Bakers Row was built over the lands of an old abbey.
The Abbey of St Mary at Stratford Langthorne was built in the 12th Century. The ’Langthorne’ part of the name refered to an ingredient of the bread baked by the Abbey’s bakers in a bakery close to what is now Bakers Row.
The marshlands around the abbey were in need of constant draining by the monks. The marshes were split into seven separate marshes. The marsh nearest to the future site of the Bakers Row was called Blackwall Marsh.
