Bromley by Bow

Set to the south of Bow and with a population of just over 11,000, this is one of the smaller districts of Tower Hamlets.

A notable landmark in Bromley by Bow is Bromley Hall, thought to be the oldest brick built house in London. It was build around 1490 and has since been remodelled.  Its current use today is for offices, but if you’re in the vicinity of Gillender Street, its worth a look.

Kingsley Hall is another feature of the area. Built around 1912, it was here that Mahatma Ghandi stayed in 1931 for 12 weeks whilst attempting to bring about Indian independence. He was accompanied by a goat to provide him with milk for his stay. During his time here, as well as meeting celebrities such as Charlie Chaplin, he also reached out and touched the fellow poor people that lived in the area.  The building now houses the Ghandi foundation which passes on Ghandi’s teachings.

A final place on interest in this district is Bow Locks, a set of bi directional locks built to link the River Lea and Bow Creek. Built in 1850, the high tide of Bow Creek was used to raise the levels of the canals such as the Limehouse Cut. Now days, it is more a case of keeping water out, so in 2000 they were redesigned with this in mind.

All in all, Bromley by Bow is a smaller district in Tower Hamlets. With the majority of householders being renters, the majority of housing stock is apartments. Perfect for renters.