Brief Description
The site is now used for rugby, hockey and football in winter, cricket in summer and also hired out for events. Trees of various species were planted around the perimeter of the sports ground in 1996, as part of the Millennium celebrations.
History
Finsbury Fields was a large area of open ground, which had been used since medieval times for the practice of archery. It was enclosed in the C17th when the precursor of the Honourable Artillery Company moved to Finsbury in 1641 and it became the Artillery Garden or Artillery Ground. A map of 1677 shows it marked as 'New Artillery Garden'. Since at least 1725 it was used for a cricket pitch, and in September 1784 it was the site of the launch of Vincenzo Lunardi's first manned balloon flight in Britain.
- Access & Directions
Directions
Rail/Tube: Old Street (Northern); Moorgate (Metropolitan, Circle, Hammersmith & City). Bus: 76, 141, 214. 271.
- References
Contributors
London Parks and Gardens Trust