What is Stepney?
'''Stepney''' is a district of [[London]], in the [[London Borough of Tower Hamlets]]. The modern district grew out of a medieval village around [[St Dunstan|St Dunstan's]] church and the 15th century [[Mile End Road]]. The area built up rapidly in the 19th century. It was mainly for immigrant workers and displaced poor people. It had a reputation for poverty, overcrowding, violence and political dissent.<ref name=London>Christopher Hibbert & Ben Weinreb 2000 {{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wN_H-__MBpYC&pg=PA877 |title=''The London Encyclopaedia'', p 877 |publisher=Pan Macmillan }} {{ISBN|1-4050-4924-3}}</ref> It was severely damaged during [[the Blitz]] in [[World War II]]. Over one third of the housing was totally destroyed. In the 1960s, [[slum]] clearance and development replaced most old residential streets with [[tower block]]s and modern housing estates. Some [[George III|Georgian]] architecture and [[Victorian era]] terraced housing survive. Examples include Arbour Square, the eastern side of Stepney Green, and the streets around Matlock Street.<ref name=London/><ref name=timeout>{{cite web |url=http://www.timeout.com/london/property/features/3397/Hot_neighbourhoods-Stepney_E1.html |title=Hot neighbourhoods: Stepney, E1 – Time Out London |publisher=www.timeout.com |access-date=19 May 2010 |archive-date=15 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015215411/http://www.timeout.com/london/property/features/3397/Hot_neighbourhoods-Stepney_E1.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> ==References== {{reflist}} {{multistub|geo|UK}} [[Category:Areas of London]] [[Category:London Borough of Tower Hamlets]]