Bethnal Green School for the Juvenile Poor, Leytonstone

Bethnal Green School for the Juvenile Poor Leytonstone London E11 1GB - Cloister staircase brickwork - end of Girls Block. The School was built by the Bethnal Green Poor Law Guardians in 19th century. They bought 9 acres of land and a large house, Leytonstone House, from the Buxton family. Over a period of 10 years they built a progressive, village-style children's home. Over the years accommodation blocks were built for children and staff, there was a chapel, infirmary with an isolation block, library, recreation rooms, gymnasium, swimming pool, bath rooms and showers, band music room, outdoor covered play area and playing fields, school and training rooms. There was also a central kitchen and boiler house, greenhouses, maintenance and sewing rooms. The buildings were designed by G. and C. Harston Architects, London. During the 1930s it became a home for mentally handicapped people, but in the 1980s the local health authority sold the site and most of the buildings were demolished. Those that remained were sympathetically restored and incorporated into new developments. The buildings that remain today (2025) are Leytonstone House, the staff accommodation block and gate house, the Great Hall (dining hall and communal space chapel), boys and girls accommodation block and the Training block. The site also has two ancient trees, a cedar and a mulberry

Bethnal Brickwork Carehome Cloister Firm Harston Leytonstone

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