Waltham Abbey
Waltham Abbey | ||
---|---|---|
Clockwise from top: Shire county | ||
Region | ||
Country | England | |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom | |
Post town | WALTHAM ABBEY | |
Postcode district | EN9 | |
Post town | LONDON | |
Postcode district | E4 | |
Post town | LOUGHTON | |
Postcode district | IG10 | |
Dialling code | 01992 020 | |
UK Parliament | ||
Waltham Abbey is a town and
The town borders Chingford to the south; Loughton, Theydon Bois and Buckhurst Hill to the east; Cheshunt, Waltham Cross and Enfield to the west; and the rural areas of Nazeing and Epping Upland to the north. As well as the main built-up area, the parish covers the areas of Claverhambury, Fishers Green, High Beach, Holyfield, Lippitts Hill, Sewardstone, Sewardstonebury and Upshire. As of the 2021 census, the civil parish of Waltham Abbey had a population of 22,859.
The town is named and renowned for its former
Historically an
Toponymy
The name Waltham derives from weald or wald "forest" and ham "homestead" or "enclosure". The name of the
History
Early history
There are traces of prehistoric and Roman settlement in the town. Ermine Street lies only 5 km west and the causeway across the River Lea from Waltham Cross in Hertfordshire may be a Roman construction. A local legend claims that Boudica's rebellion against the Romans ended in the neighbourhood, when she poisoned herself with hemlock gathered on the banks of Cobbins Brook.
There has been a church on the site of Waltham Abbey since the 7th century.
Abbey as main landowner
The recorded history of the town began during the reign of
Legend has it that after his death at the
In the medieval and early Tudor periods, there were two guilds in the parish, each with an endowment for a priest: the Brotherhood of Our Lady, and the Charnel Guild, whose priest was also the parish curate. The former, which existed from at least 1375, occupied the Lady Chapel in the parochial part of the church. The Charnel Guild, which occurs as 'the Sepulchre' in 1366, probably used its crypt.[14]
Henry VIII was a frequent visitor and is said to have had a house or lodge at Romeland, adjacent to the abbey.[16] During their summer progress of 1532, Henry and Queen Anne Boleyn stayed at Waltham Abbey for five days.[17]
The town's dependence on the Abbey is signalled by its decline after the Abbey was dissolved and partially demolished in 1540, the last working abbey or monastery to be dissolved. Waltham Abbey vicarage is a 17th-century
Post-Reformation
In the 17th century there were four churchwardens (who fulfilled some roles of local government, collected and distributing poor relief): one each for the town, Holyfield, Upshire, and Sewardstone. Joseph Hall, curate from 1608, was later Bishop successively of Exeter and Norwich. A complete diocesan list of curates was printed to 1888 and Thomas Fuller, author of The Worthies of England and of the first History of Waltham Abbey, was curate 1649–58.[14]
In the 17th century, a gunpowder factory was opened in the town, no doubt due to good river communications and empty marshland by the River Lea and this now forms the museum below.[19]
Post-Industrial Revolution
The factory was sold to the government in 1787 and was greatly expanded during the next century, becoming the
In the first half of the 20th century, the area was extensively covered in
Governance
There are three tiers of local government covering Waltham Abbey, at parish (town), district and county level: Waltham Abbey Town Council,
Waltham Abbey has formed part of the Epping Forest parliamentary constituency since 1974, represented by Dame Eleanor Laing MP of the Conservative Party since 1997. Prior to 1974, the town formed part of the Epping constituency, served by Sir Winston Churchill as its Member of Parliament between 1924 and 1945.[21]
Administrative history
The
The whole parish was made a
Following the Local Government Act 1929, in 1932 it was proposed that it should be merged with
As it formed part of the Registrar General's definition of the Greater London Conurbation, the urban district formed part of the review area for the Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London. However, it did not subsequently become part of the Greater London administrative area created in 1965, because it was surrounded by the Metropolitan Green Belt and had limited connection to the London built-up area.[30]
The urban district was abolished in 1974 to become part of the new Epping Forest District.[31] A successor parish was created covering the former Waltham Holy Cross Urban District, but with the new parish being named Waltham Abbey rather than Waltham Holy Cross.[10] The new parish council created in 1974 resolved that the parish should have the status of a town under the Local Government Act 1972, allowing it to take the name Waltham Abbey Town Council.[32][20]
Geography
The River Lea, which forms the county boundary with
The north-west of the parish contains part of the
The main settlement in the parish is the town of Waltham Abbey, and the other smaller settlements are the hamlets of Claverhambury, Fishers Green, Holyfield, High Beach, Sewardstone and Upshire.
Claverhambury consists of approximately 15 homes and farms by two woods, Deerpark Wood and Stockings Grove, to the north-east of the town centre. Its bounds are the eastern slopes of Galley Hill. The western side of this hilltop is wooded. It is directly south of Epping Long Green, a tall ridge topped by the Stort Valley Way footpath between the towns of Epping and Harlow.[34][33]
Fishers Green is a locality 1 mile (1.6 km) north of the town of Waltham Abbey on the
Holyfield consists of approximately 11 homes and farms and is mostly on the western slopes of Monkham's Hill, near the top of which is situated Monkham's Hall.[35] Seven buildings in the hamlet are architecturally listed.[36] In the west are plant nurseries above lakes of the River Lea, and an arboretum and tree nursery separate the hamlet from the town to the south. It is located at grid reference grid reference TL385035.
Following a
The Enfield Island Village area was transferred from Waltham Abbey to the London Borough of Enfield in 1994.[38]
Watercourses
Over the centuries many channels have been dug to divide the River Lea and drain the westernmost land. These channels flow southward across Cheshunt Marsh and part of Waltham Abbey parish;[39][40]
- Cornmill Stream
- Old River Lea
- Millhead Stream
- River Lee Flood Relief Channel, the southern distributaryof the Old River Lea and Horsemill Stream
- River Lee Navigation
- Small River Lea[33]
Tributaries of the Lea River System
- Cobbins Brook flows through the town from the east and northeast.
Demography
As of the 2021 census, the population of the built-up area of Waltham Abbey was 18,645, an increase from 17,746 in 2011.[41] The population of the wider civil parish was 22,859, an increase from 21,149 in 2011.[42] 82% of the population of the parish live in the built-up area of Waltham Abbey.
As of the 2021 census, the population of the civil parish was 22,859, an increase from 21,149 in 2011. The majority of the population (82%) resides in the main built-up area, which had a 2021 population of 18,647. The 2021 census showed that 74.6% of the civil parish population identified as White British. 63.8% of the civil parish population was Christian at the 2011 census, with 25.3% declaring themselves irreligious. Minority religious groups include the Muslim and Jewish populations, forming 1.7 and 1.1 percent of the population respectively.[43]
Waltham Abbey civil parish | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ethnic Group | 1991[44] | 2001[45] | 2011[46] | 2021 | ||||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
White: Total | 18,028 | 98.1% | 19,536 | 95.8% | 19,316 | 91.3% | 19,009 | 83.2% |
White: English/Welsh/Scottish/Northern Irish/British | – | – | 18,742 | 91.9% | 18,115 | 85.7% | 17,060 | 74.6% |
White: Irish | – | – | 266 | 1.3% | 247 | 1.2% | 276 | 1.2% |
White: Gypsy or Irish Traveller
|
– | – | – | – | 36 | 0.2% | 21 | 0.1% |
White: Romani | – | – | – | – | – | – | 34 | 0.1% |
White: Other | – | – | 528 | 2.6% | 918 | 4.3% | 1,618 | 7.1% |
Asian : Total
|
109 | 0.6% | 249 | 1.2% | 448 | 2.1% | 810 | 3.5% |
Asian or Asian British: Indian | 64 | 0.3% | 159 | 0.8% | 174 | 0.8% | 315 | 1.4% |
Asian or Asian British: Pakistani | 6 | 0% | 19 | 0.1% | 70 | 0.3% | 170 | 0.7% |
Asian or Asian British: Bangladeshi | 1 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 23 | 0.1% | 46 | 0.2% |
Asian or Asian British: Chinese | 18 | 0.1% | 46 | 0.2% | 68 | 0.3% | 56 | 0.2% |
Asian or Asian British: Other Asian | 20 | 0.1% | 25 | 0.1% | 113 | 0.5% | 223 | 1% |
Black: Total | 156 | 0.8% | 328 | 1.6% | 732 | 3.5% | 1,327 | 5.8% |
Black or Black British: African | 9 | 0% | 87 | 0.4% | 295 | 1.4% | 605 | 2.6% |
Black or Black British: Caribbean | 93 | 0.5% | 213 | 1% | 363 | 1.7% | 522 | 2.3% |
Black or Black British: Other Black | 54 | 0.3% | 28 | 0.1% | 74 | 0.3% | 200 | 0.9% |
Mixed: Total | – | – | 236 | 1.2% | 528 | 2.5% | 1,008 | 4.4% |
Mixed: White and Black Caribbean | – | – | 113 | 0.6% | 237 | 1.1% | 384 | 1.7% |
Mixed: White and Black African | – | – | 25 | 0.1% | 46 | 0.2% | 138 | 0.6% |
Mixed: White and Asian | – | – | 57 | 0.3% | 129 | 0.6% | 165 | 0.7% |
Mixed: Other Mixed | – | – | 41 | 0.2% | 116 | 0.5% | 321 | 1.4% |
Other: Total | 83 | 0.5% | 39 | 0.2% | 125 | 0.6% | 705 | 3.1% |
Other: Arab | – | – | – | – | 23 | 0.1% | 63 | 0.3% |
Other: Any other ethnic group | 83 | 0.5% | 39 | 0.2% | 102 | 0.5% | 642 | 2.8% |
Total | 18,376 | 100% | 20,388 | 100% | 21,149 | 100% | 22,859 | 100% |
Landmarks
Abbey Church
The medieval Waltham Abbey Church was kept as it was close to a town and is still used as a parish church. In addition there are other remains of the former abbey – the Grade II*listed Midnight Chapel,[47] the gatehouse, a vaulted passage and Harold's Bridge – all in the care of English Heritage. [48] These grounds are notable for the reputed grave of Harold II or "Harold Godwinson", the last Anglo-Saxon King of England.
Local museum
Housed in a building dating back to 1520 is the Epping Forest District Museum, which tells the story of the people who have lived and worked in this part of south Essex from the earliest times to the present.[49]
Royal Gunpowder Mills
On the site of a former gunpowder factory another museum illustrates the evolution of explosives and the development of the Royal Gunpowder Mills (an Anchor Point of ERIH, The European Route of Industrial Heritage) through interactive and traditional exhibitions and displays. The site hosts living history and battle re-enactment events most summer weekends and also offers a self-guided nature walk that shows visitors the ecology that has reclaimed much of the remaining 175 acres (0.71 km2).
Architecturally notable buildings
- The Welsh Harp in the Market Square is a half-timbered inn, mostly dating from the 15th century. The Lychgate passage beside the inn leads to the churchyard.[50]
- A former inn, at the corner of Sun Street and the Market Square, is now a barbers. A carved wooden bracket in the form of a hermaphrodite holding a jug supports the projecting upper storey.
- Waltham Abbey Town Hall in Highbridge Street, dating from 1904, is a fine and rare example of an Art Nouveau public building.
- Two notable 18th-century buildings are Essex House in Sewardstone Street and St. Kilda's in Highbridge Street.
- At Upshire is a group of cottages known as the Blue Row. They are weatherboarded and with bark still visible on the roof.[51]
Regional park
The former gravel pits in the Lea Valley and parts of the former Abbey Gardens are now in the care of the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority for recreational use and nature conservation.
Tourism Centre
The Epping Forest Conservation Centre in High Beach provides information, maps, books, cards, displays and advice for visitors to the area.
Transport
There are no railway lines or stations in Waltham Abbey itself, although there are several located nearby. Waltham Cross railway station opened in 1840. It is less than a mile from the centre of Waltham Abbey but lies over the border in Hertfordshire. That station was called "Waltham" from 1840 to 1882 when it was renamed "Waltham Cross". It was renamed again in 1894 to "Waltham Cross and Abbey", but reverted to "Waltham Cross" in 1969.
Other nearby stations include Chingford and Cheshunt. The nearest London Underground station is Loughton, on the Central line.
Several bus routes are operated in Waltham Abbey, some of which were originally operated by London Transport.
The last remaining
Former
to Upshire, nightly).The M25 motorway runs through the town, with Junction 26 at Waltham Abbey.
Religion
The
Sport
Waltham Abbey has one senior non-League football club, Waltham Abbey F.C. which plays at Capershotts.
Waltham Abbey is also home to the Essex Arrows Baseball Club, founded by local resident, Louis Courtney in 1981 and later affiliated to the British Baseball Federation in 1984 by Phil Chesterton.[citation needed]
Notable residents
- Harriadnie Beau (born 1993), fashion model and brand ambassador
- Lady Victoria Buxton (1839–1916), philanthropist
- Archibald Corble (1883–1944), fencer
- conspirator, born in Waltham Abbey
- Lawrence of Durham (c.1110–1154), poet and prior, was born at Waltham[54]
- John Foxe (1516/17–1587), author of Foxe's Book of Martyrs, lived in a street now called Foxes Parade. The book was hung in chains on a pillar in Waltham Abbey Church
- Sir George Gardiner (1935–2002), Conservative and Referendum Party Member of Parliament for Reigate
- Terry Lawrence (1910–1989), cricketer
- Thomas Leverton (c.1743–1824), architect
- Albert Monk (1900–1975), Australian trade unionist, born in Waltham Abbey
- Connor Ogilvie (born 1996), footballer, was born in Waltham Abbey, currently playing for Portsmouth in League One, England's 3rd tier of football
- Fiona Pennie (born 1982), Olympic slalom canoeist, lives in Waltham Abbey
- Anglican divine
- Roy Shaw (1936–2012), author, businessman and former East End gangster, lived in the area
- W. E. Shewell-Cooper (1900–1982), organic gardener and pioneer of no-dig gardening, was born in Waltham Abbey
- Kate Silverton (born 1970), journalist and BBC News presenter, was born and raised in Waltham Abbey[55]
- Tony West (born 1972), darts player
Coat of arms
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Notes and references
Notes
References
- ^ "Waltham Abbey parish". City Population. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
- ^ "Towns and cities, characteristics of built-up areas, England and Wales: Census 2021". Census 2021. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
- ^ "Waltham Abbey Gardens | Lee Valley Regional Park". Visit Lee Valley. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
- ^ "Gilwell Park 1919 – 2019 – heritage.scouts.org.uk". Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
- ^ "Waltham Abbey Royal Gunpowder Factory, Waltham Abbey - 1016618 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
- ^ "The Royal Gunpowder Mills - Waltham Abbey". Waltham Abbey. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
- ISBN 0-901050-67-9.
- ^ a b W.R. Powell, ed. (1966). "Waltham Holy Cross: Introduction and manors". A History of the County of Essex: Volume 5. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
- ^ Page, William (1912). A History of the County of Hertford: Volume 3. London: Victoria County History. pp. 441–458. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
- ^ a b "The Local Authorities etc. (Miscellaneous Provision) (No. 2) Order 1974", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1974/595, retrieved 30 September 2023
- ^ BBC. "King's links to Waltham Abbey". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
- ^ Huggins (p. 12)
- ^ Huggins (p. 17)
- ^ a b c d e f g h W.R. Powell, ed. (1966). "Waltham Holy Cross: Churches, schools and charities". A History of the County of Essex: Volume 5. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
- ^ White's Directory of Essex, 1848
- ISBN 978-1247495620.
- ISBN 978-0060005504.
- ^ Waltham Abbey Vicarage Grade II*listing Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1124127)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
- Scheduled Ancient Monument, see listing Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1016618)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
- ^ a b "Contact us". Waltham Abbey Town Council. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
- ^ pixelstorm (14 October 2008). "Churchill's Elections". International Churchill Society. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
- ^ a b 'Waltham Holy Cross: Economic history and local government', in A History of the County of Essex: Volume 5, ed. W R Powell (London, 1966), pp. 162-170. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/essex/vol5/pp162-170 [accessed 29 June 2023].
- ^ "No. 21078". The London Gazette. 19 March 1850. p. 839.
- ^ "Waltham Abbey Character Appraisal" (PDF). Epping Forest District Council. p. 29. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
- ^ "Local Government Act, 1929". Herts and Essex Observer. 2 July 1932.
- ^ "Local Government Act, 1929". Chelmsford Chronicle. 1 July 1932.
- ^ "Sign of the Times". Chelmsford Chronicle. 31 July 1931.
- ^ "The County Review". Chelmsford Chronicle. 11 November 1932.
- ^ "Review of Districts". Chelmsford Chronicle. 1 September 1933.
- ^ Sharpe, LJ (1961). The Report of The Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London.
- ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 27 September 2023
- ^ "Local Government Act 1972: Section 245", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70 (s. 245), retrieved 30 September 2023
- ^ Ordnance surveywebsite
- ^ Stort Valley Way Retrieved 1 December 2012
- ^ Winters, William. "The history of the ancient parish of Waltham Abbey, or Holy Cross". Retrieved 3 June 2013.
- ^ Map Archived 24 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine created by Ordnance Survey, courtesy of English Heritage
- ^ Great Britain Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, Waltham Holy Cross UD. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
- ^ "The Essex and Greater London (County and London Borough Boundaries) Order 1993".
- ^ British History Retrieved 17 November 2008
- ^ Historic town accessment Retrieved 17 November 2008
- ^ "Waltham Abbey". City Population. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
- ^ "QS201EW - Ethnic group". nomis. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
- ^ "Data Viewer - Nomis - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics". www.nomisweb.co.uk. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
- ^ "Custom report - Nomis - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics". www.nomisweb.co.uk. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
- ^ "Custom report - Nomis - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics". www.nomisweb.co.uk. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
- ^ "Data Viewer - Nomis - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics". www.nomisweb.co.uk. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
- ^ Grade II*listed Midnight ChapelHistoric England. "Details from listed building database (1337453)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
- Scheduled Ancient Monument, see article on its surviving church and its listing Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1002181)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
- ^ Epping Forest Museum Retrieved 9 August 2011
- ^ The Welsh Harp Retrieved 9 August 2011
- ^ The Blue Row Retrieved 9 August 2011
- ^ A church near you Retrieved 2 January 2018
- ^ Roman Catholic Church of St Thomas More and St Edward – Grade II listing Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1306376)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
- ^ A. G. Rigg, "Durham, Lawrence of (c.1110–1154)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford, UK: OUP, 2004) Retrieved 16 March 2016. Pay-walled.
- ^ Kate Silverton info Retrieved 17 January 2010
- ^ "The Local Authorities (Armorial Bearings) Order 1974", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1974/869
- ^ "Civic Heraldry of England". Robert Young. Retrieved 13 March 2019.