River Lea Boat Cruise & House Mill Exhibition Visit

A rare chance to take a boat cruise up the River Lea, the river that inspired Raw Materials’ investigation into the materials of east London’s industrial past. Beginning at the Nunnery Gallery to see Raw Materials: Plastics, we will then visit The House Mill to see site-specific exhibition ‘Until you became me’, which explores the historic Georgian mill’s site at the water’s edge, before climbing aboard our canal boat to cruise up the River Lea. (Limited 10 spaces available).

After a short tour around the Raw Materials exhibition, we will walk over to The House Mill for a guided tour of ‘Until you became me’ – a site-specific exhibition exploring how water connects us to each other and to our environment. Artists Karen Le Roy Harris and Miriam Sedacca will exhibit new individual and collaborative works made in direct response to the unique and atmospheric space of The House Mill. Works will include ceramic sculpture, film, installation and performance. The artists will create an immersive space which invites visitors to consider themselves as bodies of water, constantly in flux and intimately connected with others and with their surroundings.    

We will then travel the waterway that inspired Raw Materials – the River Lea – seeing and imagining the traces of our industrial past along the way. You will be joined by members of the project steering group who will help you uncover stories of industry along the River Lea as you cruise along.

12pm: Meet at the Nunnery Gallery for exhibition viewing followed by a 15-minute walk to The House Mill.

12.35pm: Arrive at The House Mill for Until you became me guided exhibition tour, followed by a short walk to Three Mills Lock, Prescott Channel, London E3 3DU.

1.30-3.30pm: All aboard the canal boat for a two-hour boat trip up the beautiful River Lea cruising up as far as Walthamstow and finishing in Hackney Wick (where TFL transport links are available).

Please feel free to bring drinks / packed lunch for the journey. Unfortunately there is no wheelchair access to the boat. Prams can be carried on board.  

Limited 10 spaces available (*including children and babies due to the boat insurance policy).

Tickets £5/10 (concession rate applies to under 18s, students, over 65s and Bow Arts artists. Please include babies as a concession ticket in bookings – due to boat insurance policy babies are included as 1 of the 10 spaces available)

Book tickets here

Raw Materials explores the forgotten industrial history of plastic in east London around the River Lea. The exhibition reveals the story of east London's central role in the invention and early development of plastics, showcasing some of the very first plastic objects alongside newly commissioned artwork which tell the story of this material’s remarkable journey. Read more about the exhibition here.  

Raw Materials: Plastics has been made possible through the generous support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the project’s academic partner UCL.