Lying just to the north of the M25 London Orbital, the suburban market town of Waltham Abbey is an often-overlooked gem amongst the suburban sprawl, rumbling motorways, and open fields of North East London. The neighbourhood is best known for its ancient town centre and Tuesday market, with the wonderful 12th century Abbey Church at its centre. Beyond this, it also has a number of convenient local amenities, not least David Beckham’s favourite pie and mash shop. Located just a short distance from the idyllic River Lea, and the magnificent Epping Forest, it’s not too hard to escape the metropolis to the south. The town has recently become popular with commuters as it’s only 30 minutes to Liverpool Street from Waltham Cross station.

With a name like Waltham Abbey, it’s not surprising that the area has been defined by great churches for much of its past. There are traces of a 7th-century wooden church, which was later surrounded by stone during the reign of Offa of Mercia in the 8th century. In the 11th century, the area became a site of pilgrimage, after a black flint crucifix was supposedly discovered buried in Glastonbury and carted to the church. King Harold II rebuilt the church around 1060, only for it to be destroyed following his defeat at the Battle of Hastings and rebuilt under the Normans. It was extended in the 12th century, making it longer than Winchester Cathedral, leading the church to be favoured by nobles who wished to hunt in the nearby forests. The abbey was the last to be dissolved in 1540 and passed through a number of hands, with ad hoc alterations taking place over the next few centuries. Extensive rebuilding took place in the late 19th century, resulting in what Nikolaus Pevsner described as “robust ugliness”, that was later more sensitively restored.

The town was once known for its gunpowder production, with a huge factory opening in the 17th century. The factory became government property in 1787 leading to the development of powerful explosives and guncotton there. The site was a clear target for German bombers during the Blitz, leading the building to be destroyed in March 1945 with a large loss of life.

Unfortunately, the M25 is responsible for the area’s noise and air pollution, and along with the planes to and from nearby Stansted, this can prove a serious nuisance to residents. Furthermore, flooding from the River Lea continues to be an issue.

Given the historical significance of the Waltham Abbey town centre, there are very few developments at the moment. However, a redevelopment of the nearby Waltham Cross town centre will have an impact on Waltham Abbey. The £1.2m plan to pedestrianise much of the area will potentially divert traffic through the centre of Waltham Abbey, making journeys to the local station safer and more straight forward. Futher still, as part of the emerging Waltham Abbey North Masterplan, Epping Forest council are planning to build 740 new homes, community facilities, a new centre, and pitches for travellers.