Running from Homerton up to Lower Clapton, Chatsworth Road has a history that’s as long as the street itself.
It was built back in 1867 as a high street for the rapidly expanding suburbs of East London, and it’s remained pretty much undeveloped since. It feels weirdly wide for a London street, flanked by smart Victorian terraces, and at the northern tip of the road you’ll find the remnants of the fields it once ran through – Millfields Park, Hackney Marshes and Walthamstow Wetlands.
The Guardian announced the area’s gentrification back in 2012, and like most of London’s suburbs there’s a working class history that’s vanishing under a new generation of middle class residents. However, it feels like Chatsworth Road strikes the balance better than most: a stroll down this spacious avenue will take you past everything from a pound shop (now a £2 shop, adjusting for inflation) to an artisan jam supplier, united by a fierce independence and a community spirit.
With that in mind, there’s plenty of interesting shops and businesses to pop into on a regular day. If you’re making a day of it, you could go for brunch at Stone Bros, stop off for coffee at Fink’s Chats, see a film at The Castle Cinema or catch a jazz gig at Church of Sound, sip a glass of wine at Nobody Asked Me, and have dinner at Leo’s.
But to see the street in its most vibrant guise, head down to Chatsworth Road Market on a Sunday.
Back in the 1930s, the market ran five days a week, with around 200 stalls pitching up. The market eventually closed down in the early 90s, but after a revival in 2010 it’s back to running every week, filling the high street with buzzy crowds, live music, and – if the weather allows – tables and chairs spilling out of cafés and restaurants. There might not be 200, but there’s a pretty impressive run of stalls to explore, and the vast majority are run by locals.
You can eat around the world in 80 paces with stalls hawking Japanese takoyaki (fried octopus balls – as in, fried balls of octopus, not… never mind); jerk chicken; bánh mì; and of course, Deeney’s famous haggis toasties. There’s dozens of independent grocers, butchers, plant shops and the like if you’re not currently hankering after a five course street food banquet.
As you head further up Chatsworth Road, the stalls become less food-oriented: you’ll find vintage & second-hand items, hand-crafted wares from India, jewellery, and more. If antiques are your bag, you’ll find a couple of bricks-and-mortar second-hand stores worth popping into, too.
Or as they would have been called in 1867, first-hand stores.
NOTE: Chatsworth Road Market runs every Sunday, 10am-5pm. You can find out more HERE.
Chatsworth Road Market | Chatsworth Road, E5
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