For over 400 years, The Angel Inn has stood as a sentinel at the edge of London, welcoming travellers, influencing literature, and anchoring the identity of Islington. Its history is layered with architectural change, political debate, and cultural reference—from Thomas Paine’s revolutionary scribblings to Monopoly board fame. This post traces the inn’s evolution, revealing why The Angel is far more than a simple coaching stop.
A Site with Deeper Roots: Pre-1614 Land Use
Before the Angel Inn was established in 1614, the land formed part of the estate owned by the Order of St John of Jerusalem, also known as the Knights Hospitaller. These lands were centred around nearby Clerkenwell, but extended north into what is now Islington. 📕Read more: Notable Priors Of St John’s Priory, Clerkenwell
Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the site changed hands. By the early 17th century, a modest alehouse called the Sheepcote Inn stood on the site—frequented by drovers, farmers, and pilgrims making their way into the city.
Foundation of the Angel Inn (1614)
In 1614, the Sheepcote Inn was rebuilt and renamed The Angel. Its name derived from the inn sign depicting the Archangel Gabriel at the Annunciation—a popular symbol of guidance and protection for those about to enter London, then considered perilous beyond the city walls.
Strategically located on the Great North Road, The Angel quickly became a coaching inn of national importance, serving those entering and leaving London. The area was sparsely built and often dangerous, and many travellers paused here to rest, hire armed guards, or prepare for the journey ahead.
17th to 18th Centuries: A Thriving Coaching Hub
By the late 17th century, the Angel Inn had become one of Islington’s largest coaching inns.
- It stabled more than 300 horses, catering to multiple daily coach services to York, Edinburgh, and beyond.
- It served as a major stopover for cattle drovers en route to Smithfield Market.
- Its open courtyard bustled with galleried walkways, tavern rooms, and activity.
The inn’s prominence was captured in William Hogarth’s 1747 engraving The Stage Coach or Country Inn Yard, which shows a lively and chaotic scene at the inn—carriages arriving, people disembarking, and animals being handled. The Angel’s role as a social and logistical hub is plain to see..
Notable Visitors and Political Radicalism
The Angel Inn was not only a travel stop; it became a site of political and intellectual activity in the 18th century.
- Thomas Paine, author of The Rights of Man, reportedly began drafting part of his seminal work at the Angel in 1790, surrounded by the heated atmosphere of radical debate in the inn’s coffee room.
- Reformist politicians like John Wilkes were linked to gatherings at the inn during the 1760s, capitalising on the site’s location just outside the city’s direct jurisdiction. 🔊Listen Now: Episode 91: Radical MP John Wilkes
Its relative distance from central authority made the Angel a safe space for discussion, much like other fringe establishments in Georgian London. 🔊 Listen Now: Episode 87: An Introduction to Georgian London
The 1903 Angel Hotel: Edwardian Grandeur
By the end of the 19th century, the coaching trade had declined, but the inn remained locally significant. In 1903, brewers Truman, Hanbury, Buxton & Co. commissioned architects Frederick James Eedle and Sydney Herbert Meyers to design a new structure: the Angel Hotel.
- The resulting six-storey building featured a grand red terracotta and granite façade, with cherubs, floral motifs, and decorative flourishes typical of Edwardian confidence.
- Its domed Baroque cupola became a signature of the Islington skyline.
- Inside, it boasted mahogany-panelled dining rooms, a marble staircase, and electric lighting—a nod to modern luxury.
The new hotel stood as a symbol of transformation, bridging the coaching era and the 20th-century city.
Literary Ties: From Fielding to Dickens
The Angel Inn occupies a prominent place in British literature, marking the threshold between London and the rest of England.
Charles Dickens used the inn in Oliver Twist (1837–39) to signal a crucial shift. As Noah Claypole enters London, he pauses:
“They crossed from the Angel into St. John Street, and so into Smithfield… ‘Here London begins in earnest,’ said the runaway, pausing at a corner to look up at the great black dome of St. Paul’s.”
This line encapsulates the Angel’s role as a gateway to London’s complexity—a liminal space where rural roads give way to urban chaos. Dickens’ use of the inn underscores its importance in the mental map of the Victorian reader. 📕Read more: Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
Henry Fielding, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling (1749), also referenced the Angel as a staging post—a familiar node in the web of coaching inns that connected London to the provinces.
Romantic poet John Keats, in a letter to his brothers dated March 1817, wrote:
“We got to the Angel at Islington—where we dined.”
Though a brief mention, it places the inn firmly within the itinerary of Romantic poets and shows that even the most imaginative minds took note of its status as a travel fixture.
These references provide cultural weight, marking the Angel not only as a real-world landmark but also as a recurring character in British literature.
20th Century Survival and Present-Day Legacy
Despite extensive redevelopment during and after the Second World War, the Angel Hotel building survived. In 1979, it was granted Grade II listed status, protecting its distinctive architectural features.
Though no longer an inn or hotel, the building remains in use, now housing a German bakery and private offices. The surrounding area is designated the Angel Conservation Area, recognising its historical and architectural importance.
From Monopoly Board to London Icon
The Angel, Islington, Photos by Hazel Baker
The Angel was immortalised in 1935 when it became one of the three light-blue properties on the London Monopoly board. Unlike the purely residential squares, this was a nod to the area’s cultural clout and recognisability.
Nearby, Angel Tube Station, opened in 1901 and refurbished in 1992, is home to London’s longest escalator and a striking sculpture by Kevin Boys Blacksmiths, evoking the area’s name and history.
The Angel has also appeared in several films and television productions, including Richard III (1995) and Sliding Doors (1998).
Why the Angel, Islington Endures
The Angel Inn is more than just a historic building. It has evolved with London—from monastic land to coaching landmark, from radical meeting place to literary touchstone, from Edwardian hotel to modern icon.
It remains a compelling place to pause and reflect—whether you are tracing the steps of Thomas Paine, picturing Charles Dickens’ characters, or simply admiring the Baroque cupola over the roar of buses and footsteps.
For a deeper experience, join one of our guided walks through Islington—where stories of stagecoaches, revolutionaries, and writers await. Book your tickets for our Islington Guided Walks
