Plaistow and southern-most Upton make up the two main settlements in this area. Perfectly positioned between Canary Wharf and the City, this locale is most valued for the decent price per square metre, which is much better in comparison with neighbouring Stratford. It contains a good dose of commercial space and a number of new major developments are currently under way. The pollarded avenues at Upton are where you may find some idyllic Victorian terraces and the transport link, Upton Park tube station on Green Street (B167), is itself a world-famous destination for Asian shopping and cuisine, also featuring the vibrant Queens Market. Further south in Plaistow, the neighbourhood is home to a few 1960s tower blocks but also some green spaces such as Plaistow Park and the Memorial Recreation Ground where the East London Rugby and Football Club train on Tuesday and Thursday. Curwen Primary School is rated ‘good’ by Ofsted, as is Lister Community secondary school, just outside the area.

Historically, the marshlands of the River Lea to the west of the area made for a less frantic development trajectory than for other locations. Yet as part of the east end, Plaistow did undergo rapid urbanisation when, in 1845, the Metropolitan Building Act prohibited the construction of dangerous industrial developments on the side west of the River Lea. This saw the flocking of factories into what was then known as the Civil Parish of West Ham. Plaistow got away with only a silk weaving and pharmaceuticals factory as most of this locale was largely an outpost for richer city merchants. It was Stratford’s rise to prominence in manufacturing that caused Plaistow to be outcompeted, its transport links somewhat limited, being trapped in the marshes. As a result of heavy bombing during the Blitz, much of the area lost its Victorian consistency, clearing the way for council developments in the 60s.

The 1960s film icon Terrence Stamp, spent a large chunk of his childhood in Plaistow. Born in 1938, the son of a tugboat stoker, Stamp’s family moved to Plaistow when WWII left them homeless. He attended Plaistow Grammar School which existed in the area between 1945 and 1972, before winning a scholarship to the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art and then touring with various theatres, at one point appearing in a play with the young Michael Caine. After an explosion in cinema with films like Poor Cow (1967), a 10-year sabbatical in India following a romantic break-up erased Stamp from mainstream film credits. He reappeared in the late 70s to a warm welcome, starring in Superman II as General Zod and then delivering his magnum opus in The Hit (1984). These days, Stamp is recognisable playing solemn characters, alongside Matt Damon and Emily Blunt, for example, in the Adjustment Bureau.

The stunning Memorial Baptist Church, built in 1922 in Byzantine style, makes the area unique for having a set of 10 bells featuring the names of 200 men who died in WWI imprinted on them. This sets a world record for the number of names on a set of memorial bells. The building itself was completed in only 15 months and was built to serve as “a great cathedral Church towering above the mean streets of West Ham, witnessing to the love of God and welcoming, as to a house of beauty and peace, burdened and weary hearts.”

Due to the area going through something of a transition period, with some older establishments closing down and many modern developments popping up, the locale can appear to be lacking in community spirit, with many local pubs going out of business.

As of early 2016, the transformation of the former Plaistow Hospital into a 28-strong shared ownership housing complex by Peabody was completed. Forty percent of this development constituted family housing, reflecting the area’s growing popularity among middle-aged professionals. Looking forward, Plaistow Hub is expected to be completed in August 2023. It will feature two separate residential buildings alongside a library, neighbourhood centre, supermarket and a gym. It will also create a new piazza and link Plaistow tube station to the new development and surrounding area.