Talk:Lower Clapton

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The definition given of Lower Clapton here was largely wrong. Aside from the fact that it leaves Clapton Library, Hackney Downs and a couple of notable Clapton historical sites in limbo, being west of Lower Clapton Road, it also claims an important chunk of Homerton, including Homerton University Hospital (!).

I am not sure, in fact that very much of Chatsworth Road is in LC at all, but since the chunk I know to be definitely in Homerton is named Brooksby's Walk, I left this entry in, though I think it misleading to suggest that this is the centre of the area except in a very narrow geographical sense for an Lower Clapton extended to the Lea. Every area seems to want to extend themselves to the Lea - see the dreadful entry for Stoke Newington. (Older accounts have the eastern area north of Homerton next to the marshes as 'Clapton Park', it seems to have been enfolded into LC of late.)

There's plenty more to write about LC historically, hope to fill out this piece a lot soon.

Tarquin Binary 15:57, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

Historically, there's a basic problem with Hackney, in that it developed as a string of villages along the roads. Both upper and lower were a part of the village of Clopton, as this became ridiculously stretched out, the distinction came in to use. Homerton has much the same problem - being stretched out, but we've largely lost the distinction in that section. There are two sections for Clapton, and they seem to take their definition from the road leading to it, rather than geography.

Certainly, Brooksby's Walk was a part of Homerton, and I suspect development of Homerton would have proceeded up Chatsworth Rd, rather than down the hill from Lwr Clapton. Trouble is, these distinctions change over time. Chatsworth Rd was probably originally a path across the fields from Lower Homerton to Lee Bridge. The only meaningful way to look at it would be from the parish boundaries (when did Clapton get a parish?), or their sucessor political boundaries. I think medieval Clopton was centred around Brooke House - to the N of what is now the Lea Bridge roundabout. That makes things like the Round Chapel (in Chatham ward, the modern Homerton!) completely negotiable between Clapton, Central Hackney, and Homerton!

I'll hit the historical maps, sometime, but not soon.

--Kbthompson 10:48, 2 August 2006 (UTC)