Who we are

The New Lammas Lands Defence Committee is based in Leyton, in the north-east of London.

It exists to defend and preserve the ancient Lammas Lands of Leyton as public open space, free from enclosure, encroachment, and inappropriate use. We also aim to promote their use and enjoyment, and increase understanding of their history and significance, by such means as guided walks, historical talks and social events held on the Lammas Lands. We are the re-formation of the original Leyton Lammas Lands Defence Committee founded in 1892 to "promote the interest of the inhabitants of the Parish in the Leyton Marshes or Lammas Lands".

The Committee holds monthly meetings at the Hornbeam Environmental Centre, in Hoe Street, London E17 9AH. Membership of the committee is open to anyone who supports our aims and pays the annual subscription (currently £12/£6 concessions).

The New Lammas Lands Defence Committee warmly invite everyone to join us for a World Wetlands Day Walk across Leyton Marshes.

Buses 48, 55, 56 (242, 308 to Millfields Road; 38, 106, 253, 254, 425, 488 to Clapton Pond; 393 to Theydon Road, North Millfields).

Nearest station: Clapton (or bus 48 from Walthamstow Central)

"Beating the Bounds" Walk report 2009

About 30 adults, ten children and a dog set off as this year's Gang of Boundsmen to beat the bounds of Leyton Marshes. This is the 16th year that the Lammas Lands Defence Committee has been organising this annual procession to remind people of their boundaries, and this year the theme was the importance of urban green spaces in minimising the "heat island effect" that is making cities worldwide up to 10 degrees hotter than the surrounding countryside. This will obviously be very important given that the world seems to be getting steadily warmer.

We were led by Father Steven Saxby, the Area Dean, who blessed the Boundsmen and their stripped and beribboned willow sticks at the Waterworks Visitors Centre entrance in Lammas Road. We were also accompanied by Hackney councillor Barry Buitekant, who was elected as one of our ten Thegns for the afternoon.

It was a very windy day, though for once it didn't rain. The Boundsmen went first around to the Walthamstow Parish Boundary and found a lot of fences to climb over at the rear of the Lee Valley Riding Centre. The Lee Valley Park had promised to put in a path here back in March 2005, but that has never happened and every year there are more and more fences.

Midway long the Parish boundary several children were bumped, turning them upside down and banging their heads three times on the ground. Unfortunately I haven't been sent any photographs of this although I know some were taken.

The Gang then walked along the western boudary of Leyton Marshes on the River Lee Navigation towpath, where the boundary becomes Clapton and then Hackney Wick. At the King's Head Bridge walkers found the oldest (Brian Weller) and youngest (Oliver Saxby, 3) Boundsmen present. They then "pacified the waters" by beating the river three times with their willow sticks. A short prayer was said by Father Steven, asking for safety on the river in the coming year, and we moved on back across Lea Bridge Road to perambulate the southern end of Leyton Marshes.

The Old River Lea was pacified at the boundary with Hackney Marshes, and the by now rathre soggy willow sticks were finally cast into the waters of the Dagenham Brook in Leyton, by the Eton Manor Cottage where there is a plaque commemorating the great riot that took place against enclosure of the Lammas Lands on Lammas Day (1st August) 1892.

Everyone had an enjoyable time, and we hope to carry out this community procession again next year.

The recent World Wetlands Day walk was a success: read about it here!

So was the 2008 Walk!

There is a group devoted to publicising the latest happenings around the Marsh Lane fields area, called Marsh Lane (natch). If you'd like to participate in the discussions, keep up with the latest news, and get involved with the NLLDC, subscribe by entering your email address below. When the listowner approves your membership, you'll be able to receive the list news and post to it as well.

The Manor Gardening Society

Games Monitor, who keep an eye on the 2012 Olympics.

The Planning page on the Waltham Forest website, from which the main page can be accessed and on which are links to the pages for each application.