Starting from The Alevi Cultural Centre, Ridley Road
Shacklewell can be traced back to 1490. The name may refer to a well-spring in a sunken place or where animals could be shackled (tethered). It was largely rural until the 19th century but much has changed since then, as you will see.
[1] Turn right out of centre and then right to go up St Marks Rise. Cross Colvestone Crescent, passing St Mark’s Church (see later.) Cross Sandringham Road. Fork right at the ‘No Entry’ signs and, at T-junction, cross and turn left, passing Independent Place (1829).
(A) Independent Place: These converted buildings were the former premises of the Bible printing firm Eyre and Spottiswoode, from c1829 to the 1930’s.
[2] Follow the road round to the right and right again, to go along Shacklewell Lane. Go past Foskett Terrace (1866), former Public Baths, Independent Place and the bright blue Petchey Academy.
The former Shacklewell Baths'(1931) were communal baths and washhouse. Even in the 60s, there were dwellings without their own bathrooms.
(B) Petchey Academy opened in 2007, on site of Kingsland School (1937). With 1,200 students, its specialism is ‘Health, Care & Medical Sciences’. It cost £25 million (£2 million was contributed by Jack Petchey Foundation).
[3] Cross Cecilia Road, noting Shacklewell Green on the left, and continue straight across the traffic lights, into Rectory Road. Cross Amhurst Terrace and turn right into Downs Road. Immediately after the railway, turn right onto Hackney Downs.
(C) Hackney Downs was once common land before it was preserved as parkland in the 1860s, and now it is one of the largest parks in the borough.
[4] Take the middle path and head into centre of the Downs and shortly pass a newly planted Community Orchard (info board). Continue along the path, past various trim trail stations and children’s playground, to arrive at a circular paved area with seats. Here you may like to rest, play or explore further, before starting the return journey.
[5] Take first right between the ‘Hub’ building (under construction) and the Children’s Garden. Continue downhill to leave the Downs at Amhurst Road Gate. Turn right to go under the railway, along Downs Park Road. At the traffic lights, go straight across and cross to left hand side, to continue along Downs Park Road. Cross Ferncliff Road and then cross and turn left into Cecilia Road to go along the right hand side.
[6] Cross Sandringham Road. Cross and turn right into Colvestone Crescent. (Note the fancy embellishment around the doors of nos 90 -104). On the right, before the cross roads, is St Mark’s Church, Church Hall and Vergers Cottage.
(D) St Mark’s Church (Listed Grade II) is known as The ‘Cathedral of the East End’. The largest parish church in London, if not in England. Seating over 1800, it is larger than Southwark Cathedral. Built on land donated by the estate developer, it replaced a temporary iron church in Ridley Road, destroyed in a storm. It was consecrated in 1870, with the tower added in 1880.
[7] Turn left into St Marks Rise and turn left, at market, into Ridley Road to return to centre.