Lea Valley facts for kids

The Lea Valley is the area around the River Lea. This valley has been used for many important things over time. People have used it for transport, to get sand and gravel, for factories, and as a source of water for London. It's also a popular place for fun activities and sports.

The London 2012 Summer Olympics were held in Stratford, which is in the lower part of the Lea Valley. The valley is very important for London's water supply. Water is brought from here by the New River aqueduct. Also, the Lee Valley Reservoir Chain, a series of large lakes, is located here. These reservoirs stretch from Enfield through Tottenham and Walthamstow.

Geography of the Lea Valley

The northern part of the Lea Valley is mostly countryside. It includes several towns like Luton, Harpenden, Hertford and Ware. South of Hertford, the River Lea flows on a wide, flat area called a floodplain. This area becomes more urban as it gets closer to Greater London.

Many parts of the upper valley were used to dig up sand, gravel, or clay. These areas are now part of the Lee Valley Park, which is a big green space. From Hoddesdon southwards, many towns and villages are built close together along the river. These include Wormley, Broxbourne, Cheshunt and Waltham Cross.

Further south, within Greater London, the floodplain includes towns like Enfield Lock, Ponders End, Edmonton, Tottenham, Leyton, Stratford, and Bow. The Lea Valley became an important industrial area for several reasons. In earlier times, it was far enough from London for noisy or smelly factories. There was also plenty of water power from the river. Later, cheap electricity from power stations and large flat areas of land helped industries grow.

History of the Lea Valley

How the Valley Was Formed

The Lea Valley was created by melting glaciers. This happened at the end of the last glacial period, about 10,000 years ago. The eastern side of the valley, near where the Chingford Reservoirs are today, is steep. It offers views towards Muswell Hill and Alexandra Palace.

A Natural Boundary

For many centuries, the River Lea and its marshy areas formed a natural border. This border was between the historic areas of Middlesex and Essex. It was about 2 kilometers wide and 20 kilometers long. People crossed the river at different spots using fords (shallow places to walk across) or ferries. Over time, bridges replaced these crossings.

At Stratford, a stone path on the Roman road to Colchester was later joined by a bridge in 1100. In 1745, the valley was crossed at Clapton by Lea Bridge. An iron bridge was built in 1810, connecting to East India Dock Road. In the late 1920s, the Lea Valley Viaduct was built. This viaduct carries the North Circular Road over the valley. It was later replaced in the 1980s.

Important Transport Routes

The Lea Valley has always been a key route for transport. The New River aqueduct, which carries water, follows the valley. So does the Lee Navigation, a system of canals for boats. Roads like the Roman Ermine Street and modern roads such as the Hertford Road (A1010) and the Great Cambridge Road (A10) also run through the valley.

The valley is also followed by two railway lines. These became part of the Great Eastern Railway. There were important train storage yards and locomotive (train engine) factories at Temple Mills.

Valley Industries

Many early factories in the Lea Valley used water power from the river. Examples include the Waltham Abbey Royal Gunpowder Mills. This factory started making gunpowder by 1665. The 19th-century Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield made weapons. Wright's Flour Mill at Ponders End is Greater London's last working flour mill. Further south at Bow is the Three Mills complex, which used tidal power.

In the 18th century, the Bow porcelain factory made beautiful china. By the 19th century, the lower Lea Valley became important for making chemicals. These factories often used by-products like sulfur and ammonia from gas works. Other industries included Bryant and May (matches), Berger Paints, and the Clarnico confectionery factory (sweets). Where the river meets the Thames, there were shipyards like Thames Ironworks.

In the 20th century, the valley continued to grow industrially. Good transport links, flat land, and electricity from riverside power plants helped. Factories like Enfield Rolling Mills and Enfield Cables (making metal and wires), Thorn Electrical Industries, and Hotpoint (appliances) were here. Lesney, the original makers of Matchbox toys, also had a factory here. Today, much of this industry has gone. Warehouses and shopping areas have taken their place.

Farming in the Lea Valley

North of Cheshunt, the Lea Valley is known for market gardening. This means growing vegetables and flowers for sale. There are also many nurseries and garden centres, where plants are grown and sold. This industry once covered a large area from Ponders End north to Nazeing. It even led to other businesses, like Pan Britannica Industries, which made gardening products.

In the 1930s, the Lea Valley had the most greenhouses in the world. An expert named Stamp wrote in 1948 that greenhouses first started in Tottenham and Edmonton in the 1880s. But as London grew, they moved north to less fertile land. Also, more factories meant less winter sunshine. Today, south of Cheshunt, most greenhouses have been replaced by homes.

Protecting the Lea Valley

The Lee Valley Park covers large parts of the valley. It's a huge area of open land. Hackney Marshes is one part of this park, built up using rubble from the Blitz (bombing during World War II). In contrast, Walthamstow Marshes is kept as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This means it's protected because of its special wildlife and nature.

Images for kids

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  A simplified map showing the geology of the London Basin where the River Lea flows.

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  A map showing the hills and valleys of the Lea Valley in England, with details about the Anglian glaciation.