The Church of Saint Mary Magdalene in East Ham is over 800 years old and is thus one of the first churches the Normans erected after successfully invading England in the eleventh century. Since 1977, the congregation presently in charge of the church has let the ten acre church yard - one of the largest in England - revert into a wildlife sanctuary.
No longer cut back, brush and small trees grow between and overtop the many graves. East Ham is super urbanized, lacking hardly any other open space, so all the vegetation attracts foxes, hedgehogs, small mammals and plenty of birds. Birds often seen at the reserve include Robins, Thrushes, Redwings Swallows and the oddly-named Great Tit.
Three trails loop through the overgrown graves. The Germans bombed East Ham heavily during the war because it was near strategically important docks. While walking along the trails, you will see several gravestones damaged by bombs that fell into the church yard. Around dusk the church is very photogenic. It's also more than a little eerie.
The visitor center by the entrance has a few small nature exhibits. At the visitor center be sure to pick up one of very detailed, illustrated booklets on the plants, birds and animals in the reserve.
Eastham is the farthest out. If you have a zone 1 and 2 Underground pass, you will need to pay for an extension to zone 3 while still in the first two zones. Take the underground to the East Ham station, than board the A13 bus from the station to the junction of High Street South and Norman Road. It's about a ten minute ride. The reserve's phone is 0181-470-4525. Hours are Tuesday-Friday 10-5 and Saturday and Sunday 2pm to 5pm. Entrance Free.
Like much of East London, the borough is a mix of Cockney (white working-class), Indian, and Pakistani. Indian restaurants line the street outside the metro. The food is very affordable but very hot. Be sure to order rice.