Borough of Waltham Forest

This outer London borough situated in the northern outskirts was named Waltham Forest after the forest the area used to reside in, now known as Epping Forest. Many Stone Age remains are found in the area as well as Roman artifacts scattered around the borough proving it was a significant area of Roman influence. Walthamstow and its neighboring towns form part of an ancient route from London to Waltham Abbey. The town is recorded in the Doomsday Book of 1086 as Wacoumstou or Wilcumestow. In the nineteenth century, the advent of the railways resulted in spread of the suburbs, and an explosion in Walthamstow’s population. From 1894, Walthamstow was an urban district. Leyton is located on Prime Meridian. Waltham Abbey (or Waltham Holy Cross): claims a local legend that Boudica's rebellion against the Romans ended in the neighborhood, when she poisoned herself with hemlock gathered on the banks of Cobbins Brook. The recorded history of the town began during the reign of Canute in the early 11th century.  The main centers of population in the borough are Chingford in the north, Walthamstow in the centre (and the administrative hub including the council offices) and Leyton and Leytonstone to the south. Waltham Forest has the fifth largest Muslim population in England and the third largest in London coming after its neighboring boroughs, Newham and Tower Hamlets.  This borough is where William Morris, was born. He was one of the principal founders of the British Arts and Crafts Movement who designed wallpaper and patterned fabrics, wrote poetry and fiction, and was a pioneer of the socialist movement in Britain.  Other notable people who have ties to the borough are David Beckham, Alfred Hitchcock, and T. E. Lawrence ( known as Lawrence of Arabia).

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