Hackney Marshes

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Hackney Marshes holds the world record for the highest number (88) of full-sized football pitches in one place.

Hackney Marshes is an area of grassland on the western (Middlesex) bank of the River Lee in the London Borough of Hackney. It was incorporated into the Lee Valley Park in 1967. It was originally a true marsh, but was extensively drained from Medieval times, and rubble was dumped here from buildings damaged by air raids during World War II.

1 History
2 Trivia
3 Transport
4 Notes and References

[edit] History

[edit] The marsh

The River itself was always an important waterway, being navigable to Hertfordshire; the Marsh was formed by the periodic flooding of the river, and so formed useful pasture, but could not be occupied permanently. The river forms a natural boundary, so in 527AD it formed the boundary between the Saxon kingdoms of Essex and Middlesex. Reputedly, King Alfred stranded an invading Viking fleet here in 895AD, by draining the river where it met the River Thames.

By medieval times, both sides had become counties in England, and attempts were made to control the flow of water through the marshes. Mills were established including the Knights Templar mill at Temple Mills. Much of the marsh was 'owned' by the Templars and used for pasture. When the Templars were abolished, the land passed to the Knights Hospitaller, and thence to the Crown during the Reformation, when monastic lands were seized. At this time, much of the land was associated with the Hackney village of Lower Homerton; and with the large manor house at Hackney Wick.

By 1795 the former Templar mills were being used for preparing lead (submerged in urine, and heated by decaying cow dung, the lead was converted to lead oxide, and then finely ground to form a pigment for white, yellow and red lead paint). A new watermill was established on the Crown land of the marshes, by Prince Rupert for an improved method of boring guns, however the secret died with him in 1682, and the enterprise collapsed<ref>Granger's Biographical History, vol. ii. p. 407. 4to. edit. Dugdale's Baronage, vol. i. p. 559</ref>.

At the end of the 19th century Hackney suffered from increased demand for building land, both for housing and to extend the factories in Homerton. The marshes had always suffered periodic flooding from the Lee but with the introduction of mains sewerage, a flood relief sewer was constructed beneath the marshes. Most common and Lammas lands were then preserved by an Act of Parliament and passed to the control of the Metropolitan Borough of Hackney, but the marsh remained excluded from the MWB scheme because many of the lammas rights were still exercised, predominantly grazing. This was a period of increasing arguments between landowners and groups, such as the Eton Manor Mission, who were trying to use the marsh for recreation. The 337 acres of marshes were finally preserved by the LCC in 1890, by purchasing the rights and landowners' interests for £75,000. They opened to the public in 1893 and were formally dedicated in 1894<ref>Sexby, Municipal Pks. 361-3; L.C.C. Ceremonial Pamphlets, 21 July 1894</ref>. The LCC undertook further flood prevention, straightening some of the bends in the River, by introducing four 'cuts', the old channels being retained to form islands<ref><cite>Hackney: Public services', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 10: Hackney (1995), pp. 108-15. Date accessed: 13 October 2006.</ref>.

There were few houses on the marshes, but a notable exception was the White House Inn, by a bridge on the old road to Leyton. Originally built as part of a Lea fishery scheme, the pub is now long gone, but a bridge remains, built to supply AA batteries during World War II.

Small areas of the marsh have been taken for housing and sports fields, and others added. 35.5 acres were taken in 1915 to build the 'National Projectile Factory'; after World War I, in 1922 this site was used to create the Mabley Green recreation ground. A further 22.5 acres, were taken in 1937 for the building of the Kingsmead Estate. The Lesney die cast model factory was build on the Homerton side of the Lee Navigation, in the 1940's, having success for many years with their Matchbox brand. The factory was a major local employer and closed in 1990.

[edit] Sport

Today the marshes provide many pleasant walks, in reach of the inner city, but the most famous use of Hackney Marshes is for Sunday league football<ref><cite[ www.hackneyandleytonfootballleague.co.uk Hackney & Leyton Sunday Leaqgue Football website] accessed on 12 Nov 2006</ref>, with 88 full-size football pitches marked out. On a typical Sunday, over 100 matches are played by amateur teams in several local leagues. This led in 2006 to a dispute between London Borough of Hackney and Nike, Inc. over the company's use of the borough logo on their sportswear. The dispute was settled with payment of £300,000 going to support local youth sports groups<ref><cite>Nike scores own goal on Hackney Marshes - Clare Dyer in Society Guardian 12 Sept 2006 (accessed : 23 Oct 2006)</ref>.

[edit] London Olympics 2012

Part of the London Olympic park for the Summer Olympics of 2012 will be built on Hackney Marshes. This has caused some controversy with local residents' groups <ref>Protest stirs in troubled east - Paul Kelso in The Guardian February 15, 2005 date accessed: 30 October 2006</ref>, <ref>Hackney Development Forum date accessed: 30 October 2006</ref>, who have expressed concerns that East Marsh is to be tarmaced and used as a disabled coach park for the games. This is a temporary measure, and promises are in place for their complete restoration, after the games, together with considerable investment to improve facilities for amateur sport on the marshes.

Arena fields, however, will be taken by the games permanently; this area is to be replaced by parkland of comparable size and value, on the Hackney side, at the end of the games.

It will not be possible to reinstate the loss of mature and varied trees that the plans entail; or to compensate for the disruption caused to wildlife by construction.

The plans can be viewed at the London2012 website<ref>London2012 website (PDF; see page 17, "North spectator transport facility")</ref>; this can be compared with a map of Lee Valley Park<ref>Map of Hackney Marsh at Lee Valley Park site (PDF)</ref> to see the impact.

[edit] Trivia

Image:Guselen.jpg

The celebrated cockney music hall performer Gus Elen sang a song entitled If It Wasn't for the 'Ouses In Between which included the following chorus:

Oh it really is a wery pretty garden

And Chingford to the eastward could be seen;

Wiv a ladder and some glasses,

You could see to 'Ackney Marshes,

If it wasn't for the 'ouses in between.

In 1881 old boys from Homerton College, then in Homerton founded the Glynn Cricket Club and Clapton FC here, when the football team moved to a purpose built field on the Leyton side of the marsh, they became Leyton FC.
About 1901, The Eton Manor Mission was formed, from premises at Hackney Wick. The purpose was to use pupils from Eton College to bring enlightenment to the poverty stricken East End; and for those boys to come to some understanding of the situation of the poor. One strand of this peculiar meeting of opposites, was through sport on the Marshes, including running, boxing and the formation of Eton Manor F.C.
In 1977, a 15 mins film was made celebrating the football on the marshes, by John Smith.
In 1997, Nike presented a selection of Premiership players turning out for the Sunday League teams to the soundtrack of Blur's Parklife.
The 2005 film Bullet Boy (Saul Dibb) used the marshes and local streets, as a location.