Waltham Forest Places - Part 1

Walthamstow Market

Stretching around 1.5km, it’s the longest market in Europe, running the length of Walthamstow High Street. The market that is near the town square began in 1885, and has kept the traditional cockney feel whilst absorbing influences from the area’s divers culture. It accommodates over 500 stalls and shops’; selling inexpensive goods is always lively and is alongside London’s most famous pie and mash outlets.

Walthamstow Stadium (Dog Track)

It is a grey hound-racing stadium opened in 1933, by William Chandler and is still owned by the chandler family. It has the largest attendance and income from gambling than any other dog track in the UK, holding over 5000 spectators. It is regularly referenced in popular culture notably the film Snatch.

William Morris Gallery

The gallery is the only public museum devoted to English arts and crafts designer William Morris. Prim Minister Clement Attlee opened it in 1950. The gallery is located in Morris’s family home from 1848-1856, the former water house, a substantial Georgian dwelling of about 1750 set in its own extensive grounds.

Leyton Orient Football Club

The chairman of the club is Barry Hearn, who was famously appointed in 1995 after the former chairman Tony wood OBE put up the club on sale for £5. Channel 4 created a documentary on the clubs- nears closer entitled Orient club for a fiver. Officially know as Match room Stadium, also the name of chairman Barry Hearn’s sports promotion company, but traditionally referred to as Brisbane road. The manager of the club is currently Martin Ling.

Spitalfields Market

New Spitalfields Market was opened in 1991 and houses 115 trading units for wholesalers dealing in fruit, vegetables and flowers. It has the highest number of wholesale traders of any horticultural market in the United Kingdom and the continual specialisation by wholesalers in exotic fruit and vegetables.

St. Johns Church

St Johns Church, built in 1833 but with many additions, is the focal point and meeting place for Leytonstone, its spire is easy to locate from around the town and the churchyard puts on a wonderful display of daffodils, every year, right in the town centre.