Things you didn't know about... Highbury

Football and film
The name Highbury is synonymous with Arsenal Football Club, whose stadium was known by the same name until 2006 (when it moved to Ashburton Grove round the corner). But did you know that Highbury (the stadium) once featured in a film? It was called The Arsenal Stadium Mystery and it was released in 1940.

Highbury's original name was Tolentone
Which sounds like a Swiss choc bar but, in fact, means "the higher town". Its neighbour was Iseldone (lower town), which became Islington. Hence Highbury and Islington.

Sleeping on the job
Abraham Newland, Chief Cashier of the Bank of England from 1778 to 1807, was so dedicated to his job that he slept in the bank every night for 25 years—despite the fact he owned a home in Highbury.

Jack Straw led an uprising in Highbury
No, not the present-day politician. This Jack led the Peasant's Revolt in 1381, when 20,000 rioters destroyed Highbury manor house in protest against the wealthy folk who lived there.

Home to Mr Bean
The fictional comic character played by Rowan Atkinson lives in a small flat in Highbury.

More claims to fame
We would have to start with author and Arsenal obsessive Nick Hornby, who wrote about Highbury so lovingly in Fever Pitch. Presenter Clive Anderson, comic Jimmy Carr and TV historian David Starkey also live here.

Did Jack the Ripper live in Highbury?
Walter Sickert, the famous Victorian artist, did, at 1 Highbury Place (he also established a painting school in Highbury). Some believe Sickert was the Ripper.

Good timing
Highbury has two famous clocks: the one in the famous Clock End of the old stadium; and Highbury Clock, which stands just north of Highbury Fields and was erected to celebrate Queen Victoria's sixtieth jubilee.

The shortest single yellow line in the UK is in Highbury...
It is eighteen inches long, and it's in Highbury Crescent. The Council maintains it is there "to help drivers". (In case you need to know, the shortest double yellow is in Norwich.)