Hackney Marshes
Hackney’s famous Marshes represent the highest concentration of football pitches in Europe with an incredible 73 full-size pitches that see over one hundred games played on them every weekend.
On Monday 7 December work began on the new changing rooms and community facilities on Hackney’s South Marsh.This work will take approximately nine months to complete and is a key part of the overall Hackney Marsh strategy to modernise the facilities and pitches on the Marsh.
The scheme also includes the development of cricket and rugby pitches as well as new changing rooms on North Marsh, a second artificial football pitch on Mabley Green and new changing rooms, a new link between East and South Marshes and the upgrading of Cow Bridge so that it can once again support vehicles.
After the Games a land bridge will span the motorway and connect the Marshes to the new Olympic park, making them one of the best equipped sporting venues in London.
Amenities
- athletics track (seasonal)
- car park
- conservation area
- emergency telephone
- football pitch
- ranger office
- rugby pitch
- sports changing rooms
- trim trail (wooden multi-gym apparatus)
- river
Football on the marshes in the 1920s
Watch this Sunday Football film from the Pathe film archive showing the Marshes in the 1920s, including the football changing facilities.
Hackney Marsh Improvements
Hackney Council and the London Development Agency are currently working together to deliver numerous improvements to Hackney Marshes. This is the result of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and the Council investing in Hackney’s sports facilities. Improvements to drainage on some of the pitches was recently completed, and work is about to start on new changing facilities. See the 
Hackney Marshes Sports Development Strategy Update (239KB) and 2012 Improving Hackney Marshes for more information.
Sessions at the Tree Nursery
Tree nursery sessions are available on the 2nd and 4th Friday mornings of each month from 9 to 11.30am.
Come along and get involved in planting and caring for trees and shrubs and creating the Edible Garden. Everyone welcome. Training and materials provided.
Hackney Marsh User Group
This group meets weekly and works to protect and enhance the Marshes and Wick Woodland through tree and hedge planting, educational activities and events. They are based at the Hackney Marshes Tree Nursery and grow plants and young trees for planting across Hackney.
Contact
Email: contact@hmug.org.uk
Website: Hackney Marshes User Group
Hackney parks newsletter
If you are interested in being informed of what's happening in Hackney's parks, sign up to our monthly newsletter by emailing parks@hackney.gov.uk
Page updated: 27 Jul 2010
