Stratford East London

Stratford, London

Activities | History | Attractions | Access

London Districts – Stratford – Olympic Legacy

The Olympic Legacy in Stratford, East London

Stratford is located in East London and has various cultural and commercial offerings. Renowned for its world-class facilities, Stratford is best known for hosting the 2012 Olympic Games. The stadium where the Olympic Games were held is now home to West Ham United FC and UK athletics.

The busy Stratford Broadway

Activities

Beyond its sporting legacy, Stratford offers the blend of entertainment, shopping and dining adventures that our modern world – which values experiences as much as it does material items – expects.

Many people feel as familiar with the different digital platforms they use as they do with in-person experiences. For instance, we use live chat on websites or call up customer services to get answers interchangeably. We enjoy settling down on the couch to stream films and TV, but we still enjoy a visit to the theatre or cinema. Those who enjoy casino games, often interact with various categories of live casino games ranging from roulette to blackjack. These players enjoy the variety of themes, with games that closely follow the classics and others that adopt boardgame favourites as their theme. Incidentally, alongside unique shopping experiences, these are all things visitors can enjoy at Westfield Stratford City. It was opened in 2011 and is one of Europe’s largest urban shopping centres – but it’s so much more.

Stratford has excellent transportation links, including the Stratford International rail station and multiple tube lines. In 1839, the introduction of rail transport resulted in the rapid growth of the area, which became part of the metropolis of London.

The tallest public artwork in Britain, ArcelorMittal Orbit

History

Stratford was initially referred to by an old English word, Strætforda, meaning ford on a Roman road. Over the ages, the area has continued to transform, with trends like industrialisation penetrating through its culture. As such, the 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony featured themes of the traumatic transition of the green Stratford to the current urban centre.

Records show that the first soft-paste porcelain was manufactured in a factory in Stratford in the 18th century. The Victorian acceleration saw the rise of many other factories and the enactment of the Metropolitan Building Act of 1844, which limited the operations of toxic industries in the area. In the 19th century, the area transitioned into an important transport hub. Things changed in the 20th century as the town de-industrialised and transformed into a leisure and retail destination.

London Stadium – now home of West Ham United

Attractions

The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park offers park trails and tours for nature enthusiasts to explore. There is a variety of animal habitats to discover and a variety of birds to view. In addition, the park offers a space for children’s adventures and boat tours along a river that runs through the park. The boat tours are available daily.

Some fascinating landmarks in Stratford include the Gurney Memorial drinking fountain, a 12.8 meter tall pillar built in 1861. Another ancient landmark is the Stratford Town Hall, whose balcony has offered a venue for the celebrations of West Ham FC wins. Opposite St John’s Church is another age-old pub, the King Edward VII, originally called The King of Prussia.

St John’s Church

At Meridian Square is the display of Robert, a saddle-tank locomotive, built in 1933 for use at the Lamport Ironstone mines. Mill Meads has a sewage pumping station, the Abbey Mills pumping station, which has existed since 1868. The recent ArcelorMittal Orbit serves as one of Britain’s most significant pieces of modern art and showcases the lasting legacy of the 2012 Summer Olympics.

The concourse of Stratford Station

Access

Stratford Station is on the Elizabeth Line (with connections to Paddington, Heathrow and Shenfield), the DLR (with trains to Canary Wharf, London City Airport and Stratford International), as well as the Central and Jubileee lines of the London Underground network. It is also a mainline station with services to Braintree, Colchester, Ipswich, Liverpool Street, Norwich and Southend. It is the 5th busiest station in Britain.

The following London buses also stop nearby – the 25, 86, 158, 241, 308 and 425.

University of East London Stratford campus

ArcelorMittal Orbit and London Stadium

On the left is ArcelorMittal Orbit and London Stadium (on the right)