London Fields
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- London Fields is also the title of a novel by Martin Amis.
London Fields is both a park, and the name of an area of London, situated in the London Borough of Hackney, East London. The park itself was first recorded in 1540. At this time it was common ground and was used by drovers to pasture their livestock before taking them to market in London. After the second world war, it was much frequented by meths drinkers [citation needed]. It now contains a cricket pitch, a newly reopened Lido (the lido features a 50m outdoor pool heated to 25 oC and, in time, a retractable roof), areas of grass, a small BMX track, tennis courts, a table tennis table and two children's play areas. A much-used cycle path runs from Pub on the Park to Broadway Market. London Fields also has a railway station linking it to Hackney Downs railway station and to Liverpool Street Station in the City. The Pub on the Park is the starting point for the annual Dunwich Dynamo night cycle ride.
The London Fields area used to be another neglected corner of East London, usually lumped in as part of Dalston, but the people who have stayed have seen enormous change and it has emerged as a district with its own character. House prices in the area have risen 20% in the past two years and there has been an influx of young, upwardly mobile professionals bringing a perceived gentrification of the area with them. The main shopping street of Broadway Market boasts a wide selection of boutiques, pubs and cafes and thanks to these - and the successful Saturday market - the area is regarded as thriving.
London Fields is also now one of the centres of the London art scene, the initial 'buzz' being fostered by the influential Flowers East gallery. Although this has since moved to Shoreditch, it has left a legacy of small to medium art galleries, often artist-run. 'The Hothouse' a studio/gallery complex currently undergoing expansion faces onto the park's north east corner. The rise in accommodation costs (partly the result of this cultural upsurge) have ironically meant that few up-and-coming artists can afford to live there, however.
Every Saturday, the market brings a wide variety of producers from around the country to take part in the farmers' market selling quality produce, complemented by many others selling hand-made jewellery, gifts, childrenswear, and vintage clothing.
The cricket strip on London Fields hosts competitive games throughout the summer (late April - mid September). Several teams from the North East London Cricket Leagueregard the park as their home pitch, most notably London Fields CC, based from the Pub on the Park, and The Village Cricket Club of St Margaret and St Bernard.
