High Beach

High Beach (or High Beech) is a village inside Epping Forest and is located approximately eleven miles north east of central London.[1] It is the only settlement inside Epping Forest,[n 1] and falls within the civil parish of Waltham Abbey and the ward of Waltham Abbey High Beach in the Epping Forest District of Essex, and for statistical purposes forms part of the London Metropolitan Area and Greater London Urban Area.

High Beach
Centenary walk
High Beach Location within Essex
OS grid reference	TQ4087198174
• London	11 mi (18 km) SW
Civil parish	Waltham Abbey
District	Epping Forest
Shire county	Essex
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Loughton
Postcode district	IG10
Dialling code	020
Police	Essex
Fire	Essex
Ambulance	East of England
UK Parliament	Epping Forest

Elevations

High Beach is in the uplands of Essex, which reach heights of 110 metres (360 ft) above sea level on the western fringes of Epping Forest. Areas of the surrounding forest are also named High Beach or High Beech. However, individual smallholdings of land are given over to residential, agriculture and mixed uses, particularly beside the straight A-road which bisects it.[2] Many of the forest paths are naturally gravel-lined with underlying deposits of Bagshot Sands. It is believed that the name High Beach came from an early description of the localised sand and gravel exposure in this part of the forest.[3]

The Church of the Holy Innocents

Church of the Holy Innocents

Holy Innocents church is surrounded by forest. It was built in 1873 by Thomas Baring, replacing an earlier church which was located in Church Road around 1 mile away from the present church's location, and was designed by the architect Arthur Blomfield in the Early English style at the cost of £5,500. The 125 feet (38 m) tower and spire contains 13 hemispherical bells cast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry.[4][5]

Notable residents

In July 1837, poet John Clare's deteriorating mental disorder caused him to be admitted to the High Beach private asylum under the guidance of the enlightened Dr Matthew Allen. The poet, after suffering from depression, was invited as a guest to Allen's asylum.[6] Clare spent four years at the asylum before escaping in July 1841.[7] Alfred, Lord Tennyson lived at Beech Hill House from 1837 to 1840. During his short stay he may well have encountered Clare and other inmates. Tennyson was reported by a journalist as being "...delighted with the mad people...the most agreeable and the most reasonable persons he has met with."[5] The lawyer William St Julien Arabin lived at Beech House, later renamed Arabin House.

Culture and community

The Visitor Centre

Amenities include the church, primary school,[8] horse riding school[9] and three pubs: the Duke of Wellington, The Kings Oak and The Owl.[10] Owned and managed by the London Borough of Waltham Forest, the Suntrap Forest Education Centre and The Field Studies Council Epping Forest Field Centre offers field studies and other activities to schools and other groups.[11] [n 2] Epping Forest Visitors Centre in Nursery Road is one of three visitor centres in the forest that provide learning, tours, exhibits and recreational facilities.[13]

Kings Oak public house

Sport and forest walks

In February 1928, an oval cinder circuit to the rear of the Kings Oak public house was the venue for Britain's first motorcycle speedway meeting.[14]

Courses and appropriate tracks for outdoor pursuits include horse riding, mountain biking, orienteering and seasonally there are running events. The 15 miles (24 km) Epping Forest Centenary walking route passes through the locality.[15] The route was established in 1978 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the passing of the Epping Forest Act 1878.[16] Section 18 of the London Loop, a long distance footpath, can be joined at nearby Sewardstone.

In Mott Street the High Beach Cricket Club play in Division 4 of the Herts & Essex League.[17]

Local government

The Local authority is Epping Forest District Council. Residents of High Beach fall into the Waltham Abbey High Beach Ward. Traditionally, the ward has been a Conservative safe seat.

In the late 2000s, there was a strong showing for Green Party - but they failed to accumulate enough votes to win the ward - the support for them has since diminished. In the 2019 Local Elections, the Conservatives won with 60% of the vote.

At Parliamentary level, the local Member of Parliament is Eleanor Laing of the Conservative Party. In 2017, she was re-elected with 31,462 votes (62%). This was the highest numerical vote share for a Conservative candidate in 25 years.

Transport links

Road

• Major roads A104, M25, A121 and the A112 pass through or close by to the locality.

Rail

• Chingford railway station is approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) away.

London Transport

• Loughton tube station is approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) away.

Bus

• Essex bus route 505 (Saturdays only) serves the A112 Sewardstone Road, approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) away, as does London bus route 215, but only as a summer extension.

Further reading

• Foulds, A. The Quickening Maze. 2009 Jonathan Cape ISBN 0-224-08746-0

Notes and references

Notes

1. Buckhurst Hill also in Epping Forest District has Epping Forest along the length of two of four sides and part of a third side
2. Naturalist and author Fred J Speakman established the Epping Forest Field Studies Centre and later taught at the Suntrap.[12]

References

1. Grid reference Finder measurement tools
2. Ordnance survey website
3. Essex rock Archived 11 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 9 February 2011
4. Whitechapel foundry Archived 15 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 31 January 2011
5. History of High Beach church Retrieved 09 March 2016
6. Dr Matthew Allen Retrieved 15 February 2011
7. John Clare Retrieved 15 February 2011
8. High Beech primary school Retrieved 22 February 2011
9. High Beech riding school Retrieved 22 February 2011
10. The Robin Hood is thought of as in High Beech, but is actually in Loughton.High Beech public houses Retrieved 22 February 2011
11. The Suntrap Forest Education Centre Archived 5 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 24 February 2011
12. p7 Fred Speakman Retrieved 24 February 2011
13. Epping Forest Visitor Centre Retrieved 24 February 2011
14. King's Oak speedway Retrieved 7 March 2011
15. Epping Forest Centenary Walk Retrieved 7 March 2011
16. Epping Forest Act 1878 p3 Archived 9 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 7 March 2011
17. High Beach CC Retrieved 3 July 2014