Hermit Road was the first home stadium of London football club
Thames Ironworks, the team that would become
West Ham United, and was located in
Canning Town. Thames had taken over the tenancy of the ground in the summer of 1895 from
Old Castle Swifts F.C., who were the first professional football club in
Essex. The Hermit Road ground had been described as a 'cinder' heap' and 'barren waste'. It was surrounded by a moat and had canvas sheeting for fencing.