London Fields
London Fields is a park in Hackney, London, although the name also refers to the immediate area in Hackney surrounding it and London Fields station. It is common land adjoining the Hackney Central area of the London Borough of Hackney. The park covers an area of, and includes sporting and recreation facilities. The park's history is recorded as early as the 13th century, and it has been known as London Fields since the mid-16th century.
History
In 1275, the area now known as London Fields was recorded as common pasture land adjoining Cambridge Heath.The park was first recorded by name in 1540; in the singular as 'London Field'. Still common ground, it was used by drovers to pasture their livestock before taking them to market in London. By the late 19th century the name had become pluralised to 'London Fields' and parts of the Fields were being lost to piecemeal development. There was a threat of comprehensive development of the park in 1860 but this threat was averted.
During the Second World War the park hosted an anti-aircraft battery in the south-west corner and a bomb shelter in the vicinity of the tennis courts.
The area was heavily bombed during the Blitz and houses along the northern and eastern edges of the park were among those destroyed. These houses had been built on land that was originally part of London Fields and the land was subsequently restored to the park. The previous boundary is marked by a wide arc of Plane trees.
Sport and facilities
London Fields features a cricket pitch, a heated 50m lido and lido cafe, grass areas, a small BMX track, tennis courts, a table tennis table, toilet blocks and two children's play areas. In 2013 the Council turned a sandy, gritty area of London Fields into a pictorial meadow the size of a football pitch.There is a public house called the Pub on the Park on the east side of the park; this was opened in 1855. It was formerly known as the Queen Eleanor until 1992.
London Fields received a Green Flag award in July 2008. A much-used cycle path runs from the Pub on the Park to Broadway Market.
A document in Hackney library records a game of cricket to have been played on the park as early as 1802, and the cricket square on London Fields continues to host competitive games throughout the summer. Several teams use the park as their home pitch, most notably London Fields CC, based at the Pub on the Park.
During the summer the park can be extremely busy with many people combining an afternoon's picnic with watching the cricket. The Turley End of the ground is a popular vantage point for those watching the cricket.
The park is used as the starting point for an annual night-time cycle ride called the Dunwich Dynamo.
The park is a training and competition base for Hackney Aquatics Club, the London Fields Triathlon Club and Team London Fields Running Club.