Upton Park

The Boleyn Ground, commonly known as Upton Park, was West Ham United's home from 1904 until the end of the 2015–16 season, but the club's original home was the Memorial Grounds (1900–1904).

via Wikipedia: Upton Park, London · see source

Upton Park is an area in the east of London, in the London Borough of Newham. It is centred on Green Street, the bustling thoroughfare that marks the boundary between West Ham and East Ham. For generations, the name 'Upton Park' has been synonymous with West Ham United Football Club, who played at the Boleyn Ground — commonly known simply as Upton Park — from 1904 until 2016. However, the club's original home ground was the Memorial Grounds, where they played from 1900 to 1904. The place name traces back to the farmstead and hamlet of Upton, located at Upton Lane in the parish of West Ham, first recorded as Hupington in 1203. The modern area took shape in the 1880s when a housing estate was built east of West Ham Park; the developers funded a new railway station, named after the estate, and the district around it gradually became known as Upton Park.

Quick Facts

Region: Greater London
Country: England
Post town: LONDON
Postcode district: E6, E13
Dial code: 020

Lore & Background

The Boleyn Ground, commonly known as Upton Park, was West Ham United's home from 1904 until the end of the 2015–16 season, but it was not their original home — that was the Memorial Grounds, used from 1900 to 1904. The club initially rented the land from Green Street House, known locally as Boleyn Castle because of its imposing nature and an association with Anne Boleyn. The southern end of Green Street runs alongside the western edge of the former Boleyn Ground.

After the 2015–16 season, West Ham relocated to the former Olympic Stadium in Stratford and the Boleyn Ground has now been demolished. An unrelated football club of the area, Upton Park FC, were early pioneers in the game, and represented Great Britain at the 1900 Summer Olympics football tournament, where they won the gold medal. They played their home games at West Ham Park, but the first ever FA Cup goal was not scored there — it was scored at Clapham Common, by Jarvis Kenrick for Clapham Rovers in a 3–0 victory over Upton Park on 11 November 1871.

Upton Park F.C was founded in 1866, and is believed to have folded for the second and last time around 1911, while West Ham United were founded as Thames Ironworks F.C. in 1895, before reforming as West Ham in 1900, playing their first games at the Memorial Grounds before moving to the Boleyn Ground in 1904.

Reader's Guide

To soak in Upton Park today, start at the station on Green Street — jump off the District or Hammersmith & City lines. Head south along Green Street, where the roar of the crowd has been replaced by the chatter of market stalls and the scent of spices from east London's vibrant Asian community. Just west of the street, the footprint of the Boleyn Ground is now a new housing development, but you can still feel the ghosts of matchdays. For a taste of local life, duck into Queens Road Market, a covered arcade of food and clothing stalls that buzzes with energy — a far cry from the terraces, but pure East End character.