Spitalfields City Farm

Attractions , Farms Bethnal Green Free
  • 5 out of 5 stars
(8 user reviews)
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(© Tove K Breitstein)
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© Tove K Breitstein
Spitalfields City Farm
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Squatters in the ’60s started Spitalfields City Farm as a collection of allotments, then added a cluster of sheep and ducks. The farm has grown and changed, but the original duck pond is still in place.

At last count, there were between 70 and several thousand animals (depending on whether you include the bees). There’s a grumpy old parrot called Mr Kelly, who apparently enjoys eating walnuts and playing with his bell. Two of the farm’s animals have found fame in the ‘Awesome Animals’ edition of the ‘Top Trumps’ card game. Twiglet the sheep has apparently let celebrity go to her head and is difficult to manage, while Derek the donkey is a shy character with confidence issues. Everyone say, ‘Awwww.’

There’s a brilliant selection of pesticide-free Bengali vegetables, including mooli, a horseradish-like plant, and kadu, a member of the gourd family which has proven so popular it has caused fights among the neighbours. The Tea Hut serves and hot and cold lunches and runs on selected days in the summer and weekends in the winter. 

It wouldn’t be spring without Spitalfields’ Oxford v. Cambridge Goat Race, but there’s heaps more going on throughout the year, from the Sheep & Wool Fayre to the alternative Harvest Festival. Miriam Bouteba

Find more urban farms in the capital with our guide to London city farms

Posted:

Venue name: Spitalfields City Farm
Contact:
Visit Website Call Venue
Address: Buxton St
London
E1 5AR
Opening hours: 10am-4.30pm Tue-Sun
Transport: Tube: Aldgate East/Liverpool St. Overground: Shoreditch High St
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Average User Rating

4.7 / 5

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LiveReviews|8
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Louise F

It's a green oasis in the middle of the city and a great community resource for everyone to use. Love all the animals too!

Sarah M

The only place in London you can ride donkeys, race goats, challenge yourself to eat the hottest chilli possible and sunbath in a flower garden all in one visit. Only two minutes from Brick Lane, it feels like another world. Theres plenty of volunteer opportunities for those who want to get further involved too.

Lisa H

Simply the most peaceful place in the whole of London with the friendliest staff and wonderful animals

Louise H
Tastemaker

This is a great little place and I would highly recommend it! Free, and easy to pop into if you're in the Brick Lane area, with a delightful array of animals (we particularly enjoyed petting the goats and pigs), fresh produce on sale and an adorable cafe. It would be the ideal place for an unusual date or just to briefly feel like you've escaped the hectic pace of London life and chill with the animals. 

Naomi
Tastemaker

Out of all London's city farms, Spitalfields is the one I just keep on going back to! There's something about its informality and friendliness that makes it so welcoming as the perfect escape. Being someone who grew up close to the countryside I often just long for a rural retreat at weekends, and whilst if you're from somewhere like that this isn't quite a 'breath of fresh air' it is certainly the closest thing I'm going to get in central London. Spitalfields City Farm is home to quite a selection of farm animals (my favourite are definitely the goats!!!) and they also host some great events throughout the year. If you're a regular at Brick Lane's Sunday liveliness, just take the slip off down Buxton Street on your right... you would not believe that this exists just minutes walk from 'The City'!