CHINGFORD

You are in a suburban district of Greater London, included in the LONDON BOROUGH OF WALTHAM FOREST. 10 miles - 16 Km from CHARING CROSS.

Historically, a ESSEX PARISH, it gained URBAN DISTRICT status in 1894, and became a MUNICIPAL DISTRICT between 1938 and 1965, still in ESSEX. From 1965, part of GL.

For historians, its name is fascinating. The river CHING runs through the area, and a number of FORDS allow the crossing of the river… However, the settlement had a name long before the river had it: it is likely, then, that the name of the river arose long after the settlement was named!.

In the DB is referenced as CINGEFORT. And it is though that this resembled the form in which KINGSTON-UPON-THAMES appears in the DB: CINGESTONE or CHINGETUN(E), with CHING being an OLD ENGLISH form for KING.
So… the KING’S RIVER?, the KING’S FORD?.

This theory is compounded by the links of the area to royalty, in the form of hunting.

Or… is it the “SHINGLY FORD”, as the water way contained shingles?. According to linguists, this assertion is incorrect as the word “shingle” had not been coined when CINGEFORT was recorded in the 1086 DB: shingle was first used to describe loose stones on a waterway in the 1500.

As for the FORD, it would have been over the LEA RIVER. The ford was perhaps at Cook's Ferry. A path is still marked on the 6″ O.S. (1897) from old Chingford Church to Chingford Hall, the manor-house, and this may preserve an old track from Chingford across the Lea to Edmonton. A little further south, near the mouth of the Ching, remains of pile-dwellings were discovered in excavating for the reservoirs near Higham Hill in 1869, 1895 and 1901. Given that the original name was CAEGINGAFORD, the translation “the ford of the dwellers by the stumps” makes sense

Nothing to do with CHINGFORD, except the name. The former COVENT GARDEN IRONMONGERS…

Comyn Ching & Co., the architectural ironmongers, who retained until very recently their showroom at Nos. 15-21 Shelton street. They were the longest established business still in situ in Seven Dials. They weee also one of the oldest Ironmonger, Metal Working and Domestic Engineering businesses in the country, and are known to be over 200 years old. They claim to have begun business in SEVEN DIALS in 1723.

The company is entirely British and Ching is, in fact, an English name occurring, for example, in the name Chingford, a town in Essex, and the River Ching.

This trail has served me well to redact this chapter of the guide…

Remember, you have seen PIMP HALL NATURE RESERVE, and coming off to KING’S ROAD

THE FOUR WENTS

Now, a curved service road, which was part of the old road layout.

Old English name for the place where 4 road meet. It includes the access to PIMP HALL.The latter was in fact the main road from HIGHAM PARK, diverted when the railway arrived in 1873.

The verb WENDSN meant to go to make one way. WEND, related to WIND and to TO WANDER, meant to turn or to twist.

SITE OF CHINGFORD GREEN STATION

Nos. 2-10 LARKSHALL ROAD. Erected in 1873, timber-built. It continued to be used as a part of the GOODS YARD, until the 1950s.

CHINGFORD CHURCH OF ENGLAND INFANTS SCHOOL

Built 1856, the earliest buildings, at the expense of ROBERT BOOTHBY HEATHCOTE.

SITE OF THE FIRE STATION, now CAR SALES

In 1899 the VOLUNTARY FIRE BRIGADE was officially formed by the URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL, and the FIRE STATION was paid by TAYLOR WALKERS, the brewery owner of the PH next door.

OUR LADY OF GRACE AND ST.THERESA RC CHURCH

The TC church was reestablished, after 400, in CHINGFORD in 1914, when mass was celebrated at the LODGE in CHINGFORD GREEN, by a priest coming every Sunday from WALTHAMSTOW.

This church in a GOTHIC REVIVAL style was erected in 193-31, the arch. being G.W.MARTIN. Good quality materials and carvings. The tower was added in 1956.

The two sconces to the front entrance represent Alpha and Omega (beginning and end). The Cross Keys and Tiara of Papal Arms are in Weldon stone. The statue of Our Lady below the apex of the front facade is in Ketton stone.

The timber of the South Porch is English oak carved by Don Porter; the inscription commemorates the work of the builder. The base of the Cross above the porch door rests on a piece of stone from the old Abbey of Glastonbury.

FORMER THE BULL & CROWN PH

1899. In a flamboyant Second Empire style, on the site of the previous Georgian Inn. Erected by TAYLOR WALKERS, to cater for the vast influx of visitors of the period.

The previous inn had been hub of the village and is often referred to as the Old Town Hall. The pub gave its name to the lane in which it stood, Bull lane. It changed its name to Kings Road in 1901 in honour of King Edward VII who was crowned that year.

Adjoining the old Bull & Crown was the village shop of George Bartrip, first parish clerk who served Chingford for over 40 years. Known as ‘Bartrips’ the shop had an adjoining room where villagers paid rates, income tax, published banns and made funeral arrangements. The shop sold grocery and hardware and was a confectionary and drapers.

METHODIST CHURCH

From 1790, there were a few Methodists in North Chingford, but it was not until 1904 that a new chapel in Station Road was enrolled.

A large house in Station Road owned by James Richards with land at the rear attracted the attention of a group of active Methodists when it was offered for sale in 1898. Supported by Rev. George Denton and the trustees of the Clapton Circuit, the house was bought by Walter Row & Josiah Gunton on their behalf. Gunton was well known in Chingford for being the owner of Sunnyside, a large house just off Kings Head Hill. The lodge can still be seen today on the corner of Woodberry Way.

Gunton was a partner in the firm Gordon & Gunton, architects, and well placed to draw up the plans for the temporary building which arose on the site of James Richards house in 1905.

THE PARADE

The parade on Station Road has been North Chingford’s main shopping centre for almost 150 years.

Still often referred to as “The Village “ by some locals, many shops have come and gone over the years, but some are still affectionately remembered to this day including Brimble’s book shop and Uglows department store. Shoppers never had to leave the village, as everything could be purchased from the vast variety of shops.

LIBRARY & ASSEMBLY HALL

the foundation stone for the new Library & Assembly Hall was laid in 1959. The inscription reads: ‘This stone was laid during the 21st Anniversary Year of Chingford’s Charter of Incorporation by the Mayor- Councillor G.H.Smith J.P. on 19th September 1959.’

The Hall was opened in September, 1960 by Sir John Ruggles-Brise. Architects, Messrs Tooley and Foster Builders, Gray Conoley & Co. Ltd. The area around Chingford Green was designated a Conservation Area by Waltham Forest Council in June 1990.

The Millennium Heritage Mosaic, installed in 2000 and made from ceramic and glass, can be seen on the wall of the town hall depicting scenes and famous characters from Chingford’s history.

THE GREEN CONSERVATION AREA

You are in the centre of one of the farming hamlets scattered around the forest (the other ones were the HATCH and LOW STREET, by the RIVER LEA).
Until the end of the 18th c. poor road conditions deterred the gentry from establishing their country retreats.
The GREEN became the most important of the hamlets, that is why the new church was established here, in 1844, replacing the original at the top of CHINGFORD MOUNT.

ST.PETER’S & ST.PAUL’S CHURCH and HALL

Designed by LEWIS VULLIAMY, as FRIDAY HILL HOUSE, as the owner of th3 house, local grandee R.B. HEATHCOTE , rector and LORD OF THE MANOR, paid for it. Dedicated by the BISHOP OF LONDON.P

In an eclectic Gothic style, in. Fuck and flint.

The font is from the 12th c. The iron bound chest is from the 17th. The pulpit is 18th. The HILL, NORMAN & BEARD ORGAN was restored in 1907.

Arch. ARTHUR BLOOMFIELDS drew up plans for an East extension of the chancel and nave aisles, in 1903. Dedicated y the BISHOP OF ST.ALBANS.

1937. ST.ELIZABETH CHAPEL (Lady Chapel) and East window, by CHRISTOPHER WEBB.

Province of CANTERBURY. Diocese of CHELMSFORD. Archdeaconry of WEST HAM.

It follows the modern Catholic tradition of the Church of England (ANGLO-CATHOLICISM)

ANGLO-CATHOLICS?

Anglo-Catholicism comprises beliefs and practices that emphasize the Catholic heritage and identity of the Church of England and various churches within the Anglican Communion. Anglo-Catholics are primarily concerned with restoring the liturgical and devotional expression of the Christian faith in the life of the Anglican Church.

The term was coined in the early 19th century,although movements emphasizing the Catholic nature of Anglicanism already existed.Particularly influential in the history of Anglo-Catholicism were the Caroline Divines of the 17th century, the Jacobite Nonjuring schism of the 17th and 18th centuries, and the Oxford Movement, which began at the University of Oxford in 1833 and ushered in a period of Anglican history known as the "Catholic Revival".

CARBIS COTTAGE

One of the last surviving weather-boarded cottages in Chingford.

Weather-boarding dates from the Regency period (late 18th century/early 19th century) and the idea probably came from the new land of America where large mansions were being built entirely of wood and then covered over with white painted boarding to make them look like stone, the most prestigious building material.

According to the study by Christine Moss the building has oak beams that date back to the reign of Elizabeth I and low ceilings. In recent times it has been restored.

NO.1 CARBIS CLOSE

it is ranked as the most expensive property* in E4 7HW, with a valuation of £2,535,000.

QUEEN’S WALK

A tiny road, rather a path, off GREEN WALK, ended in a gated property, reminding us of QUEEN VICTORIA’s visit, in 1882, to relinquish the Royal Forest to the people, when she spoke those famous words to "dedicate this beautiful forest to the enjoyment of my people for ever".

MORNINGTON HALL

Mornington School, later known as Mornington Hall was erected at the end of Green Walk in 1924 but it seems the School if not the Hall was in existence earlier. In 1921, pupils performed a clever and pretty dance in character costume in the Church Hall in the Ridgeway and the United Services Club. In 1923 there was a floral display at the Jubilee Retreat and pupils from the School entertained with dancing.

In 2002 CADOS (Chingford Amateur Dramatic Society) took over the lease of the building and made many improvements since.

Today, the hall offers residents access to theatre and the arts.

FORMER KENNELS (KILGREANA), LATER THE CHINGFORD LODGE

The sole surviving building from the CHINGFORD STAGHOUND KENNELS, erected by SQUIRE WILLIAM MELLISH MP, between 1798 and 1806, and which originally formed a large quadrangle.
In the 1860s was called THE LODGE, and it was subsequently divided into 2 properties.

The Staghound, sometimes referred to as the English Staghound, is an extinct breed of scent hound from England. A pack hound, the breed was used to hunt red deer and became extinct in the 19th century when the last pack was sold.

JOHN and WILLIAM MELLISH & BANK.Willism became Governor of the Bank of England. He inherited BUSH HILL ESTATE, EDMONTON

WAR MEMORIAL

POLICE STATION

The metropolitan police was formed in 1829 and although Chingford was in its jurisdiction, the scattered village fell under the control of Waltham Abbey Police Force and did not warrant its own police station at that time.

In the 1870’s there were concerns about the increase in lawlessness in Chingford, in particular, rowdy behaviour by some of the many visitors to the forest. In 1887 land was found to build the station next to the Kings Head.

THE KING’S HEAD PH

The Kings Head, which gave its name to the long steep hill out of Low Street (now Sewardstone Road), had become the venue for manor courts and Vestry meetings and possibly a meeting place for law and order for many generations. It’s thought that the village stocks were near the King’s Head and the lock-up was erected opposite in 1815.

Chingford’s constables were seconded in from Waltham Abbey and had stabling at the Kings Head, so it was fitting to erect the police station next door to the pub in 1887.

SUNNYSIDE LODGE

A charming Victorian cottage now much extended, formerly the gatekeepers lodge to SUNNYDIDE, a large detached mansion. In the 20s and 30s WOODBERRY WAY and SUNNYSIDE DRIVE were laid out.

Charles William Alcock lived with his parents and siblings at Sunnyside, now long gone apart from its former GATEHOUSE at 73, WOODBERRY WAY. His father was a successful shipowner, later ship broker and in the mid-1850s moved the family south from Sunderland to Chingford.

Charles Junior wasn’t academically gifted, but he was very good at football. In 1859, Charles and his elder brother John established Forest Football Club. Four of the team members were old Harrovians but there was a strong connection with Forest School Walthamstow and their first ground was nearby.

In 1863 Bell’s Life noted that “the play of Mr C. Alcock of the Forest club elicited great applause”. “…he was ‘an excellent dribbler and goal getter, very hard to knock off the ball, and as hard a worker as he was enthusiastic”.

The Football Association (The FA) was formed in 1863 and within a few years Charles was on the committee. In 1870 he put forward the idea of a challenge cup – today known as the FA Cup - and in 1872 Forest, by then known as Wanderers, beat the Royal Engineers to become the first cup winners.

This wasn’t Alcock’s only achievement. He was heavily involved with cricket too and was a prolific sports journalist. He died in 1907 whilst living in Brighton and is buried in West Norwood whilst his parents were buried at Chingford Old Church.

POLE HILL & OBELISKS

This is the highest point in WALTHAM FOREST, and reputedly in ESSEX. As here is due north of GREENWICH 2 obelisks were erected.

In 1824, an obelisk was erected on Pole Hill in Chingford that lies directly on the Greenwich Meridian and, being the highest point on that bearing, was directly visible from Greenwich. It was used as a marker by geographers at the observatory to set their telescopes and observation equipment to a true zero degree bearing. The Greenwich Meridian was changed in 1850 and adopted in 1884 and now passes 19 feet to the east and therefore, a second obelisk was installed.

“THIS PILLAR WAS ERECTED IN 1824 UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE REVEREND JOHN POND M A, ASTRONOMER ROYAL. IT WAS PLACED ON THE GREENWICH MERIDIAN AND ITS PURPOSE WAS TO INDICATE THE DIRECTION OF TRUE NORTH FROM THE TRANSIT TELESCOPE OF THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY. THE GREENWICH MERIDIAN AS CHANGED IN 1850 AND ADOPTED BY INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT IN 1884 AS THE LINE OF ZERO LONGITUDE, PASSES 19 FEET TO THE EAST OF THIS PILLAR”

The one erected in 1884, after the MERIDIAN was amended, Is 19 feet apart.

VISIT GREENWICH!

The ‘Prime Meridian’ that’s been running through the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, UK, since 1884 is now located 335 feet (102 meters) east of its historic spot. Dr Ken Seidelmann from the University of Virginia and his colleagues investigated the cause of this apparent discrepancy.

LAWRENCE OF ARABIA’S LAND

More about T.E. LAWRENCE

Some 18 acres of the hill were owned by T.E.LAWRENCE, who intended to build a house here.

During World War One, Lawrence volunteered to use his knowledge and expertise of the Middle East for the British war effort in the region, and became famous for fighting alongside bands of irregular soldiers as part of the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire.

Lawrence became close friends with a man named Vyvyan Richards while an undergraduate at Jesus College, Oxford, who went on to teach history at Bancroft's School in Woodford Green.

The pair spent time camping in the forest on Pole Hill with Scouts and cadets, as far as Lawrence's foreign travel would permit, for almost ten years. Lawrence became so fond of the area that he bought several acres of land in the area on the day he left the British Army in September 1919.

You are entering now STATION ROAD CONSERVATION AREA

FOREST VIEW

THE DRIVE

CHINGFORD UNITED AND REFORMED CHURCH

The original Congregational church in Chingford was founded in 1888, initially meeting at a café in Station Road called the Victoria Coffee Palace. A plot of land was bought by the church in 1889 and a temporary corrugated iron building, or "tin tabernacle" was erected on the site.

In 1910, the new church was constructed; the architects were John Diggle Mould and his younger brother Samuel Joseph Mould,^[1] who were Primitive Methodists from Manchesterthat specialised in Nonconformistchurch buildings.

Of red brick with stone banding, the west frontage facing Buxton Road has a triple entrance under a large Perpendicular Gothic window, leaded in the Art Nouveau style. A tower with pinnacles and a copper clad spirestands on the right of the front. Internally, a foyer below a gallery gives entry to a square nave, made octagonal by stone arches in the corners. A stone screen under a large arch divide the nave from a polygonal sanctuary.

SPICER HALL

In 1890, a church hall was opened, named Spicer Hall after James Spicer, a benefactor.^[2] The architect of the hall was Rowland Plumbe; it was eventually sold by the church and converted into apartments in 2004.

In 2013 interior designer Gianna Camilotti bought the property and set to work on giving it a stunning makeover.

CHINGFORD LO STATION

The Great Eastern Railway (GER) opened Chingford Station in 1878. It was the last forest village to be opened up to the railway from Walthamstow.

This new much more grandiose station on the very edge of town, overlooking the forest had a large ticket hall, buffet room, waiting rooms, porter's room and station-master's office.
Situated in a place far less useful to the local population was an attempt to trap tourist traffic to the forest, and to stimulate suburban growth in the fields surrounding it.

This new station was built as a through station, with its platforms and tracks leading out onto an embankment ready to leap across the newly named Station Road and enter the forest. It was planned for a line to extend to High Beach, to serve Epping Forest, however the Epping Forest ACT of 1878 scuppered those plans. The embankment area was levelled up in 1968 and the site is now occupied by the bus station.

The mosaic roundel, located just outside the station entrance, is made from hundreds of hand-placed glazed mosaic tiles! This incredible piece was created by artist Maud Milton, with the help of multiple local households and care homes who chose the words and symbols that represent Chingford hidden in-between the tiles.

STATION ROAD

A former drove way for taking cattle to the fields

CHINGFORD GOLF CLUB

One of the clubs using the PUBLIC golf course.Formed in 1923 by local tradesmen bored from the existing private club, which would only accept them as “artisans”. First, they met at the CORONET CAFÉ, then at the ROYAL FOREST…

MASONIC HALL

The Chingford Masonic Hall is an assuming one-storey building only a short walk from Chingford Station and the site of rituals and ceremonies that members of the public are forbidden to witness, although parts of the building are available to hire for parties.

BIKE HIRE

ROYAL EPPING GOLF CLUB

CORONET CAFE

The Coronet Café (Formally known as Bolte’s Café) was one of over 11 tea gardens that sprung up in North Chingford in the 1890s to cater for trippers. With the arrival of railway stations close to the forest such as Chingford (1873) and Loughton (1856), the working class people of East London began to use the forest for recreation on Sundays and public holidays, in ever-increasing numbers.

THE ROYAL FOREST HOTEL

In 1878 the City Lands Committee issued a Notice they were prepared to grant a Building Lease for 80 years on land adjoining the Hunting Lodge and Mr & Mrs Frederick Gordon took the lease and the Forest Hotel was built. In 1880 it was opened and in 1882 when Queen Victoria visited Chingford the name was changed to ‘The Royal Forest Hotel’. The event was marked with a firework display by pyrotechnics Mr Brock.

The hotel catered for the hordes of visitors to the Forest by train from the newly opened Chingford Station.

The building was designed by Edmond Egan, the Loughton architect who was also responsible for some of the very decorative houses in The Drive and Crescent Road, Chingford. The hotel’s busiest period was around 1910. However, a serious fire in 1912 resulted in the hotel being re-built minus its top storey.

Stayed here

Jack Johnson (The Galveston Giant) 1878-1946 was the first Black US Boxing Champion when in 1908 he defeated Canadian Tommy Burns in Sydney.

He defended his title in 1910 beating ex-champion Jim Jeffries. This victory led to anti-Black riots in America with many Black men being lynched by the racist Ku Klux Klan.

On 2nd October 1911 Jack was lined up to fight Bombardier Billy Wells at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre for the title.

He was based at the Royal Forest Hotel in Chingford Essex, with his training camp in Epping Forest nearby.

The fight never took place as a campaign led by many political and religious groups and individuals such as the Archbishop of Canterbury. General Baden Powell founder of the Boy Scouts. Field Marshall Lord Roberts. Ramsey MacDonald leader of the Labour Party opposed the fight on religious and moral grounds as well as for racist reasons.

Winston Churchill then Home Secretary banned the fight for public order reasons.

The Director of Public Prosecutions served the promoter of the fight Jack Johnson and Bombardier Billy Wells with injunctions, and had to prove there would not be a breach of the peace before the fight could go ahead. Johnston defended himself at the Bow Street Police Court on 28th September 1911. As the promoter decided not to defend the injunction, the fight did not go ahead. All were bound over to keep the peace, with Wells agreeing never to fight Johnson in the UK or British Empire. So the Home Office did not proceed with the case.

A first

EPIPING FOREST: VISITOR CENTRE

CHINGFORD PLAIN

The large grassy area overlooked by the hotel and the old hunting lodge. A little further North, BURY WOOD is more interesting

BUTLER’S RETREAT

Originally built as a barn soon after 1859, it was used to store the harvest of corn that was grown on Chingford plains around that time.

The serving of refreshments was first started by Mrs Harriet Watkins, whose son was a Forest Keeper and lived in the Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge. Mrs Watkins used the Lodge and its garden for the provision of teas until 1897, when she took over the adjacent barn for the provision of teas. The barn had earlier been used as a shelter for school parties in adverse weather conditions.

Butlers Retreat takes its name from John Butler who took over the lease of the barn on 1st January 1891 having previously operated a kiosk in the forest. John’s wife Mrs Hannah Butler took over the business in 1903. In 1907, the retreat was almost destroyed by fire but was faithfully repaired. The Butler family continued to run the retreat until 1971 when the license was given up.

QUEEN ELIZABETH HUNTING LODGE

The Lodge was in fact built in 1543 in the reign of Henry VIII although it will always be associated with Elizabeth I. It was built as a grandstand or "standing" on which the royal party could assemble to watch sport. As can be seen by the picture the spaces between the studs on the upper floors were left open at breast height for the convenience of viewers. Elizabeth certainly used it as did James I but gradually it ceased to be used for its original purpose and in the eighteenth century the upper viewing spaces were filled in.