“Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary”: Newington Green & Islington

A ride across London to visit the controversial statue erected in 2020 on Newington Green in honour of feminist philosopher Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797).

Riding out of Ealing, we will take the cycle route through Wormwood Scrubs and North Kensington, crossing the canal on the Halfpenny Steps Bridge and continuing via Kilburn to St John’s Wood and Primrose Hill. We skirt around Camden and make our way through quiet back roads, with a brief stop on Islington Green to meet the statue of Bob, the Street Cat. https://londonist.com/london/features/street-cat-bob-statue-islington-green-angel . Then we ride on to Newington Green where we see the statue in honour of Mary Wollstonecraft.

The statue was installed after a long campaign to have Mary Wollstonecraft commemorated in the area where she founded a school for girls in 1784 https://www.maryonthegreen.org/. When the sculpture by Maggi Hambling was finally unveiled in 2020, it had a mixed reception. You can read about some of the different reactions to it:-

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/nov/10/insulting-to-her-mary-wollstonecraft-sculpture-sparks-backlash
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2020/dec/25/london-mary-wollstonecraft-statue-one-of-2020s-most-polarising-artworks
https://artreview.com/why-is-maggi-hambling-mary-wollstonecraft-statue-so-weird/
https://theconversation.com/mary-wollstonecraft-statue-a-provocative-tribute-for-a-radical-woman-149888
https://www.islingtontribune.co.uk/article/mary-wollstonecraft-sculpture-was-misunderstood
And come to see for yourself what you think of it!

We turn back towards Islington, going via Highbury Fields and Canonbury, where we will have our refreshment stop. Our return ride takes us down to the river, where we join Cycleway 3 along the Embankment to Parliament Square, then through Hyde Park and back to Ealing via Fulham and Hammersmith.

Although Covid restrictions are no longer in force, please continue to be mindful. Please do not attend if you have any Covid 19 symptoms, have tested positive, or are currently advised to self-isolate. You may wish to bring a face covering for use in enclosed public spaces.

A ride across London to visit the controversial statue erected in 2020 on Newington Green in honour of feminist philosopher Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797).

Cycle paths and quieter roads; some short stretches on busier roads.

Stopping to view the statue of Mary Wollstonecraft. Refreshment stop in Highbury Fields or Canonbury.

Money/card for cafe. Lock for your bike.

First-timers welcome!