Things you didn't know about... Finsbury Park

Parked up for good
Finsbury Park is a Grade II listed park. This means that English Heritage has to be consulted on any development plans. It's also the largest park in the London borough of Haringey.

Finsbury Park. Or is it Albert Park?
Finsbury Park opened in 1869 after Londoners clamoured for open spaces in the heavily polluted city. The first plans were for a much bigger park south of Seven Sisters Road to be called Albert Park. These plans were dropped due to lack of funds and Finsbury Park opened soon after.

Head to Finsbury Park—there's space for everyone
Finsbury Park covers 115 acres (45 hectares). Taking into account the total population in its catchment area, that's roughly four square metres each (although that includes the lake!).

The Seven Sisters of Finsbury Park
Seven Sisters Road, which runs alongside Finsbury Park, was named after a clutch of elm trees that stood at the foot of the road in Tottenham.

Park life for McKenzie
Alexander McKenzie, the landscape designer who drew up the plans for Finsbury Park, also designed Alexandra Park, Southwark Park and the Victoria & Albert Embankment Gardens. It was he who pushed for the grass areas of Finsbury Park to be open to the public. Finsbury Park's sweeping, open areas reflect his style.

When Jim the Elephant packed his trunk
In 1893, to the horror of park goers, Jim the Elephant escaped from his zoo keeper and raced across Finsbury Park, damaging the bandstand in the process.

Finsbury Park's old New River
The New River at the north-east of end of Finsbury Park is not new at all—it's 400 years old. And it's not even a river! It was man made to divert fresh water from Hertfordshire to Islington.

Walk on the railway
The Parkland Walk, at 7.2 km (4.5 mi), is London's longest nature reserve. It runs along the path of a disused railway line that stretches from Finsbury Park to Alexandra Palace.