East Ham Nature Reserve (also known as St Mary Magdalene Churchyard, East Ham Parish Church)⁷³⁴⁸

Brief Description

The churchyard was officially closed for burials in 1974 and was a wilderness until its value as a wildlife reserve was realised in around 1977. In 1981 hedges were planted, a copse of Scots pines was planted and the Visitors Centre was built. It is now managed as East Ham Nature reserve, which is an important teaching resource for Newham schools.

History

St Mary Magdalene Church was built in around 1130 and is one of the oldest in the country, its churchyard one of the largest in London. The ancient parish church indicates where the medieval settlement o East Ham was centred; it is also near the site of a Roman cemetery discovered in 1864.

Visitor Facilities