Walthamstow - or E17 as some of you may know it as – has a pedigree which is much grander than the British pop band of the 90’s! Indeed, the stow – as some may call it – appeared in the Domesday Book in 1086 as Wilcumestou or the place of welcome.
At that time the area was largely a rural farming community with a small village centre (now Walthamstow Village) and a large number of estates.
Walthamstow remained this quiet country backwater for several centurys until the 19th century when its proximity to London and the advent of the railways saw a substantial growth in population and building.
But what does it look like in 2007? Well, since its humble beginnings, E17 has gone from strength to strength and boasts a number of landmarks, surprising affordable accommodation and the largest outdoor market in Europe (2.1 miles long).
Modern Walthamstow encompasses a selection of ‘areas’ each of which have their own destinctive flavour:
The Market and Surrounds - A thoroughly modern shopping area clustered around the outdoor market which really comes into its own on Saturday mornings. Aspirant Yuppies may or may not be happy to see that E17 doesn’t boast a Habitat, a single Starbucks or even an M&S. No, people in this borough prefer to pop into a top class greasy spoon (Copperfields at the Hoe Street End is fantastic) and purchase their groceries from the butcher or specialist shop.
All cultures are catered for and it is a cooks paradise with some gems like the Turkish supermarket and the traditional butchers at the Coppermill Lane end. Those who prefer to shop at large supermarkets are also catered for with Sainsburys, Asda and Iceland all with easy walking distance.
The Village – This is the heart of old Walthamstow and as such is peaceful and attractive with a very ‘gentrified’ mainstreet boasting a host of good restaurants. Houses in this area tend to be the most expensive in the area but with delights such as the Nags Head just staggering distance away, it really is worth it.
BlackHorse Road - This quite area clustered between BlackHorse Road
Station and St James Street Station is a relatively quite residential area. Yes, it does boast its own council estate but this is fairly well isolated and most residents simply don’t notice it. Another feature of this area is the number of Warner houses. These properties were originally developed as affordable homes for working class families and now make solid and secure family homes.
Lloyds Park – This quiet residential area is clustered around Lloyds Park a huge open space which boasts the William Morris Gallery (the only English Gallery devoted to English arts and crafts). A large number of families take advantage of the number of schools based in and around this area.
In addition to these areas, there is, of course, the one landmark that all Londoners associate with Walthamstow – The Dogs. The dog track was built in 1933 and has been run by the same family, the Chandlers, since its inception. This piece of history provides a thoroughly great night out for all ages and the club ‘below’ it – Charlie Chans – give youngsters the opportunity to boogie on into the night.
So what does it cost to own this bit of paradise? Well, one-bed flats can be purchased from £120,000 and rented from £650 per calendar month. Predictably, as the number of bedrooms increases, the cost does but for a relatively reasonable - for London – cost of ₤380,000 you can buy your four bed dream home.
So does value for money come at the expense of transport links? No,
surprisingly enough. Walthamstow boasts a thoroughly modern bus station as well as two tube stations (Walthamstow Central and BlackHorse Road) and numerous mainline stations such as St. James Street, Wood Street and Walthamstow Central. It takes on average 25 minutes to Liverpool Street on the overland or 35 minutes to Oxford Circus on the tube.
So why isn’t this area overrun with yuppies and highly over priced? Well, the East End has never been cool – probably due to its working class roots – and the ‘innit’ image that bands like E17 provided disuaded many would-be purchasers. So on the whole, this is one of the special secrets of London but I suggest you discover it shortly as with the Olympics and other developments on the horizon, I’m not sure it will remain so for long.
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