Description
Weavers Fields commemorates the important silk and textile industry established in the area in the C17th following the arrival of the Huguenots fleeing from persecution. The area was badly bombed and the park was laid out post WWII, predominantly for sports activities but with some planting, including a wide path with hedging and a number of trees that runs east/west in the north of the park. Shrubbery is planted around the perimeter of the park, which is otherwise largely grassed.
Practical Information
| Site location | Vallance Road/Derbyshire Street, Bethnal Green |
|---|---|
| Postcode | E2 |
| What3Words | ///worry.tests.into |
| Type of Site | Public Park |
| Borough | Tower Hamlets |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Facilities | playground, sports pitches |
| Public Transport | Tube: Bethnal Green (Central). Rail: Bethnal Green. Bus: D3, 8 |
| Research Updated | 1 August 2013 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The park is well used for sports by local groups. At the northern end of the park a circular raised bed is surrounded by seating, with a sculptural feature created by Peter Dunn of Art of Change. A wilder area has been created in recent years on the western edge of the park with a variety of shrubs and trees, for use as a dog-walking area.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ345824 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 6.1942 |
| Site Ownership | LB Tower Hamlets |
| Site Management | Leisure Services, Parks and Open Spaces |
| Dates | 1960s |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Tower Hamlets |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Local Importance |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Open Space Improvements |
Gallery
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
Brady Street Cemetery opened in 1761 as the New Synagogue Burial Ground on land that was originally a brickfield. It was extended in 1795 and became the New Synagogue and the Great Synagogue Burial Ground. When the burial ground was full a portion was raised in order to create space for more burials. It eventually closed to burials in 1858, although in 1990 Nathaniel, 3rd Lord Rothschild was buried here. There are numerous monuments including those of prominent Jewish people, and the cemetery has numerous mature trees.
The parish of Bethnal Green was created in 1742, and the new church of St Matthew was consecrated in 1746, although an earlier church had been proposed under the Fifty New Churches Commissioners. The population had grown particularly following the arrival of Huguenots, who established their textile industry here. The Watch House in the churchyard was built in 1754 as a measure to prevent body snatching. The churchyard closed for burials in the mid 1850s and in 1896 was turned into a public garden when the majority of tombs were removed. Two railed tombs remain, including that of former churchwarden Joseph Merceron. It is mostly grassed over, with large plane trees by an oval path to the north of the church. There are remains of the C19th railings on the boundary with St Matthew's Row. A rose garden is to the south of the church and an area to the east has formal beds, palms and other ornamental planting.
This is the former burial ground of St Bartholomew's Church, which following its closure was re-ordered as a public garden by the MPGA. It opened to the public in 1885 and apart from one memorial there is no evidence of its former use. The garden was extended in the south in the 1970s. The church, built in 1843-4, was damaged in WWII and later restored; it was converted into flats in the 1990s.
