Leamouth
Encyclopedia
Leamouth is the area to the west of the mouth of the River Lea at the River Thames
at . The northern part of the area lies within a meander
of the Lea; the southern part is bounded in the west by the former East India Docks
, on two sides by the Lea and by the River Thames
to the south. Forming two 'tongues' of land, sometimes mistakenly identified as a peninsula
; the northern known as Good Luck Hope and the east pointing tongue as Orchard House.
The later name derives from a manor house located on the spit; this site had become an eponymous public house from 1800–60. When the docks were constructed, the area became isolated, with the only access via the dock road, from Poplar
. Residents were engaged at the glass works, the iron and engineering works, or the Samuda Brothers
, Orchard House Yard
and Thames Iron Works ship yards. When the Thames Plate Glass Works closed in 1874, many of the hands – who had migrated to the area from Tyneside
and St Helens
in the 1840s – now followed the glassworks to New Albany, Indiana
. To house the workers, there were about 100 small two-storied cottages – built from the 1820s and condemned in 1935. There was the Bow Creek school (founded in 1865), but few shops, and the Crown, a public house, opened about 1840.
One street, Orchard Place, runs through the former industrial area and the Lower Lea Crossing crosses the narrow strip of land between the two tongues. The northern part was principally occupied by Pura Foods Ltd
vegetable oil refinery – on the site of the former Thames Plate Glass Works; and the south by engineering works, shipyard
s (Thames Iron Works and
Orchard House Yard
) and Trinity Buoy Wharf
which contains London's only lighthouse. There are also live-work units, many in the form of the Container Cities
. The "Jubilee" pedestrian bridge across the Lea links the area to the east bank of the Lea, and Canning Town station
.
The Leamouth Peninsula project is a scheme by architects Skidmore, Owings and Merrill that has received planning permission to create up to 1837 homes, a community centre, an arts centre, and a primary school with places for up to 371 children on the peninsula. The 1900000 square feet (176,516 m²) scheme will consist of extremely high density housing around a central core pedestrian route linking to the proposed lower Lea Valley
linear Park - leading to the 2012 Olympic Park
. There will be a mixture of towers, from 44 metres (144 ft) to 85 metres (279 ft) in height. The scheme will be implemented in two phases, one north of the single access road to the site, the other to the south, around Trinity Buoy Wharf. Construction work began, but was suspended in early 2009 due to the downturn in the housing market.
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
at . The northern part of the area lies within a meander
Meander
A meander in general is a bend in a sinuous watercourse. A meander is formed when the moving water in a stream erodes the outer banks and widens its valley. A stream of any volume may assume a meandering course, alternately eroding sediments from the outside of a bend and depositing them on the...
of the Lea; the southern part is bounded in the west by the former East India Docks
East India Docks
The East India Docks was a group of docks in Blackwall, east London, north-east of the Isle of Dogs. Today only the entrance basin remains.-History:...
, on two sides by the Lea and by the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
to the south. Forming two 'tongues' of land, sometimes mistakenly identified as a peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
; the northern known as Good Luck Hope and the east pointing tongue as Orchard House.
The later name derives from a manor house located on the spit; this site had become an eponymous public house from 1800–60. When the docks were constructed, the area became isolated, with the only access via the dock road, from Poplar
Poplar, London
Poplar is a historic, mainly residential area of the East End of London in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is about east of Charing Cross. Historically a hamlet in the parish of Stepney, Middlesex, in 1817 Poplar became a civil parish. In 1855 the Poplar District of the Metropolis was...
. Residents were engaged at the glass works, the iron and engineering works, or the Samuda Brothers
Samuda Brothers
Samuda Brothers was an engineering and ship building firm at Cubitt Town on the Isle of Dogs in London, founded by Jacob and Joseph d'Aguilar Samuda. The site is now occupied by Samuda Estate....
, Orchard House Yard
Orchard House Yard
Orchard House yard was at Leamouth, on the River Lea at Bow Creek. The SS Robin was built at Orchard House Yard in 1890, and is currently moored a short distance away at West India Quay in London Docklands.-External links:**-See also:...
and Thames Iron Works ship yards. When the Thames Plate Glass Works closed in 1874, many of the hands – who had migrated to the area from Tyneside
Tyneside
Tyneside is a conurbation in North East England, defined by the Office of National Statistics, which is home to over 80% of the population of Tyne and Wear. It includes the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and the Metropolitan Boroughs of Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside — all settlements on...
and St Helens
St Helens, Merseyside
St Helens is a large town in Merseyside, England. It is the largest settlement and administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens with a population of just over 100,000, part of an urban area with a total population of 176,843 at the time of the 2001 Census...
in the 1840s – now followed the glassworks to New Albany, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. To house the workers, there were about 100 small two-storied cottages – built from the 1820s and condemned in 1935. There was the Bow Creek school (founded in 1865), but few shops, and the Crown, a public house, opened about 1840.
One street, Orchard Place, runs through the former industrial area and the Lower Lea Crossing crosses the narrow strip of land between the two tongues. The northern part was principally occupied by Pura Foods Ltd
Pura Foods Ltd
Pura Foods Ltd is a manufacturer and supplier of edible oils and fats.The company now has two sites by the Thames, with manufacturing plant at Purfleet and R&D facilities at the former British Oil & Cake Mills in Erith. It is now part of ADM...
vegetable oil refinery – on the site of the former Thames Plate Glass Works; and the south by engineering works, shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
s (Thames Iron Works and
Orchard House Yard
Orchard House Yard
Orchard House yard was at Leamouth, on the River Lea at Bow Creek. The SS Robin was built at Orchard House Yard in 1890, and is currently moored a short distance away at West India Quay in London Docklands.-External links:**-See also:...
) and Trinity Buoy Wharf
Trinity Buoy Wharf
Trinity Buoy Wharf, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, is the site of London's only lighthouse, by the confluence of the River Thames and Bow Creek, at Leamouth. The lighthouse no longer functions, and is the home of various art projects such as Longplayer...
which contains London's only lighthouse. There are also live-work units, many in the form of the Container Cities
Container City
Container City is a trademark of "Urban Space Management". It is principally a means of utilising standard shipping containers, at the end of their life, to produce flexible accommodation and offices at low cost....
. The "Jubilee" pedestrian bridge across the Lea links the area to the east bank of the Lea, and Canning Town station
Canning Town station
Canning Town station is an inter-modal transport interchange in Canning Town, northeast London, England. It is served by the London Underground Jubilee line, the Docklands Light Railway and local buses operated for London Buses. It is in Travelcard Zone 3...
.
The Leamouth Peninsula project is a scheme by architects Skidmore, Owings and Merrill that has received planning permission to create up to 1837 homes, a community centre, an arts centre, and a primary school with places for up to 371 children on the peninsula. The 1900000 square feet (176,516 m²) scheme will consist of extremely high density housing around a central core pedestrian route linking to the proposed lower Lea Valley
Lea Valley
The Lea Valley, the valley of the River Lea, has been used as a transport corridor, a source of sand and gravel, an industrial area, a water supply for London, and a recreational area...
linear Park - leading to the 2012 Olympic Park
Olympic Park, London
The Olympic Park in London is a new sporting complex currently under construction, adjacent to the Stratford City development in Stratford, Bow, Leyton & Homerton in East London for the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics....
. There will be a mixture of towers, from 44 metres (144 ft) to 85 metres (279 ft) in height. The scheme will be implemented in two phases, one north of the single access road to the site, the other to the south, around Trinity Buoy Wharf. Construction work began, but was suspended in early 2009 due to the downturn in the housing market.
External links
- Leamouth Road and Orchard Place: Historical development, Survey of London: volumes 43 and 44: Poplar, Blackwall and Isle of Dogs (1994), pp. 646-655
- A pedestrian and cycle bridge connecting Leamouth to Canning Town tube station, opened in 2006.