Neighbourhood Watch: Walthamstow

There's more to Walthamstow than East 17. Although they were awesome.

London Focus

Where is it?
Although it has a tube station at the very end of the Victoria line it’s only in zone 3, bordered by urban Tottenham to the west, leafy Chingford to the north, and somewhere-between-the-two Leyton to the East. The rail service takes 17 minutes to Liverpool Street station, and there are plentiful bus routes, however only the 48 to London Bridge goes to central London.

Tell me more
Walthamstow gets its name from ‘wilcumstowe’, an Old English word meaning a place where people are welcome. There were settlements here during the Stone Age, although as one can imagine there wasn’t much in the area aside from woodland. In the medieval era people started farming; Coppermill, a mill thought to date back to the 14th century, was used first for corn, then gunpowder, paper, leather and linseed oil over the centuries. Meanwhile wealthy bankers and merchants began moving here, building large houses with sizeable gardens.

In 1808 the mill was bought by the British Copper Company. Among other things the company made local coins. These were not dissimilar to the current Brixton pound in that they were only used locally,
a trend that had begun a couple of hundred years earlier due to a shortage of currency. Coppermill became an important employer, thanks to which the population grew rapidly. It was later taken over by the East London Water Company, who built the reservoirs that feed from the river Lea; nowadays it’s owned by Thames Water.

In the 19th century the railways arrived, and coaching lanes like Blackhorse Road became public roads. Rows of houses, shops, schools and churches were built, and a town hall was opened on Orford Road, at the time the heart of Walthamstow; this area is still known as Walthamstow Village and is generally regarded as being the more upmarket bit. Some of the oldest remaining buildings are located on Church End, now a conservation area – the Ancient House on Church Lane, minus extensions, was built in Tudor times.

World War II bombing meant a lot of Walthamstow had to be re-built; post-war developments include the clock tower on Hoe Street along with the parade’s shops and offices. Waltham Forest Town Hall survived however; built between 1937 - 1942, it’s a striking example of art deco design.
\n\nWhat’s there now?

The high street boasts the longest market in London, possibly in Europe, with cheap clothing, bric à brac, household items, toys, and fruit and veg. It’s colourful and noisy, with traders loudly announcing their daily offers to the passing crowds, particularly on a Saturday. The Mall, the indoor shopping centre, has high street stores like Dixons and New Look, while the high street is lined with inexpensive clothes shops and grocery stores; if you’re looking for Polish, Oriental, Caribbean or Indian ingredients you’re in the right place, a diversity that reflects Walthamstow’s population. And while we’re on the subject of food, there’s a bona fide pie and mash shop called L. Manze where you can get jellied eels, mmmm.

Culture vultures have the William Morris Gallery, the former childhood home of the Arts and Crafts founder, which has work by him as well as fellow artists. Vestry House Museum details the history of the local area. Both of these are free.

There’s plenty of greenery: Epping Forest can be easily reached by public transport, alternatively Lea Valley Park offers horse riding, fishing and even white water rafting, while Lloyd Park has tennis courts and a skate park.


Any night time activity?

Fox sightings are quite common… just kidding. Aside from a few decent pubs like Ye Olde Rose and Crown which often put on comedy or live music nights, there isn’t much going on for night owls. The only local music venue, The Standard, closed in December 2011 after 25 years. The famous dog track, immortalised on Blur’s Parklife album cover, closed in 2008 and is set to be turned into a leisure centre and housing.
\n\nWhat’s this about a village then?

Like Marylebone, Highgate and Wimbledon, Walthamstow has its very own enclave of quaint-looking independent shops and cafes, appearing to be a million miles away from the phone unlocking shops and kebab eateries of nearby Hoe Street. It’s leafy and quiet, boasts attractive housing and good restaurants on Orford Road without a chain in sight.


Claims to fame

Walthamstow was introduced to teenage girls on the outside world by boyband East17. A decade later local boys Blazin’ Squad were setting the charts alight. Pop artist Peter Blake, responsible for the Beatles’ Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover lived here for over 20 years. And last but not least, actor Adam Woodyatt who plays Ian in Eastenders is originally from Walthamstow.


What else should I know?

Andrex toilet roll was created in 1942 in a paper mill on St. Andrews Road, which gave the brand its name.

In 2012 a study by spareroom.co.uk found that Walthamstow is the best place to rent in London. The research looked at rental prices, transport costs and journey time to central London. It’s also one of the cheapest places to rent or buy within zones 1-3.

The first British flight was over Walthamstow Marshes in 1909.

In the 17th century there were vineyards producing wine here, according to a diary entry by Samuel Pepys.

The grandmother of Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards became mayor of Walthamstow in 1941. Eliza and her husband Ernie Richards were also instrumental in creating the Walthamstow Labour Party.

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