Spitalfields City Farm

Image: © Marathon Taken: 8 Jan 2014

In 1979, local people turned an area of derelict ex railway land at the eastern end of Weaver Street in Spitalfields into allotments. As time went by, the land was also used to keep poultry and ducks. The number and variety of animals grew, as did the range of activities carried out on the site. This eventually became Spitalfields City Farm. Since then the farm lost some land along its northern side when the East London Line, which was previously in a tunnel, was upgraded to become part of London Overground and was put in a cutting through part of the farm's land. As compensation the farm took some land from Allen Gardens (a rather nondescript park) to the west. As well as a variety of animals including sheep, pigs, goats, cattle and ferrets the farm runs a variety of activities including a Young Farmers Club and Community Food Growing. See http://www.spitalfieldscityfarm.org/ for more information about the farm. The entrance is in Buxton Street. This photograph shows an old red telephone box adorned with a number of awards won at the Essex Young Farmers’ Country Show.

Images are licensed for reuse under creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0