1. Start of the route

Just outside Chingford station is a mosaic roundel, a striking community-made art piece. It was created by a local artist with the help of local households and care homes. The roundel blends traditional London Underground signage with intricate, hand-placed ceramic tiles depicting local symbols – look very closely to see what they’ve done. Chingford station itself is interesting – the building is relatively unchanged since it was built in 1878, and still carries the grandeur of the Victorian railway of the late 19th century. The arrival of the railway boosted fresh interest in nearby Epping forest as a destination. In 1882 Queen Victoria came by train to Chingford and declared the forest open to the public forever. 

Round the corner from the station is the church of St Peter and St Paul, a rather grand-looking building built in 1844. Designed in Gothic style, its dominant spire and striking yellow brick & black flint make it something of a landmark here. By the mid 1840s, Chingford was changing from a pleasant rural village to a major London suburb. This was accelerated by the advent of the railway in 1873. At the turn of the century, it was apparent that a bigger church was required, so plans were drawn up for an extended chancel and nave aisles, which were completed in 1903 and dedicated by the Bishop of St. Albans on 13th June of that year.

Opposite the church is the former Bull and Crown pub, now a Turkish restaurant. It’s a Grade II listed building and was originally built in 1706, rebuilt in 1898. It was a community hub and village meeting place known as the “Old Town Hall”. It served as the centre of Chingford village life, functioning as an inn, meeting room, and the local parcel drop-off. In 1898 it was decided to rebuild the pub, but the locals insisted that the old Bull should not be demolished until the new building was completed behind it. The new building was built in a French chateau-style and was considered to be very flamboyant for the time. It was designed thus to attract the growing number of visitors who came by train to visit the forest (Epping) – the only problem was that the building was too far from the station at the other end of Station road!

Walk up the road and you’ll come to the Chingford war memorial, commissioned to commemorate the 242 local men that fell in WWI. It was unveiled in a ceremony in September 1921 by Lord Lambourne. Following WWII a further inscription was added devoted to the casualties that war, and a modern plaque has been added to commemorate those victims of conflict up to the present day.

Opposite the war memorial is The Kings Head pub, dating back to 1782. With its iconic bay-frontage, the pub once served as a Manor Court and Vestry meeting house. 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. Fun fact: the Welsh composer, Ivor Novello, who wrote ‘Keep the home fires burning’ was stationed at Chingford Aerodrome during WWI and reputedly played the piano at the King’s Head for the benefit of the airmen.

2. Balgonie Road bus stop

Walk round to the unfortunately-named Pimp Hall Nature Reserve. The Hall dates back to Tudor times and had been built as a prominent manor and working farm. It was originally known as Pympe’s Hall, being named after the Pympe family, who acquired the land via the daughter of Sir John Gower, Groom of the Stole to King Henry VII. The Tudor manor was rebuilt in 1572 and was visited by King Henry VIII while he was hunting in the nearby forests. The farmhouse became derelict and was later bought by Chingford Urban DC in 1934. The original hall was demolished in the late 1930s and the only structure that has survived is the rare timber-framed dovecote, which featured nesting space for over 250 birds. The area surrounding the dovecote has been transformed into a nature reserve, with such features as wildflower meadows, wildlife orchards, ponds and walking paths.

3. Newlands Road bus stop

The bus drops you right by Whitehall Plain, a broad expanse of open grassland within Epping Forest. Unlike much of the Forest’s dense woodland, the plain has remained open for centuries and cattle still graze on the plain in the summer months (though sadly not on the day of my visit). Its peaceful setting makes it hard to imagine that this was once at the heart of the Victorian battle to save Epping Forest from enclosure. In the 1870s, the City of London led the successful legal battle to stop the enclosure of Epping Forest, securing its future as a public open space.

On the edge of Whitehall Plain is an area of Epping Forest known as The Birkbeck, which had been traditionally managed as grassland and cut for hay. You have to look for it but among the trees stands a weathered, deliberately shaped stone post, possibly an old boundary or estate marker. It is identified on some online maps as the “Birkbeck Stone 1872”, although no inscription is now visible and the origin of either the name or date remains uncertain.

4. St Albans Road bus stop

Situated on the fringes of Epping Forest is Oak Hill Pond, a serene, small body of water providing a quiet spot for local wildlife and birdwatching, along the nearby forest paths. Sadly, having had a very dry period for a few weeks, the pond has completely dried up (as at mid July 2026), so the information board about Fishing rules, seems somewhat redundant at the moment. But walk further into the wood and you’ll come across a large glacial boulder, known locally as the Gipsy Stone. It seems somewhat incongruous to find this in the middle of the forest but it becomes more relevant when you read its inscription. It’s dedicated to Gipsy Rodney Smith MBE who preached the gospel to thousands on five continents for 70 years. He was born in a tent near this spot on 31 March 1860 and died in America on 4 August 1947. As well as an inscription, the stone has a carving of a vardo – a traditional horse-drawn wagon used by British Romany Travellers as their home.

5. George Lane Shopping Centre bus stop

The lane gets its name from the George pub that sits squarely on the corner of the street and the main Woodford High Road. The pub itself predates 1700. Early licensing records and historical research by local historians suggest it was originally named after Saint George, though it was mistakenly associated with King George I on signage for many years. It was originally called The Horns Inn as early as 1657. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, it was used as a coaching inn where stagecoaches would change horses and take on passengers travelling to and from London.

Round the corner is the Odeon, a lovely art deco cinema that was officially opened on November 5, 1934, by local MP Winston Churchill. Originally named The Majestic, it initially seated 1,724 people and featured a ballroom, a restaurant, and a theatre organ. In 1972, the main auditorium was split into three screens, and the ballroom was repurposed to create space for additional screens. It remains one of the few surviving Art Deco cinemas in outer London.

One more feature to be seen at this bus stop is the South Woodford viaduct. It’s not an architectural beauty but its significance lies in its history as a 1940s solution to replace a former level crossing. It has permanently divided the high street and has created a highly distinctive local landmark.

6. Longwood Gardens bus stop

Last stop is to see Clayhall Park, with its sunken garden and pleasant open space for ambling and reflection. Near the entrance is an intriguing plaque explaining that many of Clayhall Park’s named trees were planted by the Ilford Group of The Men of the Trees to commemorate the 1937 coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. The Men of the Trees was a group who promoted tree planting as a symbol of peace and stewardship of the natural world. Their chosen biblical quotation, “The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:2), perfectly reflects that vision. I have to admit that I couldn’t find any of the named trees but I did find the sunken garden which was a delight in itself. The tranquil garden is made up of four pergolas radiating from a circular centre in a cross-shaped layout. It forms an attractive focal point within the otherwise open park.

Finally here, at the entrance to the park is the Lodge, on the grounds of the former lodge of Clayhall Manor – the manor was originally built in the very early 13th century and these days the lodge looks to be a private residential home.

So ends another very pleasant bus route. It wasn’t one of the more fascinating routes but there were definite elements to delight, not least the dovecote at Pimp Hall Nature Reserve. There were a lot of outdoor spaces seen on the journey but they each had their own unique features so it didn’t feel as if any were just “not another park or garden”! As always, it’s great to talk to locals, whether they are volunteers – as Claire in Pimp Hall Nature Reserve – or pub locals, such as Jason in The George. It’s amazing what local knowledge can be found by starting a conversation with these strangers.

Toilets that are open to the public and free of charge:

• Chingford station
• The George pub