A Clapton Tour

By Nick MacWilliam

When considering local places of historical and current interest, the stretch of tarmac that runs from Stamford Hill junction to the Lea Bridge Road roundabout is not usually the first place that comes to mind, yet Clapton Common/Upper Clapton Road has plenty to offer in terms of heritage, if you give it a little time.

Although its reputation has suffered over the years, thanks to its impoverished appearance allied to high crime rates and the notorious 'murder mile' tag, there are numerous aspects which make this a noteworthy area. A thoroughfare for a number of centuries, and known until the mid-19 century as Hackney Lane, Upper and Lower Clapton Roads once provided a main access route from the north into the City of London. While nowadays Clapton Common/Upper Clapton Road may be largely ignored or avoided by people who have moved to the surrounding area in recent, relatively prosperous, years (it's not exactly bustling with cushy media jobs), there are still locations which provide insight into its past.

Clapton Common begins at Stamford Hill in typically drab fashion with Netto followed by a row of large, charmless houses (double-glazed windows, bricked-over driveways) and its not until you reach the Common itself that you reach the first point of interest, although unfortunately its dignity is rather obscured by a block of flats. The Catholic Church of the Good Shepherd overlooks the Common and the surrounding area, and it has a striking steeple guarded by four bronze statues of an angel, an eagle, a winged bull and a winged lion while the main entrance is flanked by similar figures built into the stonework. While it may be one of the lesser-known religious centres in N16 (and the wider area), it is an attractive building of note, partly due to its quirky origins. The church was built in 1892 by the Agapemonites, a cult of somewhat dubious repute whose regressive views on the roles of women can still be seen depicted in the stained glass windows. The original 'Divine Leader' of the Agapemonites was Henry Prince, who died in 1899 after overseeing the relocation from Somerset to Hackney. He was replaced by John Hugh Smyth-Piggott, another immortal who had some fifty 'soul brides'. Upon proclaiming himself the new Messiah in front of a hostile crowd of locals in 1902, Smyth-Piggott was promptly challenged to prove this by walking across Clapton Pond. Strangely enough, he declined to do so and, needless to say, he's now long dead.

The Common itself is an open patch of grass, complete with a pond that's home to swans, geese and ducks being bullied by invading seagulls, and public toilets in a (surprise, surprise) complete state of disrepair. The bordering main road and various council blocks detract from the tranquillity, and nearby Springfield Park is a better bet if you're looking for a picnic spot (which may not be for a while). On the opposite side of the road sits a grand terrace which dates from the 1790s, its grandeur emphasised by the mundane neighbouring blocks of flats. Next door is The Swan, nowadays a run-of-the-mill pub that sits on the site of what was once The Swan Inn, recorded by Charles Dickens in his Dictionary of London.

As you continue south-east, Clapton Common becomes Upper Clapton Road at the turn-off for Springfield. While there are no nuclear power stations in this particular Springfield, the aforementioned park makes a good alternative to anyone who finds that Clissold Park gets too crowded during the sporadic spells of good weather we enjoy. Quiet and pretty, with sports facilities, a nature reserve and good views over the River Lea and Walthamstow Marshes, the park makes an excellent choice for a relaxing stroll or any other form of open-aired malarkey. In addition, the park boasts another Dickensian connection: the now-demolished Springhill House, which stood just inside the park was once owned by Charles' eldest son Charley.

Back on Upper Clapton Road and you soon reach a stretch of shops that is typical of Hackney and other parts of London: discount stores, fried chicken and takeaway pizza joints, Turkish mini-marts etc. The only sign of big business is the nauseous love-in between two multinationals which sees a mini-Sainsburys located in a Shell petrol station. Further along is Clapton station for trains to Liverpool Street and Chingford and The Crooked Billet, a pub reminiscent of those soulless places you see on suburban
A-roads.

Brooke House College is on the corner of the Lea Bridge roundabout and today encourages 16-18 year olds with the motto 'aspire, study, achieve'. The original Brooke House, a royal property which stood on the same site, was built in the 15th century and was owned by the Earl of Northumberland, who supposedly had a thing for the unmarried Anne Boleyn and later hosted Henry VIII. After the Earl's death, the building passed between various nobles over the following decades, until it was converted to a private mental hospital in 1759, a purpose it served until 1940. During the Second World War, Brooke House, along with much of Hackney, suffered significant bomb damage and was subsequently torn down. Since then the site has been home to a number of educational institutions. Various local historians consider the demolition of Brooke House to be Hackney's greatest architectural loss.

And there you have it. The unremarkable facade of Upper Clapton Road masks a wealth of interest, and it’s probable that there is much more that can be learnt by anyone with the inclination. It's not as if the area is unique in this sense either. London as a whole has a wild and fascinating history, and particularly so Hackney and Stoke Newington, not to mention an evolutionary present. Next time you're fed up with the bendy bus or house prices, you should bear this in mind. You might even feel some affection for the city.