Sunday, 22 April, 2018
I’ve seen Hackney tours advertised quite often but they’re on Saturdays – I can’t manage Saturday before lunch. For some reason, the last time I saw a tour advertised it was on a Sunday so I set about rearranging my day before worrying about my ability to keep up with a group and on a tour that promised we would climb St Augustine’s Tower, all 135 steps of it.
No matter. I arrived at Hackney Town Hall for 11am and hoped for the best! The group were mostly older but a few young ‘uns thrown in there. I think we were all more or less locals and wondering what we’d learn that we didn’t know.
The tour guide is Sean Gubbins and, because Hackney is a very large borough (the largest in London), every two or three weeks he tours around a different area. Today was the Heart of Hackney tour – around the town hall, the Narrow Way, and some stops on the way over to Sutton House.
Hackney Town Hall, it turns out, is the third town hall of Hackney. The first was a little one over on the Narrow Way. It became a bank at one point and I remember going in and seeing a plaque that said that Ted Cohen, the founder of Tesco, had started his business with a loan there. Now it’s a betting shop, one of far too many around the borough. The second incarnation was where the new one is now but closer to the main road of Mare Street. This one was very imposing but I do think that the new one, being set back from the road with the square in front of it and the new library and Hackney empire flanking it, is nicely located if not beautiful.
Ever wondered why there are palm trees at the Town Hall and around the borough?
A world-renowned Victorian nursery garden and hothouse once stood near Mare Street – where Hackney Town Hall is now. It was called Loddiges, founded by Joachim Conrad Loddiges.
Described as a ‘latter-day Eden,’ the original Loddiges was home to the world’s largest hothouse. Famed for its collection of orchids and ferns, the nursery was a pioneer in the import and cultivation of rare exotic plants into Britain and attracted visitors from all over Europe and was known as the Grand Palm House. Here palms flourished like nowhere else in the world, set amidst an array of other tropical plants.
Over time, Loddiges supplied plants to places like Kew Gardens, Woburn Abbey, Chatsworth House, St James’ Park and Kensington Gardens, as well as the Imperial Gardens of St. Petersburg and the Adelaide Botanic Garden.
Unfortunately, following the deaths of Joachim’s sons, William and George and due to the changing London landscape, Loddiges closed its gates in 1852. Two years later, Londoners witnessed the stately procession of thirty-two plumed horses as they drew a giant palm tree, the jewel in the Loddiges Nursery’s crown, to its final resting place at the Crystal Palace, Sydenham. The Loddiges tomb can be found in the former churchyard behind St Augustine’s Tower.There was actually a ton of history along the way to that tower – more than I realised – and I can’t write it all here but I’ll briefly show the main points.
The Hackney Empire, home of ‘London’s best panto’ started as a music hall in 1901. Charlie Chaplin, WC Fields, Stanley Holloway, Stan Laurel and Marie Lloyd all performed there, when the Hackney Empire was a music hall. It was partially bombed during World War II so some of it was rebuilt. It’s a truly beautiful place inside, but despite its beauty and elegance there’s always a warm neighbourly feeling every time I’ve gone there.
If you’re following history, don’t be fooled into thinking Charlie Chaplin stepped through that Stage Door at the back. The original door has been bricked over and the builders left the step there so that history remained intact. It’s still there and it’s very well worn. You have to know it’s there to notice it!
At the back of the Empire is a passage – it was created as a path towards The City for those who worked there. And back there are some old almshouses along with a very old pub, The Old Ship. Originally built in 1856, it was rebuilt in 1877 so it’s very likely Chaplin and the rest had a pint here. If you linger on the path (Sylvester Path) you’ll see a handwritten note about the almshouses too.
Amhurst Road – which is where I live but further along than this central area – was apparently once the site of the Hackney Brook, one of the subterranean rivers of London. At its widest point and in full flood this was ten meters wide. You’d never know it now!
Next we went to St Augustine’s Tower. Although I’d considered skipping this part of the tour, I decided to go in and see what I could learn. I’ve climbed it before and wasn’t keen but up I went.
The tower is iconic and is represented on the borough’s coat of arms.  It is all that remains of the early 16th century parish church of Hackney of St Augustine, which replaced the 13th century medieval church founded by the Knights of St John. A fine working 16th century turret clock has remained on the third floor of the Tower since at least 1608.
The church’s original boundaries are marked by large stones around the green where the church used to stand. It must have been impressive.
And up the tower we went. What a climb!
We found our way to St John at Hackney. The church was built in 1792 and can hold up to 2,000 people. It served the largest civil parish of what was then called Middlesex. It stands on a large complex of green space, part parkland, part burial ground. It has monuments dating from Tudor times that were transferred from the church, of which only St Augustine’s Tower remains.
It’s a lively and friendly church community. Who else would have their social media ties emblazoned on the wall?
We headed for Sutton House. Originally known as ‘Bryck Place’, Sutton House was built in 1535 by Sir Ralph Sadler, Principal Secretary of State to Henry VIII. It’s the oldest residential building in Hackney and a rare example of a red brick building from the Tudor period. It’s passed through many hands including those of squatters in the mid 1980s, wnen it became very rundown. It was finally rescued and restored by the National Trust in 1987 and opened to the public in 1994.
Hackney was originally the home of Saxons. Artifacts have been found that bear this out, including an old Saxon boat that sits in the Hackney Museum. When people began to settle here, it was quite rural with plenty of farmland. Hackney was prized for its little turnips. It was home to many forward and independent thinkers and has retained this reputation to this day. Home to the early feminists, poets, writers and artists. Kings came to hunt. People came for the places of learning, the waters and the fresh air. Today it’s a multicultural, hipster, close community taking in
Dalston
De Beauvoir Town
Finsbury Park
Hackney Central
Hackney Downs
Hackney Marshes
Hackney Wick
Haggerston
Homerton
Hoxton
Kingsland
Lea Bridge
London Fields
Lower Clapton
Manor House
Newington Green
Shacklewell
Shoreditch
South Hackney
Stamford Hill
Stoke Newington
Upper Clapton
I’m a proud resident.
There’s so much to remember and I simply couldn’t outline it all here but I hope I’ve hit the highlights.