Langthorne Park
History of the site
Langthorne Park derived its name from Langthorne Hospital, which in turn derived its name from the Stratford- Langthorne Abbey. The abbey was founded in 1135 and owned 1,500 acres of farm land in the Leytonstone area. It was on some of this land that the West Ham Union Workhouse was built in 1842 to provide relief for the poor.
The workhouse opened its doors to those who could not work, either through ill-health, old age or misfortune. It housed up to 1,000 inmates from the surrounding areas of Walthamstow, Leyton, Stratford and West Ham. Conditions were poor and the work was hard and unpleasant.
The transition from workhouse to hospital was slow. It began in 1930 when the administration for the workhouse came under the West Ham Borough Council. In 1948 with the establishment of the National Health Service, Langthorne Hospital was born. The hospital specialised in the care of the elderly. In 1957 the Queen Mother visited the upgraded George Ward, and in 1960 the Duchess of Kent opened three wards, burying the last remains of the workhouse connection.
In recent years, much of Langthorne Hospital has been demolished to make way for a health centre, homes and a park. However, the best of the old buildings have been retained and converted into flats.
Current use
Langthorne Park is now a brand new four-and-a-half acre park featuring a new pavilion base for the council’s play service. This is linked to the children’s play areas, a new multi-sports area, an ecology area and a quiet garden area. The park also provides a vital green link between the new housing developments at Cathall and Avenue Road. It links other community facilities in the area, such as the Bell Childcare Centre, Langthorne Health Centre and Holy Trinity Church. Langthorne Park is the flagship project for Waltham Forest’s approved regeneration programme in Leytonstone.
06.03.05 - Lea Bridge Conservation Volunteers plant a wildflower meadow at Langthorne Park
Special care has been taken in the development of the park to address ecological issues. There is a dedicated area for indigenous plants and a pond for educational use. On 6 March 2005, LBCV together with local volunteers and Jez Elkin, conservation officer for Waltham Forest, planted a wildflower meadow in this area. Approximately two thousand wild flowers were planted, including bird’s foot trefoil, cowslip, lady’s bedstraw, ox-eye daisy and wild carrot.