Great Gate Summer Festival

Celebrate midsummer and come along to Newham’s first mediaeval festival run by Friends of Abbey Gardens with free activities for all ages.

There will be a chance to have a go at mediaeval tile-making with artist Phil Root and go on a specially designed guided tour to explore the history of Stratford Langthorne Abbey with Historic England.

There will be historic reenactment specialists Historia Normannis, demonstrating ancient craft of bow making, a scribe and leather craft – bringing the lives of the monks and the people of 12th Century West Ham to life.

Children from Ranelagh primary school, who have worked with musicians and gardeners, will share their gardening-know how and there will be short performances of a specially composed midsummer song in the magical surroundings of Abbey Gardens and the site of the Stratford Langthorne Abbey ruins.

You can sign up through Eventbrite below, to come along to the festival for free and fun activities for the whole family in lovely surroundings.

Access: Abbey Gardens is grassy and has rough and uneven ground, it is unsuitable for some wheelchairs and care should be taken by all visitors to avoid the uneven ground.  There is a compost toilet which is not wheelchair accessible.  There are no changing place facilities on site.

Please note you must book places on these special workshops during the midsummer festival:

Mediaeval Tile Making Workshop with Phil Root – 12 noon or 15:00 (90 minutes)

Historic England Guided Walk of Rural West Ham & Stratford Langthorne Abbey – 13:00 or 15:00 (75 minutes)