Bava

Martyrs Memorial

Stratford New Town · 1.9 miles

A 19th-century monument in Stratford New Town marks the site where a group of eleven men and two women were executed for their Protestant convictions during the Marian persecutions of 1556. The stone column stands in St John’s churchyard on Stratford Broadway and was raised in 1879 to honour those who suffered at the hands of the authorities. Designed by J T Newman, the structure comprises an ornate hexagonal shaft topped by a twelve-sided spire that reaches approximately 65 feet. One face bears a terra-cotta relief panel that reproduces an illustration from Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, while the remaining sides list the names of the thirteen individuals, together with Elizabeth Warne, Stephen Harwood, Hugh Laverock, John Apprice, Patrick Packingham and the Reverend Thomas Rose, whose fates were linked to the same period of religious turmoil. The memorial was financed through public subscription, the appeal being chaired by Rev William Jay Bolton, Vicar of Stratford. Its unveiling on 2 August 1879 was conducted under the auspices of the Earl of Shaftesbury, whose address reflected the anti-Catholic sentiment of the time. Contemporary commentary in The Graphic criticised the polarising tone of the speech. The monument is recorded on the National Heritage List for England as a Grade II listed structure, with Historic England confirming its protected status. Visitors can view the memorial within the churchyard, where the surrounding setting remains unchanged since its erection.

Bow Creek Ecology Park

Blackwall · 1.9 miles

A modest open space follows the tidal Bow Creek estuary of the River Lea, situated in Canning Town within the London Borough of Newham and close to the Blackwall area. Managed by the Lee Valley Park authority, the site lies alongside and beneath the Docklands Light Railway, a short walk from Canning Town station. The park’s layout includes a network of footpaths, observation points and seating, while small streams and ponds provide aquatic habitats. An outdoor classroom and the presence of diverse plant life make the area a recognised resource for local schools and community groups. The landscape was established in 1994 by the London Docklands Development Corporation after a survey highlighted several uncommon species, among them Hairy Buttercup, Walthamstow Cress and Unreel’s Wormwood. Prior to its opening, the site featured in a BBC educational series for schools, “Science Zone”, presented by Steve Johnson. Formal inauguration took place in 1996, involving actress Michelle Collins, presenter Johnson, LDDC project manager and ecologist Kieron Murphy, and pupils from Woolmore Primary School. Subsequent recognition includes a Green Flag Award recorded in 2010 – the fourth such accolade – and a nomination for the UK Landscape Award the same year. Practical information notes that opening times are published on the park’s listing, though specific hours are not detailed here. Access is straightforward via public transport to Canning Town station, and the site’s footpaths and seating areas support casual visits and educational activities without the need for additional facilities.

House Mill

Three Mills · 1.9 miles

The former tide mill stands on the River Lea at Mill Meads, forming part of the historic Three Mills complex near the village of Three Mills. Its three-storey timber frame, capped by a steeply pitched slate roof that incorporates two additional storeys, is protected as a Grade I listed building. The site’s milling activity dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, when the mills were owned by Stratford Langthorne Abbey until the 16th-century Reformation. The present structure was erected in 1776 by Daniel Bisson; a fire in 1802 led to reconstruction under Philip Metcalfe. The mill is regarded as the largest surviving tidal mill in Britain, and much of its original machinery remains in place, including four waterwheels—three of 20 feet in diameter and one of 19 feet—though they are no longer operational. The building’s south façade bears a 1776 coat of arms and the initials “DSB”, possibly referring to Daniel and Sarah Bisson, together with forty cast-iron wall plates that tie the floor beams. Adjacent to the mill, the Miller’s House was rebuilt in 1995 with a modern interior while retaining its historic façade; earlier dwellings were destroyed after a World War II bomb damaged the area on 15 October 1940. After milling ceased, the structure served as a warehouse. The mill’s heritage status is recorded by Historic England, and its location is identified on the OpenStreetMap database as a landmark near Three Mills.

Barking Park War Memorial

Loxford · 2.5 miles

Wall dedicated to those from Barking who lost their lives during the First and Second World War.

Olympic Bell

Fish Island · 2.5 miles

A striking feature of the Olympic Park is the Olympic Bell, a bronze monument commissioned for the 2012 London Olympic Games and now displayed near the former stadium. Cast in 2012, the bell measures about 2 metres in height with a 3.34-metre diameter and weighs roughly 23 tonnes, making it the second-heaviest bell in Europe after Cologne’s Petersglocke and the largest harmonically tuned bell worldwide. Its main pitch is the note B, and the surface bears the inscription “London 2012” together with a line from *The Tempest*: “Be not afeard, the isle is full of noises”, plus the Whitechapel Bell Foundry’s name and coat of arms. The casting process involved the Whitechapel Bell Foundry’s design work, subcontracting the actual pour to Royal Eijsbouts in the Netherlands, and contributions from twenty companies across three countries. After being tested in the stadium at midnight on 1 June 2012, the bell was positioned for the opening ceremony, later moved to make space for the cauldron, and stored within the park until its re-erection on a support structure outside the stadium in May 2016. Although the bell was featured symbolically during the opening ceremony—Bradley Wiggins “ringed” it mechanically and it sounded at key musical moments—it is not currently rung, as authorities consider the sound could disturb nearby residents. The monument remains a permanent memorial within the Olympic Park, accessible to visitors exploring the site.

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

East Wick · 2.5 miles

A legacy of the 2012 Summer Olympics, the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park offers a mix of sporting venues and public green space. The site spans parts of Stratford, Bow, Leyton and Hackney Wick in east London, straddling the boroughs of Newham, Tower Hamlets, Hackney and Waltham Forest. Royal Mail allocated the postcode E20 to the park and the adjacent Stratford City development, and the nearest town recorded in OpenStreetMap is East Wick. Construction was completed in 2012, the year the Games were held. Originally called the Olympic Park during the event, it was later renamed to honour the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, although it is not an official Royal Park. After the Games, part of the area reopened in July 2013 and the majority, including the Aquatics Centre, VeloPark and the ArcelorMittal Orbit, reopened in April 2014. Key facilities include the London Stadium, the former Olympic stadium now used for athletics and concerts, the London Aquatics Centre with its distinctive roof, the Copper Box arena and the Lee Valley VeloPark. The ArcelorMittal Orbit, a steel observation tower, forms the park’s most prominent piece of public art. The former athletes’ village has been converted into the East Village, providing around 3,600 apartments adjacent to Stratford City. Additional amenities comprise the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, the London Olympics Media Centre, northern parklands and reinstated allotments. Management of the legacy is overseen by the independent charity The Legacy List, established in 2011 to develop art, education and skill-building projects. Plans announced in 2012 for a national Olympic Museum beside the Orbit were later shelved in July 2013. The park was designed by the EDAW Consortium with input from Arup, WS Atkins and landscape architects, and its lighting scheme was created by Speirs + Major. It is described as one of the largest urban parks created in Western Europe for more than 150 years, with restored wetland habitats and native planting.