Leyton is often overlooked, but this walk reveals a place shaped by harsh parish laws, radical change and some unexpectedly dark stories.
From its beginnings as a rural Essex parish recorded in the Domesday Book, to its rapid transformation with the arrival of the railway and later the Underground, Leyton’s history is full of contrasts. In this film I explore ancient churches, forgotten manor houses, almshouses, markets, police stations and modernist landmarks, uncovering stories of charity and cruelty, progress and punishment. At St Mary’s Church, parish records reveal shocking entries from the 18th century, including payments for evicting pregnant women to avoid the cost of caring for their children, and the nursing of a woman who gave birth while held in the village stocks. I also visit Leyton’s cemetery, where Mary Jane Kelly, the final victim of Jack the Ripper, is buried, adding a chilling layer to the area’s story. Along the way we encounter Elizabeth I, Frank Muir, Benjamin Disraeli, Victorian social reformers, radical architects and the communities that have shaped Leyton into one of London’s most varied neighbourhoods. If you enjoy walking London through its hidden histories, this is a side of Leyton you may not expect.
