Chingford

Chingford
Chingford Mount
Chingford  Chingford shown within Greater London
OS grid reference	TQ395945
– Charing Cross	10 mi (16 km)  SW
London borough	Waltham Forest
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LONDON
Postcode district	E4
Dialling code	020
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
EU Parliament	London
UK Parliament	Chingford and Woodford Green
London Assembly	North East
List of places UK England London

Chingford is a suburban east London district, situated 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Charing Cross. Historically a rural Essex parish, it gained Urban district status in 1894, and between 1938 and 1965 formed the core of the Municipal Borough of Chingford. Chingford is now part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It borders Essex to the north, Enfield to the north-west, Woodford Green to the east, Walthamstow to the south and Edmonton to the west. To the west are the William Girling and King George V reservoirs, known together as the Chingford reservoirs, and the River Lea. To the north lies Epping Forest, which is in Essex but is maintained by the City of London Corporation.

Toponymy

The River Ching runs through the area, and the town of Chingford is close to a number of crossings of that river. However, old maps and descriptions give a name for the settlement long before the river has a name and it is likely that the name of the river as "Ching" arose long after the settlement was named. It is also thought that, similarly to how Kingston upon Thames appears in Domesday Book of 1086 as Chingestone and Chingetun(e), with ching being old English for king, that Chingford could refer to the King's river, and Kings Ford. This idea is compounded by links to royalty using the area for hunting in centuries gone by. However, the most generally accepted explanation by place name genealogists is that the settlement's name has its origin as "Shingly Ford"—that is, a ford over a waterway containing shingles.

Landmarks

Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge

One notable local landmark is Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge. Originally called the Great Standing, it was built for King Henry VIII in 1543, and was used as a grandstand to watch the hunting of deer, although it has been heavily altered over time. The building is located on Chingford Plain within Epping Forest and is open to the public.

Originally a barn built in the mid-19th century, Butler's Retreat, a Grade II listed building, is one of the few remaining Victorian retreats within the forest. The building is adjacent to the Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge and takes its name from the 1891 occupier John Butler. Retreats originally served non-alcoholic refreshments as part of the Temperance movement. After closing in 2009 the building was refurbished by the City of London Corporation and re-opened as a cafe in 2012.

All Saints Church, Old Church Road, E4

All Saints' Church in Chingford Mount (known locally as the Old Church) dates back to the 12th century. Directly opposite the church is Chingford Mount Cemetery, best known today as the burial place of the Kray family.

Friday Hill House

Friday Hill House, Simmons Lane, off Friday Hill, dating from 1839, was a manor house built and owned by Robert Boothby Heathcote, who was both the lord of the manor and rector of the local church. It was he who paid for the building of the church of St Peter and St Paul in Chingford. He is buried in the Boothby family vault in All Saints' Churchyard (Chingford Old Church), Old Church Road. The vault was purchased by Robert Boothby (died 1733), who lived in the previous manor house. The present building has been used as a further education centre, but was put up for sale in 2012.

Pimp Hall Dovecote is situated in a green area at the bottom of Friday Hill and can be viewed by entering the Pimp Hall Nature Reserve. The dovecote, which had nesting space for 250 birds, belonged to Pimp Hall (originally Pympe's Hall), one of three manor houses around Chingford. In 1838 the estate was taken over and became part of the Chingford Earls estate. The farmhouse associated with it survived until just before World War II. This dovecote is depicted in the Millenium Heritage Mosaic on the front of Chingford Assembly Hall. It is the fourth item down on the left-hand-side of the mosaic, also see the Key. There is a local legend telling how on one occasion Charles II was out hunting in Epping Forest and was caught in a snowstorm. He took shelter in Pimp Hall and was so delighted with the food offered him that he jocularly drew his sword and knighted the joint of beef declaring that it was now Sir Loin. Either this story caused the nearby pub on Friday Hill to be called "The Sirloin" or vice versa.

Pole Hill Obelisk

A granite obelisk at Pole Hill was erected in 1824 under the direction of the Astronomer Royal, the Rev. John Pond M.A., to mark true north for the telescopes of the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, south of the Thames. It was placed on high ground along the line of the Greenwich Meridian, but when this was recalibrated later in the 19th century, the obelisk was deemed to have been erected 19 feet (5.8 m) west of the revised meridian line. Today, an adjoining triangulation pillar marks the modern line.

Chingford Old Town Hall building, The Ridgeway

Chingford Old Town Hall, dating from 1929, is on The Ridgeway in Chingford. It has more recently been known as the Chingford Municipal Offices. The site has been sold to property developers and the town hall building subsequently put up for sale itself.

Governance

Chingford is within the Chingford and Woodford Green UK Parliament constituency, which consists of the six Chingford wards in the Borough of Waltham Forest and two wards in the Borough of Redbridge. Iain Duncan Smith has been the sitting MP since 1992.

Former MPs include Norman Tebbit, Leah Manning, Stan Newens, and Winston Churchill (when Chingford was in the Epping constituency).

Chingford is part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest, which also includes the east London districts of Walthamstow, Leyton, and Leytonstone. Chingford consists of six council wards, namely:

• Chingford Green
• Endlebury
• Valley
• Larkswood
• Hatch Lane
• Hale End and Highams Park

Each ward is represented by three councillors; at present all of the councillors in Chingford represent the Conservative Party. The London Borough of Waltham Forest is presently controlled by the Labour party.

Chingford falls within the North East constituency of the London Assembly, which is currently represented by Jennette Arnold of the Labour party.

When Chingford was a municipal borough, before 1965, its politics were dominated by the Chingford Ratepayers' Association, which was nominally independent, but against whom the Conservative Party did not field candidates.

Local sport teams

• Chingford's oldest football club is, Egbertian FC, formerly Old Egbertian FC, which was started by former pupils of St Egbert's College, Chingford. The club was formed in 1928 and is affiliated to the Amateur Football Alliance (AFA). The club plays in the Amateur Football Combination.

• Ridgeway Rovers Youth Football Club is a local club in Chingford East London. Notable former players include David Beckham, Andros Townsend, and Harry Kane.

• Chingford Athletic Football Club was formed as recently as the summer of 2007 and this season will have 3 teams, 2 playing Saturdays in the recently formed Essex Alliance league and one Sunday team in the Essex Corinthian league. The club are unable to get a ground in Chingford so currently play their games at Leyton Sixth Form College, Essex Road. After being promoted in the 2013/14 season and winning the league cup the club went one better in the 2014/15 season winning the Premier Division and the league cup. The 2015/16 season sees the Reserves being reformed due to demand plus the addition of a Sunday side.

• Chingford Rugby Club was also founded in 1928, and its ground is at Waltham Way, Chingford.

• Chingford Cricket Club is located on Forest Side, but the entrance to the ground is on Kimberley Way. It is believed to have been founded in 1884, as this is currently the earliest record of a Chingford cricket team playing in a match. The club plays in The Shepherd Neame Essex League and the 1st team were promoted to the Premier League for the 2013 season.

King Georges Reservoir home to the Sailing Club

• King George Sailing Club was founded in the 1970s to provide dinghy sailing and windsurfing on the largest and best sailing water in the north and east of London. The club enjoys facilities both on and off the water and has an active membership engaged in racing, learning to sail, casual sailing, and windsurfing. In recognition of its good facilities and encouragement of youth sailing, the Royal Yachting Association has awarded the club Volvo Champion Club status.

Local districts

• Highams Park
• Friday Hill
• Hale End
• Chingford Hatch
• Chingford Mount

Nearest places

• Woodford, London
• Walthamstow
• Edmonton, London
• Leyton
• Tottenham, London
• Buckhurst Hill
• Sewardstone

Transport

Chingford Station

Chingford is served by Chingford railway station which is the terminus of a branch line from Liverpool Street station in the City of London. There is also a station at Highams Park. Chingford lost its rail link to Stratford with the removal of the 500m length of track known as the Hall Farm Curve in 1970, and there have been campaigns for its re-instatement.

The town is served by many bus routes, linking it to Walthamstow, Loughton, Leyton, Woodford, Waltham Abbey and Harlow. The town is also served by the N26 night bus from Trafalgar Square. The North Circular Road skirts the southern part of the town, and gives motorists good access to the north and east of London. The London LOOP walk passes through Chingford on its way from Enfield Lock to Chigwell, passing close to Sewardstone and Gilwell Park on the edge of Epping Forest.

Nearby London Overground stations

Stations operated by London Overground nearest to Chingford include:

• Chingford railway station
• Blackhorse Road station
• Highams Park railway station
• Walthamstow Central station
• Walthamstow Queens Road railway station

Nearby rail stations

• Tottenham Hale railway station, served by Abellio Greater Anglia West Anglia services.
• Angel Road railway station, also served by Abellio Greater Anglia West Anglia services.

Nearby tube stations

The London Underground stations nearest to Chingford include:

• Blackhorse Road
• Buckhurst Hill
• South Woodford
• Loughton
• Walthamstow Central
• Tottenham Hale

Education

Further information: List of schools in Waltham Forest

Chingford secondary schools include:

• Chingford Foundation School
• Heathcote School
• Normanhurst School
• Rush Croft Foundation School

Notable people

• Dame Louisa Aldrich-Blake, noted surgeon and pioneer in medical education for women, was born in Chingford
• Edward ('Eddie') Brett, from boy band the Loveable Rogues, who rose to fame on Britain's Got Talent and were later signed to Syco Music, grew up and still currently lives in Chingford.
• The Kray twins are buried in Chingford Mount cemetery.
• The author and games designer Joe Dever was born in Chingford in 1956.
• The footballer David Beckham OBE and his brother fellow footballer Harry Beckham both grew up in Chingford, David having been born at Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone on 2 May 1975. Harry was born at the same hospital in Leytonstone on the same date on 2 May 1987. They were educated at the Chingford Foundation School and also Chase Lane Primary School and played football for Ridgeway Rovers F.C., a local side.
• Apple Senior Vice President of Design Jonathan Ive KBE was raised in Chingford.
• Chingford is home to former England, Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester United player Teddy Sheringham.
• Chingford is home to singer and ex-glamour model Samantha Fox.
• Some members of the group Blazin' Squad live in Chingford. The group grew up in Chingford and attended Highams Park School.
• Leslie Phillips, comedy star of the Carry On Films, lived in Chingford.
• Alan Davies, stand-up comedian and regular guest on quiz show QI, grew up in Chingford.
• Russell Lissack from Bloc Party grew up in Chingford.
• Winston Churchill was MP for Epping, a defunct constituency that included Chingford, from October 1924 to July 1945.
• Charles Alcock, founding father of The Football Association and creator of the FA Cup, moved to Chingford with his family when he was young.
• Heavy metal band Iron Maiden's former lead singer Paul Di'Anno was born and raised in Chingford.
• John Lloyd (graphic designer), co-founder of the international design consultancy, Lloyd Northover, grew up in Chingford and lived there from 1948 to 1970.
• Giles Watling, actor, was born in Chingford.
• Durrty Goodz, a well-known grime artist, is from Chingford.
• Neil Hubbard, rock guitarist.
• Michael Nyman, composer of minimalist music, notably film scores, grew up in Chingford.
• Steve Hillage, guitarist, is from Chingford.
• John Sitton, former Chelsea footballer and Leyton Orient manager, lives in Chingford.
• Andros Townsend, Tottenham Hotspur and England midfielder, is from Chingford and attended Rush Croft Sports College.
• Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur and England U21 striker is from Chingford and attended Chingford Foundation School.
• Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji, composer and pianist, was born in Chingford.
• Dwight Gayle, current Crystal Palace striker, is from Chingford.
• Jason Hadjioannou, technology developer and entrepreneur, is from Chingford.
• Peter Greenaway, film director, grew up in Chingford.

External links

• Chingford Athletic FC
• London's Railways
• Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge
• The Chingford War Memorial Project
• Chingford rugby club
• Archival material relating to Chingford listed at the UK National Register of Archives
• Images of Chingford at the English Heritage Archive
• Chingford Parish (St Peter & St Paul Church; Chingford Old Church)
• St Edmund's Parish Church, Chingford
• St Anne's Parish Church, Chingford