The London Borough of Hackney is situated in East London, United Kingdom. Its principal district is named Hackney, after which the borough itself was named. The Borough of Hackney is geographically divided into two parts: the Northern and Western part is considered to form a part of North London, while the remaining part forms a part of East London. If you travel around the borough in a clockwise direction, you will find yourself in the following places: Haringey, Waltham Forest, Newham, Tower Hamlets, the City of London, and finally, Islington. The River Lea forms the Eastern boundary.

The name Hackney is broken up into two parts to demonstrate the origin: the suffix ‘ey’ refers to an island, while ‘hack’ is derived from “Haca” which means hook, or in this case, it refers to the bend of a river. In other words, Hackney refers to the island on the bend.

The London Borough of Hackney hides quite an interesting history. In the Tudor period, it was used as a retreat for nobility after lands of religious orders were taken by the Crown. Even Henry VIII had a place in the borough. Sir Ralph Sadleir, a diplomat, had men build the oldest building that is currently still standing back in 1535. At the time it was called Bryck Place, but that has since been changed to Sutton House. From there on, up to the Georgian period, the London Borough of Hackney was considered a rural retreat. This changed when the railways were constructed in the 1850s, connecting the borough to the outside world.

Roman remains were discovered in the Hackney marshes, which have since been converted into football and cricket fields. The Theatre, which was the very first Elizabethan playhouse, was established in Shoreditch, but alas this theatre doesn’t exist anymore.

The Borough of Hackney also contains areas where the beauty of nature can be experienced. This includes Hackney Marshes, Hackney Downs, Springfield Park, London Fields, and Millfields. It also contains 25 conservation areas, including Clapton Common and Clissold Park.

The 2001 census revealed that the population of the London Borough of Hackney was 202 824, a clear sign of population growth from 1801 when the population consisted of only 14 609 people. Studies show that 24% of the population was not born in the UK and that the largest practicing religion in the Borough of Hackney is Christianity, but there is a population of Muslims, Jewish people, and a few other religions that reside there as well.

The London Borough of Hackney contains quite a few attractions for tourists, some of which include the Abney Park Cemetery, which is an overgrown Victorian cemetery, a number of theatres and museums, the Woodberry Wetlands Nature Reserve, the National Centre of Circus Arts, which is a circus school, some beautiful churches, and much more. There is also the Hackney One Festival, which is a carnival street parade.

The London Borough of Hackney is a beautiful part of the UK and one that is rich in history and beautiful natural areas.