In 1897 the Medical Officer of Health reported that Chingford was ‘cut off, as it were, to a great extent from the rest of the world’.* It is obviously not cut off now but it has a very different history to its near neighbour Walthamstow less than 4 miles away.
Epping Forest has played an important part in the history of Chingford and on this walk which uses old maps we will see how the area has evolved but in other cases see what remains from times gone past.
Hidden away between the allotments and the local tip can be found a dovecote which dates from at least the 17th century and is all that remains of Pimp Hall one of Chingford’s long lost manor houses.
The diverse range of characters who have made their mark on Chingford include T E Lawrence, Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Victoria and the creator of the FA Cup. Ivor Novello features too as he was stationed at the World War One airfield now underneath a reservoir.
This guided walk led by qualified tour guide and long time local resident Joanna Moncrieff includes traversing a series of footpaths which once skirted field boundaries and were a well trodden route going back hundreds of years.
The walk finishes at a 19th Century refreshment retreat on the edge of Epping Forest but only a 10 minute downhill walk back to the station. There are two pubs close to the finish too.
This walk is approximately 2 miles long and will include some walking on forest paths which may be muddy so please wear appropriate shoes.
TRAVEL UPDATE: 18th March is a train strike day. However the London Overground have previously run trains on train strike days although there might be a slightly altered timetable. Check up-to-date travel information on https://tfl.gov.uk/
* If you’re interested in finding out more about the fascinating Medical Officer of Health Reports which are available online via the Wellcome Library you might be interested in Chingford Historical Society’s talk on 15th June.
All Joanna’s upcoming public walks can be found here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/joanna-moncrieff-footprints-of-london-6750753789
A Westminster Walks event.
Waltham Forest History and Heritage Network 
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