre Company was based at Canonbury Tower from 1952 to 2003, mounting nearly 1,600 productions. Following the theatre company's departure, the building became a Masonic research centre.
Current Status
Canonbury Tower is located in Canonbury Place, off Alwyne Road, approximately 100 metres east of Canonbury Square. It holds Grade II* listed status, designated on 20 September 1954. The building is not regularly open to the public. The Northampton Estate retained ownership until selling the majority of the property to developers in 1954.
In 1907, an American follower of Baconian theory searched the tower for manuscripts she believed Francis Bacon had hidden behind panels; none were found. The tower's Elizabethan plasterwork, Cromwell connection, and literary associations continue to make it a significant site for architectural historians and local residents alike.
