Sound Dissent
Exploring the history of dissent in the area these are five sound pieces that guide the listener on a tour from past to present at five specific points on Newington Green. Working with professional artists, young people were introduced to creative sound recording techniques, oral history and sound design as well as creating their own music in response to this journey in time.
Listening to the sound trail
You can download the sound pieces and accompanying map to your personal Mp3 player and enjoy a walk around Newington Green at your leisure. Alternatively, you can listen to each sound piece online.
You can also leave a deposit and borrow an Mp3 player containing the sound pieces from the following venues. Please see the following links for venue opening times.
Islington Local History Centre
The Route
The sound points have been numbered to suggest a route to follow but as they have been designed to be independent pieces, please feel free to start from any point and enjoy a leisurely stroll around the Green.
Mayville Community Centre
Located at the edge of the Mayville estate, created by the London County Council from 1949 onwards, the centre originally housed turbines which provided the power to run trams which went through Newington Green onto the City. After the Tramways were municipalised, the building became derelict and in 1975, after local campaigning, it was converted into a community facility, now managed by Mildmay Community Partnership. The centre, which provides an older peoples’ luncheon club, ICT training, recording studio and youth projects, will be redeveloped to create an exciting, carbon neutral building with improved access and service provision.
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The Bus Stop
Newington Green has always been home to a diverse and lively community. The Unitarian community bought many influential thinkers to live and work in Newington Green during the 18th century. The poets Samuel Rogers and Anna Laetitia Barbauld, the women’s rights campaigner Mary Wollstonecraft, the intellectual Richard Price and Daniel Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe, all became residents. Today Newington Green has an immensely varied population from all around the world, in particular a large Turkish Cypriot community.
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The Unitarian Church
In 1708, a group of religious radicals living at Newington Green defied the established Church and erected the building that is now known as the Newington Green Unitarian Church. Built by the goldsmith Edward Harrison at a cost £300 the interior retains many of the original pews – including one where Mary Wollstonecraft is known to have sat. The church is the earliest site of Nonconformist worship still in use in London and made history when it became the first religious establishment in Britain to refuse to carry out any weddings at all until same-sex couples have the right to full legal marriage.
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The Oldest Row of Terraced Houses
The historic Grade 1 listed terrace of 52-55 Newington Green is considered to be the oldest surviving terrace in England. It was built in 1658 and comprises of four three-storied brick houses with basements and garrets and originally had extensive back gardens. No. 54 later became the home of Dr Richard Price, the influential minister of the Unitarian Church and No. 52 the birthplace of poet Samuel Rogers. The terrace survived two World Wars, post war building improvement programmes, multiple lettings and was restored between 1987 and 1996.
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The Green
First mentioned by name in 1480, Newington Green started as a small clearing in the Middlesex forest. The area became a popular aristocratic retreat for unting but later went on to become surrounded by houses built by prosperous people. During the Second World War an air raid shelter was constructed under the Green and the area was badly damaged. By the late 1990’s, the Green had become run-down but after the formation of the Newington Green Action Group in 1997, improvements left the Green a safer and more attractive place to be.
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