The Camden New Journal has a scoop this week when reporting the death of Anna Wernher. The 85 year old is the last link with the great days of Luton Hoo. The mansion, now an hotel, was bought in 1903 by her grandfather Sir Julius Wernher who rebuilt the house. Anna was Sir Julius’s granddaughter. […]

The lock keeper’s cottage at Hardmead Lock near Ware is for sale. Hetherington’s has the details of the 4 bedroom house which is advertised at £699,995. See page 68.

Sunday 9 May is the start of Rogation-tide when it is traditional to beat the bounds of the parish. The New Lammas Lands Defence Committee invites us to join residents of the parishes of Leyton, Walthamstow, Hackney Marsh and Clapton to walk around the former local Lammas Land in this part of the Lea Valley. […]

An Invisible City gathering had a slide show by Peter Marshall of his Lea Valley photographs spanning thirty years. His site has some pictures which are now in the Museum of London collection. In 1982 he found water at the source.

House of Commons Speaker John Bercow has compared himself to Sir John Wenlock. He is quoted in a profile in last weekend’s Times magazine as claiming that Wenlock, Speaker 1445-6, is “believed to be shorter than I am…”. Sir John, later Lord Wenlock, can be found depicted in a window at Luton parish church. His […]

A surprise at the Paul Sandby exhibition are three large pictures of Luton Park showing ancient trees, cows and deer. This parkland is today known as Luton Hoo and Sandby’s snapshots were painted about 1765 when the house was the home of former prime minister Lord Bute. The exhibition is at the Royal Academy where […]

Forman’s, the smoked salmon firm on the River Lea, has opened a gallery. It is called the Smokehouse Gallery and tonight saw the launch of the first exhibition. East Meets West is described as “a diverse collection of street and graffiti artists from Eastern Europe and East London”. H. Forman & Son is a family […]

The towpath is now closed just south of Old Ford Lock and Bow Flyover. This is not caused by the Olympics but the construction of Crossrail which will not be ready for 2012. After Old Ford Lock you cross the Old River Lee and pass under the Northern Outfall Sewer, better known now as The […]

Here is early notice of an interesting event after Easter. Jim Lewis, author of several books on the Lea Valley, is giving a talk in central London on Wednesday evening 21 April. He will be speaking about the industrial archaeology of the valley as guest of the Greater London Industrial Archaeology Society. The venue is […]

Thank you to the 15 walkers who made it through snow and numerous rail line closures to get to Hackney Wick by 1pm for today’s Walk London ramble down the Lea Valley. I think most of us had difficulty at Stratford Station finding the bus. I suggest that staff need to be more helpful and […]