Walthamstow: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|Town in East London, England}}

north-east of [[Central London]].{{efn|Measured as tradition from [[Charing Cross]]}} The town borders [[Chingford]] to the north, [[Snaresbrook]] and [[South Woodford]] to the east, [[Leyton]] and [[Leytonstone]] to the south, and [[Tottenham]] to the west. At the 2011 census, the town had a population of approximately 109,424.

[[Municipal Borough of Walthamstow|Walthamstow]] was a [[civil parish]], originally part of the [[Becontree Hundred]] of Essex. TheAs part of the suburban growth of London, the town expanded rapidly in the 19th century, becoming apart [[suburb]] inof the [[Greater London Built-up Area|urban area]] of [[London]]the city. It has formed part of the [[Metropolitan Police District]] since 1840, and the [[London postal district]] since its inception in 1856. The parish became a [[Local board of health|local board district]] in 1873, an [[Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland)|urban district]] in 1894 and a [[municipal borough]] in 1929. Following [[London Government Act 1963|reform of local government in London in 1965]], it merged with the municipal boroughs of [[Municipal Borough of Chingford|Chingford]] and [[Municipal Borough of Leyton|Leyton]] to form the new Waltham Forest local authority district, becoming part of [[Greater London]]. The [[Waltham Forest London Borough Council|borough council]] is based at the former [[Waltham Forest Town Hall|Walthamstow Town Hall]] inon Forest Road.

Walthamstow is recorded c. {{circa|1075}} as ''Wilcumestowe'' ("the Place of Welcome") and in the [[Domesday Book]] of 1086 as ''Wilcumestou''.<ref>Mills, A., ''Oxford Dictionary of London Place Names'', [[Oxford University Press]], {{ISBN|978-0-19-956678-5}}, (2001)</ref>

The Domesday Book describes '''Wilcumestou''' as a manor owned by the Anglo-Saxon nobleman [[Waltheof, Earl of Northumbria|Earl Waltheof of Huntingdon and Northumbria]] before the Norman conquest of 1066. After the execution of Earl Waltheof, the property of the land passed to his wife, [[Judith of Lens|Countess Judith, also known as Judith of Lens]], a niece of William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book records 36 [[Serfdom#Villeins|villeins]], 25 [[Serfdom#Bordars and cottagers|bordars]] and 4 [[Serfdom#Slaves|slaves]] living in the manor in 1086. Alice, daughter of Earl Waltheof and Countess Judith, inherited Walthamstow. She married the Norman nobleman [[Raoul IV de Conches|Ralph de Tosny or Toeni (also known as Raoul IV de Conches)]] in 1103. When her husband died, c.{{hspcirca|1126}}, Alice gave the church of Walthamstow to the [[Holy Trinity Priory, Aldgate|Priors of the Holy Trinity]] based in Aldgate, London.

From 1894 the [[Municipal Borough of Walthamstow]] was an [[Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland)|urban district]] and from 1929 a [[municipal borough]] in [[Essex]]. In 1931 the population of the borough, covering an area of {{convert|4342|acre|ha|abbr=off}}, peaked at 132,972.<ref name=vision>{{cite web|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/722|title=History of Walthamstow, Essex|publisher=University of Portsmouth|access-date=2013-06-21}}</ref> In 1965 the borough was abolished and its former area merged with that of the [[Municipal Borough of Chingford]] and the [[Municipal Borough of Leyton]] to form the [[London Borough of Waltham Forest]] in [[Greater London]].<ref name=vision/> Other places in east London formerly of the county of Essex, such as [[Ilford]] and [[Romford]] were placed into London Boroughs along with Walthamstow. None of the postal district names or codes was changed at this time (e.g. [[Ilford]] remained Ilford, Essex, [[IG postcode area|IG1-IG6]] and Walthamstow remained {{nowrap|[[London E17]]).}}

The High Street is dominated by [[Walthamstow Market]], which began in 1885, and occupies all but the last 100 yards of the street. It is reputed to be a mile long{{citation needed|date=January 2015}}, but in fact measures approximately ⅔ of a mile. It is the longest street market in Europe. The market is open five days a week (not Sunday or Monday), and there is a Sunday [[farmers' market]]. The street is lined with shops: a selection of high street chains, but also many independent small shops specialising in food, fabrics, and household goods, as well as cafés. There are two patches of more recent development: Sainsbury's supermarket and the covered shopping centre [[17&Central]] (originally Selborne Walk, then The Mall Walthamstow), coveredbadly shoppingdamaged centreby a fire in 2019 and fully restored)<ref>{{cite web |title=17 & Central |url=https://www.17andcentral.co.uk/ |website=17 & Central |publisher=17 & Central |access-date=9 March 2024}}</ref> both of which have large multi-storey car parks.

The historic central library on the High Street was one of many built with money donated by the Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist [[Andrew Carnegie]], whose portrait bust can be seen on the exterior of the building. The library was damaged by a fire in 1982<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/4486372.walthamstow-library-celebrates-100-years/|title=WALTHAMSTOW: Library celebrates 100 years|website=East London and West Essex Guardian Series}}</ref> but modernised and expanded in 2006–07. At the same time, a large plot at the corner of High Street and Hoe Street was set for substantial redevelopment as a retail space. This site was previously the location of the town's central [[post office]] and a shopping arcade built in the 1960s. Plans for the redevelopment of this site initially fell through in 2005, but work on a new cinema, flats and restaurants started in April 2013 and was completed in December 2014.<ref name=arcade-site>{{cite web|title=Walthamstow arcade site|url=http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/pages/servicechild/walthamstow-arcade-site.aspx|publisher=London Borough of Waltham Forest|access-date=2013-06-30|archive-date=1 Jun 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130601143635/http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/Pages/ServiceChild/Walthamstow-arcade-site.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> As of 20192024, confirmedthere plansis will lead to thecurrent refurbishment of the town square, and new homes inadjacent itsto vicinitythe and17&Central anshopping extensioncentre ofwhich theis shoppingbeing mall 17&Centralextended.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://walthamforestecho.co.uk/new-tube-station-entrance-planned-at-the-mall/|title=New tube station entrance planned at The Mall|first=Waltham Forest|last=Echo|date=25 October 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=17 and Central (The Mall redevelopment), Walthamstow {{!}} London Borough of Waltham Forest |url=https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/regeneration-and-growth/regeneration-projects-and-developments/regeneration-walthamstow/17-and-central-mall-redevelopment-walthamstow |access-date=2024-03-12 |website=www.walthamforest.gov.uk |language=en}}</ref>

* [[Fleur East]], singer and ''The X Factor'' finalist (runners-up), attended Holy Family Catholic school<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/x-factor-hopeful-fleur-east-4596597|title=X Factor hopeful Fleur East tells how racist bullies made her life hell|last=Buxton|first=Olivia|date=9 November 2014|work=[[Daily Mirror]]|publisher=[[Trinity Mirror]]|access-date=9 November 2014}}</ref>

* [[Mick Hume]], journalist{{citation needed|date=March 2024}}

*[[Beryl Swain]] (1936–2007), motorcycle racer, first woman to compete in the [[Isle of Man TT]] race{{citation needed|date=March 2024}}

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File:Walthamstow Old Town Hall - geograph.org.uk - 1463183.jpg|[[Old Town Hall, Walthamstow]], now [[Yiguandao]] UK headquarters

File:Tudor house, Church Lane-Orford Road, Walthamstow, London E17 - geograph.org.uk - 1730824.jpg|15th century "Ancient House" in Walthamstow village

File:Entrance doorway, Montoux Almshouses, Vinegar Lane, Walthamstow, London E17 - geograph.org.uk - 1730799.jpg|Monoux Almshouses in the village

File:Vestry House Museum - geograph.org.uk - 900038.jpg|Vestry House Museum

File:Longitude Zero in Walthamstow - Close-Up - geograph.org.uk - 91456.jpg|Longitude zero marker in Upper Walthamstow Road

File:Selborne Walk Shopping Centre, Walthamstow - geograph.org.uk - 1767825.jpg|The 17&Central Shopping Centre before construction work in 2010

File:St Peters-in-the-Forest, Walthamstow - geograph.org.uk - 91430.jpg|[[St Peter's-in-the-Forest]] church, near Woodford New Road in the southern edge of Epping Forest

File:Walthamstow-Reservoir-758.JPG|Walthamstow Reservoir
File:Filter Beds, Walthamstow - geograph.org.uk - 93320.jpg|The filter beds at Coppermills Treatment Works