To say that Chigwell is merely picturesque would be an understatement. A quaint suburb of London, nestled by the Epping Forest, its village feel and many beautiful Tudor style buildings attract not just families but also visitors. It’s more than just a pretty town to look at though. There’s plenty to do in the neighbourhood, and with the convenient Chigwell Underground station - it’s easy for any Londoner to visit. Visiting on a weekend day, you’ll find residents enjoying the local Woolston Manor Golf and Country Club, families catching a show at the Stagecoach Theatre, and others going for jogs along the Chigwell Brook. Staying this active can give you quite the appetite though - so why not stop by for a pint at The King William IV, or gourmet Turkish food at Sheesh Restaurant? Realising all that Chigwell has to offer, it’s no wonder that young professionals are beginning to pay closer attention to the area.

Being surrounded by forest, the area of Chigwell remained fairly rural until the early 20th century. The opening of the Woodford-Ilford railway loop line led to increased building in the Chigwell Village area. This continued until WWII. After the war, however, development could not continue at the same rate. Much of the neighbourhood had been designated as part of the famous Green Belt. This has restricted development even through today, which has helped maintain the neighbourhood’s quaint village feel. However, there have been some smaller developments that have occurred since then - such as The Grange Farm Camp which provided camping and swimming facilities that the neighbourhood welcomed.

The local golf course, Woolston Manor Golf, got its name from the Woolston Hall Estate. This estate existed on that site back in the Roman times, and was used by local families as a place to wash their clothes. Since the families used a stone at the edge of the river to mainly wash their woollens, the area adopted the name of Woolston.

While the neighbourhood is serviced by the tube at the convenient Chigwell station, the only option is the Central Line. Known for its notoriously old trains and loud overheated carriages, commuters throughout London despise this line. Still, residents are aware that an outer suburb is lucky to have any tube connection. When the trains get too hot during the summer months, many residents don’t mind driving instead.

While the pace of change is generally slow in this area, there is one significant new development currently underway. Chigwell Construction have recently seen plans for a 62-home scheme approved by the Epping Forest District council. Some residents have expressed disappointment as this will be the first major development to go ahead since Epping Forest was designated as a Special Area of Conservation. In other news Melin Chigwell, a restaurant and bar popular with stars from The Only Way Is Essex has recently been forced to close down after persistently breaking lockdown rules in 2021. The beloved local establishment was allowed to remain open during the appeal process, but recently received bad news from a magistrate after a local councillor referred to the Melin as a “Covid-19 factory.”