Facts about Plaistow
Plaistow History
Hugh de Balun was a property owner in the area in the 12th century – he belonged to the same family as Hamelin de Balun. Known as Balostret in the 1371 Calendar of Inquisitions Miscellaneous, Balaam Street is one of the oldest roads in Plaistow and is probably named after de Balun, though some argue its namesake is in fact a Walter Balame.
Newly-appointed as pastor to a Congregationalist church in Plaistow, John Curwen opened the Plaistow Public School in 1844. That year also saw Plaistow become a chapelry as well as an Anglican parish in its own right, split off from All Saints Church, West Ham – Plaistow’s chapel of ease St Mary’s became the new parish’s church. Curwen also started a printing business in Plaistow in 1863.
General Info
Plaistow is a district in the London Borough of Newham in East London, England. It forms the majority of the London E13 postcode district. Plaistow is a residential area, including several council estates. The main roads are the A112, which passes south-west/ northeast through Plaistow and past the former West Ham United football ground.
Commercial and retail premises are on the A112 at Greengate Street leading north and Prince Regent Lane south, leading 0.3 miles to Newham Sixth Form College and along the A124. It contains generally smaller shops compared to Stratford or West Ham town centre. Plaistow North and Plaistow South are two of the ten wards making up the UK parliamentary constituency of West Ham.
