White Lion Running Ground

Hackney Wick

White Lion Running Ground

Wick Road
LONDON

Telephone: N/A
Fax: N/A

Email:
Website:

Type: Cinder (no longer exists - built over), 260y, lanes, lane straight

Authority: Tower Hamlets
Ceremonial County: Greater London

NUTS Name: London (HW)

Electronic Map Links:
Multimap 1:10,000 (Street Level)
Multimap 1:25,000 (Area Level)
Multimap 1:50,000 (Area Level)
Multimap 1:100,000 (Road Level)
Multimap 1:200,000 (Road Level)
Streetmap (Street Level)
Streetmap (Area Level)
Streetmap (Road Map)

OS National Grid Reference: TQ 365848
National Grid Reference: 536500, 184800

Paper Maps:
A-Z London Master 37Bc 64 (C)
A-Z London Atlas/DeLuxe 2K 61
A-Z London 6B 48
A-Z London Mini 3B 28
Collins London Comprehensive 143 DZ65
Collins London 50 J6
Collins London Mini 12 D3
OS Explorer Map: 173, 174
OS Pathfinder Map: 1159
Old OS Map London Sheet 41 (Hackney 1870)

Train: Hackney Wick

Pictures: Please browse the selection here. The 1882 OS map image is produced from the www.old-maps.co.uk service with permission of Landmark Information Group Ltd. and Ordnance Survey.

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Click the picture for a larger view
The 1882 OS map image is produced from the www.old-maps.co.uk service with permission of Landmark Information Group Ltd. and Ordnance Survey.
Click here to see the list of pictures for this track.

Other Info:
This cinder track or running ground as they were called then was situated behind the White Lion public house and was built by the pub owner in 1857 and the first meeting was on 28th December 1857. It was said to have been 260 yards and about 12 feet wide and lasted until about 1873. The track is shown on an 1882 OS map and was roughly egg-shaped with one very short bend with virtually square corners, a more rounded bend, a long straight parallel to the railway (which is still there and is the Homerton - Hackney Wick line) and another shorter straight at about 20 degrees to the other one. If the depiction on the map is to be believed the width of the longer bend was narrower than the straights. The layout of the track may have been dictated by the line of trees around a large part of the track but then again they could have been placed there afterwards. The position of the track is now bisected by the East Cross Route sliproad over Wick Road immediately south of the railway line. The Aeroshoot Film Services building lies on the site between the sliproad and the railway. On the other side of the sliproad and between this and Wick Road is a grassed area which was where the shorter "back" straight used to be. Wick Road used to be called Wick Lane on which the pub was situated. The White Lion pub existed in that name until about 1997 and is now a club called Geneva's although the present building is not the same one as in the 19th century. This venue was the location of some of the first track races in England. The American Red Indian runner "Deerfoot" competed here on 26th December 1862 in a 6 mile race against Edward Mills and again in 1863 in a ten mile race against the cream of the British runners. There is a more detailed history of the track in the book Front Runners by Warren Roe.

Last update: 10/03/2001

Please send any amendments to Tim Grose