Next time you lay a blanket on the Arlington Square grass for some relaxing family time, spare a thought for the children who lived here in the 1950s – when that was strictly forbidden.

Have you ever wondered why The Angel Islington appears on the Monopoly board – the only property square on the board that isn’t the name of a street?

For centuries, the area where we now live was a popular spot for archery practice.

Bring out the cake and fizz! The Arlington Association is twenty years old.

It’s finished at last. The new Packington Estate, four years late in completion, was finally officially opened in September, exactly 12 years since work began.

We’re no closer to discovering why Arlington Square is so-called (see back issues of The Arlingtonian since about 1976) but while looking at old maps for clues, we’ve discovered an interesting fact.

Our research into why our Square is called Arlington continues. The latest possible clue came from a neighbour who was a pupil at Highbury Hill School for Girls, now Highbury Fields School.

Does anyone know why our square is called Arlington? Before our streets were laid out and our houses built, this was a greenfield site.

The Regent’s Canal is 200 years old this year – or at least, part of it is. The birthday celebrations at Little Venice in August marked the bicentenary of the stretch from Paddington to Camden.

Arthur Casbolt was born in 1922 in 25 Arlington Square. Three families lived in the house, and the Casbolts occupied the two rooms on the top floor.

We are grateful to Harry of Arlington Square for lending us the splendid photograph above: it shows St Philip’s Church, on the corner of Linton Street and Arlington Square, in 1912 or thereabouts.

They say that if you remember the 1960s, you probably weren’t there. But some senior Arlingtonians who definitely were here have been sharing their memories of our neighbourhood 50 years ago.

Have you ever wondered why the streets of our neighbourhood are so wide?

A notable local landmark, St James’ Church, celebrates its 140th birthday next year.

Next time you pop to the Co-op on the New North Road, you might like to take a minute or two to consider the history of this part of the canal.

Some of our older readers may recall that the pub on the corner of Arlington Avenue and Bevan Street was called the Clothworkers’ Arms.

We recently came across this aerial photograph dating from the 1940s showing Arlington Square as it was shortly after World War Two.