The western portion of Stepney Green is made up of a mix of Victorian, Georgian and post-war housing, while the northern boundary stops just short of Mile End Road and Stepney Green underground station. The southern side of the neighbourhood blends into Shadwellwhere there is a slightly more industrial feel to the area compared to the more residential and commercial north. The area’s housing stock is primarily of post-war low-rise blocks as well as Victorian terraces, surrounded by green areas (generally patches of well-maintained grass).

The Stepney area is one of London’s oldest settlements, developing around St. Dunstan’s church, although most of the area was just marshland until the Victorian era – it is around this time as well where the name ‘Stepney Green’ first arises. The area was previously dominated by Victorian terraces, and had a strong Jewish characteristic. However, during the Blitz much of the area was damaged, and even prior and after that many locations were redeveloped by the local council into new tenements, which gave rise to more open space, but at the expense of the old Victorian character of the area. Today Stepney Green has a large Bangladeshi community.

Afanasi Matyushenko sought refuge at an anarchist meeting place in Stepney Green following his involvement as ringleader of the Potemkin Mutiny in 1905, which arose after terrible conditions on board the Potemkin naval ship and the shooting of one of the crew members when he complained of worms in their soup. Matyushenko became the chairman of a ‘people’s committee’, and the ship sailed to Odessa, where rioting had occurred. Matyushenko would not stay in Stepney Green for long, and later returned to Russia, where he was executed.

Towards the western side of Stepney Green is Sidney Street, today surrounded by council flats and warehouses. However more than a century ago a large gun fight took place there, between the Scots Guards, the Royal Horse Artillery, the police, and a few gunmen, lasting for six hours. It grew so intense that Maxim machine guns were called in (though they never took part). Seven other men were put on trial but later pardoned: one would later become the deputy head of the Cheka, Lenin’s feared secret police. An analysis of the situation later on would suggest that the men were petty criminals, which the police had overreacted to. The whole event was looked on by none other than a 36-year-old Winston Churchill. One politician suggested that “he could not resist going to see the fun himself”.

Stepney City Farm is a working farm as well as an arts centre in the middle of the city. A Farmers’ Market takes place every Saturday, as well as a free arts and crafts event every first Saturday. Slightly to the north sits the Trinity Green almshouses, which are the oldest of their kind in central london. On the green outside sits a bronze bust memorial for William Booth. In the 19th century Booth had preached in a tavern across the street which eventually led to the founding of the Salvation Army. Today the almshouses are adjacent to Genesis, one of London’s leading independent cinemas.

Looking forward, a 450-home plan to redevelop three council blocks into new and improved homes was approved by the council in 2020. Unlike other regeneration schemes in East London, this project enjoyed substantial support from local residents, 98% of whom voted in favour of the scheme.