London’s Stonehenge | Nature’s Throne (aka Hackney Henge)

Posted on January 12, 2021

in East London, Hidden Gems, London, Look Up London, nature

Did you know that London has its very own version of Stonehenge? Sure, it might not be thousands of years old, but that doesn’t mean that Hackney Henge – sorry – ‘ackney ‘enge is any less historic!

Along the Hackney Cut you can wander into a pleasant nature reserve on the site of the former Middlesex Filter Beds.

Just inside the gates you’ll find East London’s very own Stonehenge.

Hackney Henge

In reality it’s an artwork by Paula Haughney, completed in 1990. It’s constructed from huge granite blocks that were once the foundations of the Victoria Engine House.

Traces of the industrial past remain.

Paula has enhanced the stones with low relief carvings of local flora and fauna.

In the centre is an over-sized throne, seat of a giant. When I was there it was a lovely sight to see little children using it as a climbing frame.

East London Waterworks Company

There have been water-powered mills here since 1760. A water channel was dug to take River water to the wheels. Today almost all of it’s been filled in.

In their heyday the waterwheels provide 1,000 local families with water, ground corn for flour and were used for boring tree trunks to make pipes.

In 1796 a fire broke out and destroyed the mills. They were rebuilt in 1829 and taken over by the East London Waterworks Company.

However, only four years later the mills we rebuilt again, replaced by a new pump house which pumped water into a new reservoir in Stamford Hill.

1852 prompted further building, this time it was the threat of cholera. It wasn’t until a few year later that John Snow would prove that contaminated water was to blame, however there was sufficient concern to build the Middlesex Filter Beds.

Middlesex Filter Beds

They filtered water through layers of sand, gravel and finally the concrete base of the bed. Then pumped the clean liquid into a reservoir for the local population.

The beds – which grew to 25 at their height – were closed in 1969. On the map below you can see the site of the Middlesex Filter Beds and the blue arrow mark the Engine House (and current location of Hackney Henge).

Image from Layersoflondon.org – Charles Booth Poverty Maps (1886-1903) Leaflet | © Maptiler and OpenStreetMap contributors

Since 1988 they’ve been looked after by Lee Valley Regional Park Authority and are a public wildlife reserve.

As well as Hackney Henge, another industrial survivor is the Middlesex Filter Beds Weir.

It marks the start of the Hackney Cut and was dug out in 1770.

Related Post Three Mills History, Bromley By Bow

More London Inspiration

The Sneaky Symbol on Bank Station (Cannon Street Entrance)
While admiring the new Bank Station entrance on Cannon Street, I couldn’t help but spot a sneaky symbol that’s right underneath the London Underground roundels. It’s the coat of arms of the Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors, one of the City of London’s livery companies.......
History of Brabant Court
If you’ve ever visited the Sky Garden, you probably queued alongside Philpot Lane. Just off this street is a tempting little dead end called Brabant Court and if you walk through you’ll find a surprising 18th Century building! History of Brabant Court Brabant Court can......
History of the Young V&A, Bethnal Green
The Young V&A (formerly the Museum of Childhood) in Bethnal Green isn’t just a fabulous museum, its building also has a fascinating history to tell. Travelling back 350 years or so, Bethnal Green was a popular suburb for London’s upper classes. There were some large......
The FANY Memorial on St Paul’s, Knightsbridge
On the wall of St Paul’s Knightsbridge, there’s a surprising war memorial where all the names are women. It remembers the members of the Women’s Transport Service (later known as FANY). History of FANY The First Aid Nursing Yeomanry was founded back in 1907. It......
Inside Stratford House
Set back from busy Oxford Street is Stratford Place and at the very end you can find Stratford House, the beautiful building that’s now home to the Oriental Club. The club has only been here since 1962 but the history of the building (and the......
Mandela Way: Stompie the Tank to the “Skip House”
On my Bermondsey walk, as we approach Mandela Way along the very pretty Pages Walk, I would often explain to guests that were about to see one of the weirdest things I’ve ever stumbled across in London. Prior to January 2022 you would’ve met Stompie,......