Hackney, Shoreditch & Spitalfiels: politics and culture

What to expect

Join me for a walk through the historic East End of London, starting at Hackney Town Hall (where I got married) and ending at Spitalfields Market. This isn’t just a tick-box tourist attraction trip – we discuss the real issues that have faced the multicultural people of the boroughs of Hackney and Tower Hamlets. We look at housing, gentrification, squatters, campaigners, traffic, immigration, the blitz, the industrial revolution and all subjects in between! We follow the drover’s route where peasants drove their animals to Smithfield meat market, crossing London Fields along the way. We’ll explore three of the East End’s most famous markets and cross the Regent’s Canal. We explore Columbia Road, famous for its flower market and Victorian terraces, before visiting the peaceful Boundary Estate, Europe’s first social housing development, instantly recognisable by its sweeping red-brick mansion blocks curving around the bandstand at Arnold Circus. Many visitors say this feels like discovering a secret corner of London. We walk down Brick Lane, a street shaped by centuries of migration, from the Huguenots to Jewish communities and, more recently, the Bangladeshi community, each leaving their mark on its culture, food, and character. We finish at Spitalfields Market and Hawksmoor’s Christchurch. Follow me on @lizadoddstourguide The walk is suitable for dogs with space to run in the park.

Meeting point

The steps of Hackney Town Hall

Your route

1. 1

   Hackney Town Hall

   We start at Hackney Town Hall, where I got married. We discuss London as a collection of villages and imagine farm animals walking down the Drovers Route to Smithfield Market.

2. 2

   London Fields

   On through London Fields, a common grazing ground from ancient times where the animals were fattened up. Later, it became a gathering place for the squatters’ movement and today it’s a lively park, famous for its lido and community festivals.

3. 3

   Broadway Market

   Broadway Market is a Saturday market packed with food stalls, crafts and independent shops, blending historic charm with modern creative energy.

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