The Highams Estate is a housing estate in Waltham Forest in East London, near to Hale End (Highams Park) and Woodford Green. The area was developed by Thomas Courtenay Warner, within the grounds of the former Highams Manor House in the 1930s.
The Highams Estate comprises over 300 semi-detached and detached homes bounded by The Highams Park to the west, Chingford Lane to the north and east, and Oak Hill to the south.
The roads that make up The Highams Estate are: [1]
While the estate is located in the Borough of Waltham Forest, the postal code is Woodford Green (IG).
The area in question was previously known as "The Sale", which appeared in maps from around 1641; in 1650 all the timber from the 150 acres of woodland in The Sale was sold off by the Lord of the Manor, Sir William Rowe. [2] A new manor house was built in 1768 by Anthony Bacon at its easterly end, and named ‘Highams’. In 1793-4 then owner John Harman commissioned Humphry Repton to design extensive pleasure gardens and a man-made lake. [3] In 1849, Highams became the property of Edward Warner. Open land was becoming a premium in the area, and parcels of the estate began to be sold off for development. In 1891, thirty acres of land, including the lake were purchased for £6,000 and added to Epping Forest. [4] Edward Warner's second son, Courtenay Warner, formed the Warner Estate Ltd. in the same year, to manage the manor house. In 1897 a company jointly owned by Warner Estate Ltd. and the Law Land Ltd. was formed, and in 1898 the Law Land Building Department undertook all building development. [1]
Courtenay Warner's company began to develop the grounds in 1897, with the erection of 24 substantial homes in Montalt Road, and 18 houses and 68 tenements in Chingford Lane built in the "Warner style" used the same architectural designs as the Warner Estate in Walthamstow.
New roads were constructed in 1930; The Charter Road was achieved through an exchange of land between Essex County Council (who owned the School) and Warner. Because the council refused to contribute to the cost of the new road, a strip of land was retained by Warner and an indenture dated 4 December 1922 stated "that the Council, their successors or assigns shall not be entitled to pass or repass or use the proposed road or any part thereof…". The agreement was implemented in 1932. [1]
In 1934, Sir Edward Warner agreed to sell the undeveloped parts of the estate between Montalt Road and Henry's Avenue to Walthamstow Council, with the intention that it was to be used as a public open space. [1]
The architects William and Edward Hunt initially produced designs for 532 houses over 36 hectares of the estate, although these plans were scaled back to include just over 300 homes. [1]
Plots averaged a generous 40 feet by 120 feet. The publicity for the Highams Estate promised “an exceptionally healthy elevation – 230 feet above sea level and a bracing atmosphere of decidedly health-giving quality”. Various standardised configurations were offered with between 3 and 5 bedrooms, identified as house types A-H. They were mainly semi-detached, with detached houses on most corners. Some had integrated garages, others could have independent garages added for between £75 and £100. [5]
The semi-detached buildings are predominantly symmetrical, set as pavilion forms, with views in between to reveal mature trees and woodland. Materials vary in detail but mostly are built in red brick and pebbledash render. Roofs are clad in red weathered clay tiles on steep roofs, with dominant symmetrical chimney stacks. Windows are vertical and bay windows are an almost universal feature. The detached buildings follow this form. [6]
The lowest price for a property on the estate in the early 1930s was £1000, but this was comparatively expensive and because there was a lack of demand, more modestly priced homes were developed in the northwest corner of the estate. This second phase of the estate was known as the Montalt Estate. [5]
The quality and distinctive design of the architecture used contributed significantly to the character of The Highams Estate. This was recognised by Waltham Forest Council when it was granted Area of Special Character status in 1988. Additionally, an Article 4 direction, put in place to retain high-quality architectural features and ensure any changes consider their surroundings, came into force on 2 September 2020. [7]
Formed in 1955, Highams Residents' Association [8] was created to prevent indiscriminate development of the Estate and preserve its character for future generations of residents.
Following the removal of 176 prefabricated bungalows on the open space sold to Walthamstow Council, the HRA successfully lobbied the council to restore the land for public use as a park. The park is now known as The Highams Park.
In 1983, Sir Henry Warner gifted HRA the ransom strip along the perimeter of girls' school, adjacent to The Charter Road, and a strip of land between Woodford Rugby Club grounds and the bottom end of Nesta Road. This gives residents control over two large undeveloped green areas, which help contribute to the area's character. [9]
The HRA continues to lobby against unsuitable developments within The Highams Estate on behalf of its residents.[ citation needed ] [10]
Chingford is a town in east London, England, within the London Borough of Waltham Forest. The centre of Chingford is 9.2 miles (14.8 km) north-east of Charing Cross, with Waltham Abbey to the north, Woodford Green and Buckhurst Hill to the east, Walthamstow to the south, and Edmonton and Enfield to the west. The town contains the areas of Chingford Green, Chingford Hatch, Chingford Mount, Friday Hill, Hale End, Highams Park, and South Chingford, and had a population of 70,583 at the 2021 census.
Leyton is a town in east London, England, within the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It borders Walthamstow to the north, Leytonstone to the east, and Stratford to the south, with Clapton, Hackney Wick and Homerton, across the River Lea, to the west. The area includes New Spitalfields Market, Leyton Orient Football Club, as well as part of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The town consists largely of terraced houses built between 1870 and 1910, interspersed with some modern housing estates. It is 6.2 miles (10 km) north-east of Charing Cross.
Walthamstow is a large town in the London Borough of Waltham Forest, around 7+1⁄2 miles (12 km) northeast of Central London. Traditionally part of Essex and now within Greater London for ceremonial and administrative purposes, 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.
The London Borough of Waltham Forest is a London borough in north-east London, England. Its population is estimated to be 276,983 in 2019. It borders five other London boroughs: Enfield to the north-west, Haringey to the west, Hackney to the south-west, Newham to the south-east and Redbridge to the east, as well as the non-metropolitan county of Essex to the north.
Loughton is a town and civil parish in the Epping Forest District of Essex, England. It is reckoned part of the metropolitan and urban area of London. The town borders Waltham Abbey, Theydon Bois, Chigwell. Chingford, and Buckhurst Hill, and is 12 miles (19 km) northeast of Charing Cross.
Epping Forest is a 2,400-hectare (5,900-acre) area of ancient woodland, and other established habitats, which straddles the border between Greater London and Essex. The main body of the forest stretches from Epping in the north, to Chingford on the edge of the London built-up area. South of Chingford the forest narrows, and forms a green corridor that extends deep into East London, as far as Forest Gate; the Forest's position gives rise to its nickname, the Cockney Paradise. It is the largest forest in London.
Buckhurst Hill is an affluent suburban town in the Epping Forest district of Essex, England. It is part of the Greater London Urban Area and adjacent to the northern boundary of the London Borough of Redbridge. The area developed following the opening of a railway line in 1856, originally part of the Eastern Counties Railway and now on the Central line of the London Underground.
Sewardstone is a hamlet in the south of the parish of Waltham Abbey, in the Epping Forest District of Essex, England. It is located between Epping Forest and the built-up areas of Waltham Abbey, Chingford and Enfield. It is 11.6 miles north-northeast of Central London and is in the London commuter belt.
Woodford County High School For Girls, formerly Woodford County High School (WCHS) is a secondary all-girls selective grammar school in Woodford Green of the London Borough of Redbridge, England. The school was opened in 1919. Woodford County's brother school for boys is Ilford County High School.
Highams Park is a suburban district in the London Borough of Waltham Forest, England, near Epping Forest and 8.1 miles (13 km) north-east of Charing Cross.
Walthamstow was a local government district in southwest Essex, England from 1873 to 1965, around the town of Walthamstow. It was within the London suburbs, forming part of the London postal district and Metropolitan Police District. Its former area now corresponds to the central part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest in Greater London.
Colonel Sir Thomas Courtenay Theydon Warner, 1st Baronet was a British politician, who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Somerset from 1892 to 1895, and for Lichfield from 1896 to 1923.
Waltham Forest Guardian now known as Your Local Guardian, is a weekly local newspaper sold every Thursday in the London boroughs of Waltham Forest and Redbridge.
Woodford is a town in East London, within the London Borough of Redbridge. It is located 9.5 miles (15.3 km) north-east of Charing Cross. Woodford historically formed an ancient parish in the county of Essex. It contained a string of agrarian villages and was part of Epping Forest. From about 1700 onwards, it became a place of residence for affluent people who had business in London; this wealth, together with its elevated position, has led to it being called the Geographical and social high point of East London. Woodford was suburban to London and after being combined with Wanstead in 1934 it was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1937. It has formed part of Greater London since 1965 and comprises the neighbourhoods of Woodford Green, Woodford Bridge, Woodford Wells and South Woodford. The area is served by two stations on the Central line of the London Underground: Woodford and South Woodford.
Debden is a suburb in the civil parish of Loughton, in the Epping Forest district of Essex, England. It takes its name from the ancient manor of Debden, which lay at its northern end. The area is predominantly residential, but is also the location of Epping Forest College, East 15 Acting School and the De La Rue printing works. It is one of a limited number of places outside Greater London to be served by the London Underground.
Hale End is a locality in East London in the borough of Waltham Forest, very near Woodford Green, two miles from Tottenham and one mile from Walthamstow. It adjoins Highams Park in the E4 postal district. Much of Highams Park until the late 19th century used to be called Hale End. Hale End railway station was opened in 1873 and renamed Highams Park-Hale End railway station in 1894. The area of Waltham Forest within the Woodford Green IG8 postcode is, in particular, most often referred to as Hale End.
Highams Park Lake is a water feature in The Highams Park, in the district of Highams Park in Waltham Forest, north-east London.
South Chingford is an area of Chingford in east London, England. It is a largely residential area which is the location of the Chingford Hall Estate, Chingford Mount and the former Walthamstow Stadium.
The Warner Estate is an area of housing in Walthamstow and Highams Park, Waltham Forest in East London. The area was developed by Thomas Courtenay Warner and the Warner Company.
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