Leyton – Parks, Sports and Historic Sites

The places and activities in the borough offer their own points of interest – from the weekly Junior Parkrun to buildings with designated listed status.

Parks and landscape

Coronation Gardens officially opened on 23 May 1903. The bandstand there can be booked for events and activities, including children’s parties. Two aspects should be distinguished: the date refers to the opening of the gardens, while the booking option applies to the bandstand.

Leyton Jubilee Park is the largest park in Waltham Forest; it was given its name in 2012 to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The Chris Robbins Woodland Walk opened in the park on 17 May 2023. A free weekly 2-kilometre Junior Parkrun for children and young people aged 4 to 14 also takes place there. The walk and the Parkrun have different profiles: one is a named walk, while the other is a regularly recurring running activity with a set route and age group. You can distinguish between the two park activities by their format, not just by their shared location.

Walthamstow Marshes are also in Leyton and are among London’s last remaining floodplain grasslands. So, alongside individual park activities, the focus also includes a type of landscape that is among the last of its kind across London.

Sports activities in different formats

A free park tennis session takes place at Abbotts Park every Saturday from 10 to 11 am and is open to adults and children; equipment is provided. The BoxUp locker behind the Lee Valley Ice Centre on Leyton Marsh is open 24 hours a day and provides free sports equipment for use on the Marsh. The time information refers to different things: the tennis session takes place at a fixed time each week, while the BoxUp locker is stated to be open around the clock. If you plan to take part in either activity, check the stated times in advance.

Public skating sessions at the Lee Valley Ice Centre are suitable for all ages and abilities; skates can be hired for all sessions. The Lee Valley Riding Centre in Leyton offers riding lessons for everyone from beginners to experienced riders. The activities therefore also differ in format: public skating sessions with skate hire are offered alongside riding lessons for different experience levels.

Historic points of interest

The Cricket Pavilion at Leyton Sports Ground is a Grade II listed heritage asset. The tower and probably part of the north aisle wall of the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin probably date from 1658. The two buildings offer different perspectives on the area’s history: the pavilion has a designated protected status, while the church features building fabric dated with some uncertainty.

Discover more destinations: Walthamstow, Chingford.

For the broader travel overview: Waltham Forest.