Stratford, London

Stratford
Stratford Town Hall, Stratford
Stratford Location within Greater London
Population	36,666 (2019 estimate, Stratford and New Town ward)
OS grid reference	TQ385845
• Charing Cross	6 mi (9.7 km) WSW
London borough	Newham
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LONDON
Postcode district	E15, E20
Dialling code	020
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
UK Parliament	Stratford and Bow
London Assembly	City and East
List of places UK England London 51°32′32″N 0°00′09″W / 51.5423°N 0.00256°W / 51.5423; -0.00256

Stratford is a town in East London, England, within the London Borough of Newham. Part of the Lower Lea Valley, Stratford is situated 6 miles (9.7 km) east-northeast of Charing Cross, and includes the localities of Maryland and East Village.

Historically, part of the parish of West Ham, which formed an ancient parish in the hundred of Becontree in Essex. Following reform of local government in London in 1965, the parish and borough of West Ham was abolished, becoming part of the borough of Newham in the newly formed Greater London.

Stratford grew rapidly in the 19th century following the introduction of the railway to the area in 1839, forming part of the conurbation of London, similar to much of south-west Essex. The late 20th century was a period of severe economic decline in the area, eventually reversed by ongoing regeneration associated with the 2012 Summer Olympics, for which Stratford's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, part of the large, multi-purpose Stratford City development, was the principal venue. The Westfield Stratford City shopping centre, one of the largest urban shopping centres in Europe, opened in 2011. Stratford is east London's primary retail, cultural and leisure centre, and has also become the second most significant business location in east London after Canary Wharf.