Coordinates: 51°33′38″N 0°00′56″W / 51.560558°N 0.015465°W
| Leyton | |
  Leyton
Leyton shown within Greater London |
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| OS grid reference | |
|---|---|
| London borough | Waltham Forest |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | London |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LONDON |
| Postcode district | E10, E15, E5 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| UK Parliament | Leyton & Wanstead |
| London Assembly | North East |
| List of places: UK • England • London | |
Leyton is an area of East London and part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest, located 6.2 miles (10 km) north east of Charing Cross. It borders Walthamstow and Leytonstone; Stratford in Newham; and Homerton and Lower Clapton in the London Borough of Hackney.
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History and features
History and geography
Leyton is at the heart of the Lea Valley. The name 'Leyton' has been used since the 11th century and means 'town on the river Lea'. Leyton is situated on the Prime Meridian and is less than 1 mile east of the site of the 2012 Olympic Park. Leyton Orient Football Club is also based here. The area is made up largely of terraced housing. Many high-rise council estates that dominated the skyline have been demolished over the past 15 years.
Leyton was historically part of Essex and formed an urban district of that county from 1894. It gained the status of municipal borough in 1926. In 1965 the Municipal Borough of Leyton was abolished and its former area transferred to Greater London to be combined with that of other districts to form the London Borough of Waltham Forest.
The main route through the town is the High Road, which forms part of the ancient route to Waltham Abbey. At the top end of the High Road is a crossroads with Lea Bridge Road and Hoe Street. This junction and the surrounding district is known as Bakers Arms, named after the public house which still stands at the spot. The pub was named in honour of the almshouses on Lea Bridge Road built in 1857 by the London Master Bakers’ Benevolent Institution.
During World War II, Leyton suffered as a target because of its proximity to Temple Mills Yard. The yard is now reduced in size as part of it has become a retail park 'Leyton Mills', whilst the rest has been renovated to serve as a depot for high speed trains.
Community and facilities
The area is one of the most multi-cultural parts of London and Britain. The 2001 Census revealed a very mixed population; approximately 50 per cent White, 23 per cent Black and 21 per cent south Asian[1] (Leyton covers several wards so precise figures are unavailable). Within these groups there are many people whose origins are from Pakistan, North African, Ghana, Nigeria, Jamaica, Ireland, Cyprus, Italy and newer arrivals from South Africa, Bosnia, Serbia and Poland.
The New Spitalfields Market relocated in 1991 from the Old Spitalfields market, is the UK's leading horticultural market specialising in exotic fruit and vegetables.
There are 2 main shopping areas in the town, located at opposite ends of the High Road. A new retail park is to be found at Leyton Mills. This has a large Asda store, a B&Q store and a selection of furniture and electrical stores. At the north end of the town, Baker's Arms has a more traditional selection of shops lining Lea Bridge Road and the High Road, including a Tesco.
There are numerous pubs and a few bars situated on the High Road. The local police station is based on Francis Road, which also has two primary schools and a mini supermarket.
Large scale redevelopment and inner city regeneration has been underway in Leyton for many years, as is also the case in the neighbouring areas of Hackney, Clapton and Stratford. High-rise estates which were amongst Britain's poorest[citation needed] (e.g. the Oliver Close Estate and the Cathall Road estate) have been completely redeveloped by demolition and rebuilding with the help of the multi-million pound Waltham Forest Housing Action Trust scheme. Other problematic areas such as the Avenue Road Estate have also been redeveloped over the past 10 years. The last large high-rise estate in the area, the Beaumont Road Estate (which is currently ranked as the fifth poorest housing estate in Britain[citation needed]), has now been almost entirely demolished and redeveloped.
Leyton has several crime hotspots designated as high crime areas according to Metropolitan Police crime mapping data, notably the area between Temple Mills Lane and the High Road. Certain areas within that region currently (as of July 2009) have dispersal orders as a measure to reduce gang related crime.
Sports
In 1886 a pavilion was built at Leyton Cricket Ground, becoming the headquarters of Essex County Cricket Club until 1933, however Essex continued to play at Leyton until 1977. The pavilion still stands today and is used as a sports ground by local schools,and as a boxing club.
The town is the home to two footballclubs; Leyton Orient F.C. and Leyton F.C.. Leyton Orient F.C. play in Football League One, and their home games occur at the Matchroom Stadium, Brisbane Road. The stadium has recently been re-constructed, including improved terraces and some residential property near Leyton Asda.
Leyton F.C. are in the Isthmian League Premier Division, and play at the Leyton Stadium.
Education
Leyton has a number of secondary schools, including George Mitchell School, The Lammas School and Norlington School for Boys.
Wards and areas
Housing
Transport
The town of Leyton is served by the Central Line of London Underground, with a station located at the southern end of the High Road.
There is a station at Midland Road on the Gospel Oak to Barking line. The town is well-served by buses, with 24 hour services running along the High Road and Lea Bridge Road.
It can easily also be reached by bus from Walthamstow Central, which is a tube station on the north end of the High Road. What station to aim for depends on where you're travelling from.
Future
The London Velopark which will be constructed in Leyton , which will include a 6,000-seat indoor velodrome for track cycling and a 6,000-seat outdoor BMX racing track.
The training facilities at the Waltham Forest Pool & Track will be used by Olympians to prepare for the Olympics.
Notable people
- Jack Cornwell VC was born in Leyton in 1900
- Bobby Crush, pianist
- Molly Cutpurse (Author)
- Curtis Davies (Premiership footballer)
- Daniel Evans, singer and X Factor finalist (2008)
- Charles Goring, 2nd Earl of Norwich buried in Leyton Parish Church in 1671
- Gunshot (British Hip hop group)
- Steve Harris (Founder and bass player of Iron Maiden)
- Frank Muir (Writer and radio personality)
- John Henry Pepper (creator of Pepper's ghost - a famous stage illusion)
- Sir Thomas Roe, English diplomat, born in Leyton in 1581
- Russ Sainty (1960s UK rock 'n' roll star)
- John Strype, historian and biographer, was curate and vicar of Leyton 1669-1737
- Harry Beck (Creator of the Undergrond Map)
- The band Iron Maiden came from Leyton
Transport and locale
Nearest tube stations
The nearest London Underground stations are Leyton, Leytonstone and Walthamstow Central.
Nearest railway stations
- Forest Gate railway station
- Leytonstone High Road railway station
- Leyton Midland Road railway station
- Maryland railway station
Nearest places
- Walthamstow to the north
- Leytonstone to the east
- Upper Clapton to the north west
To the west
To the south
Sports clubs
References
External links
- Leyton.Info
- Leyton Sixth Form College
- Waltham Forest Guardian (local newspaper)
- Council Tax for Leyton and Borough of Waltham Forest
- The Leyton War Memorial Project
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