{"id":967,"date":"2019-07-10T13:34:15","date_gmt":"2019-07-10T13:34:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/?p=967"},"modified":"2020-08-19T12:08:08","modified_gmt":"2020-08-19T12:08:08","slug":"the-london-borough-of-tower-hamlets-in-five-minutes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/the-london-borough-of-tower-hamlets-in-five-minutes\/","title":{"rendered":"The London Borough of Tower Hamlets – The Five Minute Spare Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

A quick guide to Tower Hamlets<\/h2>\n

Overview<\/h3>\n

The Borough of Tower Hamlets forms the core of London\u2019s old \u2018East End\u2019. In 1965, the Metropolitan Boroughs of Bethnal Green, Poplar and Stepney were merged to form the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The southern boundary is formed by the meandering River Thames, the City of London lies to the west, Hackney to the north and Newham lies beyond the River Lea to the east. The borough includes much of the redeveloped Docklands region of London, including West India Docks and Canary Wharf. The Borough of Tower Hamlets has an area of just under 20 km2. At the 2011 UK Census, the population was recorded as 254,100, which is one of the most ethnically diverse throughout the country.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Very Brief History<\/h3>\n

Tower Hamlets has a long and colourful history. Archaeological evidence suggests that there was human activity in the area as far back as the Stone and Bronze ages.<\/p>\n

The name \u2018Tower Hamlets\u2019 sounds very much like a recent trendy designation, but it actually dates back to the 16th<\/sup> century. The first documented mention of it being used was in 1554, when it was applied to describe all the settlements north and east of the Tower of London. The communities were numerous but small, as their development was restricted by the marshy ground common to the area, so they were collectively described as \u2018the tower hamlets\u2019. During this time, Brick Lane was already in existence as a path across open countryside, well outside the confines of the City of London.<\/p>\n

During the second half of the 17th Century, Large scale urban development began to take place, whereby many streets connecting Brick Lane to the City were laid out and the area began to take on its current appearance. From the late 17th<\/sup> century onwards, successive waves of immigrants arrived in Tower Hamlets. In 1685, the religiously oppressed Huguenots arrived from France, establishing silk weaving at Spitalfields. At the turn of the 19th century, Irish labourers poured in the East End to build London\u2019s rapidly expanding Docklands. From the 1880s, persecuted Jews fleeing eastern and central Europe landed in the borough, establishing the clothing and footwear trade on Middlesex Street (Petticoat Lane) and Commercial Street. \u00a0From the 1960s onwards, Bangladeshis\u2019, originally drawn to the area as seamen, settled in the area in increasing numbers. By the early 21st century, ethnic minorities accounted for nearly half of the borough\u2019s population.<\/p>\n

Prolonged high immigration to the borough obviously led to an abundance of unskilled labour in the area. This, in turn, led to low wages, poor working conditions and general poverty for the majority of the borough\u2019s population. The end of the 18th century saw the formation of unions and workers associations but any change to the lives of the poor was minimal. Along with the rest of London, the East End continued to develop rapidly during the 19th century, leading to extreme overcrowding and a concentration of poor people throughout the area. By the late 19th century, the use of the term “East End” had become commonplace, but was now synonymous with poverty, overcrowding, disease and criminality<\/p>\n

World War II devastated much of the East End. Its docks, railways and industry provided an obvious and frequent target for the German Luftwaffe, and the V1 and V2 flying bombs. In total 2,221 civilians were killed, with a further 7,472 being injured. More than 47,000 houses were destroyed and almost another 47,000 damaged to some degree. This led to the dispersal of the population of Tower Hamlets to new suburbs, fuelling a requirement for house building throughout the London area during the 1950s.<\/p>\n

Fortuitously, a good number of the borough\u2019s historic buildings survived the war, including the iconic \u2018Tower of London\u2019 which was declared UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988.<\/p>\n

\"\"

The Tower of London – a UNESCO World Heritage Site<\/p><\/div>\n

In the 1960s, a spate of dock closures prompted a privately driven development boom. Beginning in 1968, the St. Katharine\u2019s Docks area was transformed by the construction of a hotel, a trade centre, apartment blocks and a marina. In the 1980s, the Canary Wharf development and the Isle of Dogs regeneration formed part of the London Docklands Redevelopment Project, which did much to improve the area. In the late 20th century, the borough became a hub for the printing and publishing of newspapers, as firms began to relocate from their traditional home of London\u2019s Fleet Street.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Did you know?<\/h3>\n
    \n
  • Whitechapel, the location of the notorious 19th<\/sup> century \u2018Jack the Ripper\u2019 murders, is a district of Tower Hamlets<\/li>\n
  • The Two Puddings Pub, which was the unofficial HQ of the notorious 1960s East End gangsters, the Kray twins, is also in Tower Hamlets<\/li>\n
  • Superstition holds that if the resident ravens at the Tower of London ever leave, ”the Crown will fall and Britain with it”<\/sup><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    <\/h3>\n

    Getting Around!<\/h3>\n

    Tower Hamlets is well connected to the rest of the London by several Underground lines, the Overground and the Dockland Light Railway (DLR). The Central, Hammersmith & City and District lines serve the north part of the borough, while the DLR and Circle serve the south, and the Overground connects the two regions. The riverboat services, accessible directly from St Katherine’s Docks, provide an alternative mode of transport, getting commuters to Canary Wharf in around 10 minutes.<\/p>\n

    \"\"

    St Katherine’s Dock – Tower Hamlets<\/p><\/div>\n

    Railway, Docklands Light Railway and Underground stations situated with the Borough of Tower Hamlets are:<\/p>\n

    London Underground (Tube) stations<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    • Bethnal Green<\/li>\n
    • Canary Wharf<\/li>\n
    • Stepney Green<\/li>\n
    • Tower Hill<\/li>\n
    • Whitechapel<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Dockland Light Railway (DLR) stations<\/strong><\/p>\n

        \n
      • All Saints<\/li>\n
      • Blackwall<\/li>\n
      • Crossharbour<\/li>\n
      • Devons Road<\/li>\n
      • East India<\/li>\n
      • Heron Quays<\/li>\n
      • Island Gardens<\/li>\n
      • Langdon Park<\/li>\n
      • Limehouse station<\/li>\n
      • Mile End station<\/li>\n
      • Mudchute<\/li>\n
      • Poplar<\/li>\n
      • South Quay<\/li>\n
      • West India Quay<\/li>\n
      • Westferry<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Railway stations<\/strong><\/p>\n

          \n
        • Aldgate East<\/li>\n
        • Bethnal Green<\/li>\n
        • Bow Church<\/li>\n
        • Bow Road<\/li>\n
        • Bromley-by-Bow<\/li>\n
        • Canary Wharf<\/li>\n
        • Limehouse station<\/li>\n
        • Shadwell<\/li>\n
        • Shoreditch High Street<\/li>\n
        • Wapping<\/li>\n
        • Whitechapel<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

           <\/p>\n

          Things to see and do!<\/h3>\n

          Some of London\u2019s best tourist attractions are in and around Tower Hamlets. The following list highlights some of the Borough\u2019s top sights:<\/p>\n

            \n
          • Tower of London –\u00a0 Medieval castle housing the Crown Jewels<\/li>\n
          • Tower Bridge –\u00a0 Iconic Victorian turreted bridge<\/li>\n
          • Canary Wharf – skyscrapers & Docklands Museum<\/li>\n
          • Brick Lane –\u00a0 Street art, shopping, food, fashion, and art<\/li>\n
          • Old Spitalfields Market –\u00a0 Covered Victorian market hall<\/li>\n
          • St Katharine Docks Marina –\u00a0 Restaurants, cafes, shops & a marina<\/li>\n
          • Victoria Park, London –\u00a0 City’s oldest purpose-built public park<\/li>\n
          • Museum of London Docklands –\u00a0 History of Thames trade in ex-warehouse<\/li>\n
          • V&A Museum of Childhood –\u00a0 Toys & artefacts from 1600 onwards<\/li>\n
          • Dennis Severs’ House –\u00a0 Restored 18th-century East End townhouse<\/li>\n
          • Whitechapel Gallery –\u00a0 Groundbreaking modern art exhibitions and workshops<\/li>\n
          • The Shard \u2013 UK\u2019s tallest building, with restaurants, offices, hotel and viewing platform.<\/li>\n
          • Tower Millennium Pier – Pier on the Thames used for river buses, cruises & charter boats<\/li>\n
          • Mudchute Park and Farm –\u00a0 Large city farm with rare breed animals<\/li>\n
          • London Wall –\u00a0 Roman empire, history, and monument<\/li>\n
          • Traitors’ Gate –\u00a0 Historic entrance to the Tudor Prison, the Tower of London<\/li>\n
          • London Bridge –\u00a0 1970s bridge spanning the River Thames<\/li>\n
          • Borough Market –\u00a0 Historic Market with fresh produce & groceries<\/li>\n
          • HMS Belfast –\u00a0 Floating museum of ex-Royal Navy battle cruiser<\/li>\n
          • Jack the Ripper Museum – Grisly museum on 6 floors which tells the story of the notorious 1888 East End murders<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

             <\/p>\n

            \"\"

            Brick Lane – a mecca for diners and shoppers<\/p><\/div>\n

            Where to stay?<\/h3>\n

            If you’re on a budget there are some offerings of hostel style accommodation in or close to Tower Hamlets. There’s plenty of B & B\/Guesthouse\/Basic Hotel accommodation. If you’re looking for a bit more luxury then there’s also plenty 3, 4 and 5-star hotels in the area. An alternative would be to rent an apartment – most have no minimum let period. While the majority of apartments cater to couples, some can accommodate up to 6 people. Indicative prices for the most readily available types of accommodation\/per night, based on 2 adults sharing are as follows:<\/p>\n

            B & B\/Guesthouse\/Basic Hotel: \u00a340 – \u00a390<\/p>\n

            3\/4\/5 Star Hotel: \u00a390 – \u00a3250<\/p>\n

            Apartments vary greatly based on no. of available berths, location and standard<\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            A quick guide to Tower Hamlets Overview The Borough of Tower Hamlets forms the core of London\u2019s old \u2018East End\u2019. In 1965, the Metropolitan Boroughs of Bethnal Green, Poplar and Stepney were merged to form the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The southern boundary is formed by the meandering River Thames, the City of London…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":65,"featured_media":969,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[122,76,66],"tags":[726],"class_list":["post-967","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-england","category-london","category-uk","tag-tower-hamlets"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/967","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/65"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=967"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/967\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":97953,"href":"https:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/967\/revisions\/97953"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/969"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=967"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=967"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=967"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}