Walthamstow Wetlands - History
I decided to research the history of Walthamstow Wetlands to try and understand more about the context of the area and how they constructed the Wetlands. I believe that by looking at the historical context it would also help me develop my concept. It will also help me develop the narrative of my photo story as I should understand the context behind the landscapes and the structures and why they were built.
I researched the history of Walthamstow Wetlands and found an article from the Guardian. The article talks about an exhibition that depicted the history of the Wetlands in 2016. Some of the information was really interesting, I would of never found it out without reading the article.
'Water and Life gives us access to the secret past of a little-known corner of Walthamstow, across a thousand years or more.' - Steven Swaby
The curator explains his opinions on the location and that elements of the landscape tell can tell a lot of stories about the areas past. The area has preserved a lot of past activity through the victorian reservoirs and built landscape.
'The reservoirs played in the rapid growth of Victorian London - and what a feat of engineering, manpower and sheer determination that involved'
One of the most important parts of the location is the reservoirs, they tell us a lot about how water was transported into London. In the location there is still a lot of Victorian parts such as the pipes and water chambers that have been left untouched. The whole construction of the reservoirs is extremely fascinating as they were man-made with a water system. You can see how they dug up and constructed the land to benefit the city of London.
Overall, I think the area of Walthamstow Wetlands has a lot of fascinating history. The part I personally think is the most interesting is the fact that there is still Victorian man-made structures left in the location against all the modern reconstruction of the area, this preserves the locations past and shows elements of its future.
Historical images I found:
Historical maps I found:
