St Leonard's Priory - January 2011
This project is running from January 2011 – March 2012
We have planted 500 saplings and 6 espalier fruit trees
St Leonard’s Priory, situated in Bromley-by-Bow, Tower Hamlets, is the remains of an ancient church and its grounds became very overgrown and in need of careful management. Trees for Cities has been working in partnership with the Diocese of London and local housing association Poplar HARCA to transform the site into a community garden full of fruit, wildlife and places to explore.
The Priory was originally part of a Convent and the site today is a small fraction of the original site of this large Benedictine nunnery. Since then redevelopment, a direct hit during the blitz and the construction of the Blackwall Tunnel Northern Approach Road has left only a small area of overgrown Huguenot graves remaining.
Without intervention the area had become derelict with some serious antisocial behaviour and little known locally of its history. Through this project TfC and teams of fantastic volunteers have beaten back the brambles to expose the historic masonry. Pathways provide safe access and new gravel gardens, wildflower meadows and windows have lightened the area. Benches, fruit trees and vegetable beds have given the space a sense of purpose and three new interpretation boards have celebrated the history and value of the site for local wildlife.
Community Planting Day - December 2011
This project has seen an extremely thorough consultation process involving 11 local groups and many residents from the surrounding properties. Having already delivered numerous school workshops and volunteer days, TfC hopes to establish a new community group, the Friends of St Leonard's Priory, to continue to maintain and champion this beautiful site.
This project is supported by DEFRA Big Tree Plant and News International.
