High Beach
High Beach
| |
|---|---|
 Centenary walk | |
  High Beach Location withinEssex | |
| OS grid reference | TQ4087198174 |
| •London | 11 mi (18 km)SW |
| Civil parish | |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| 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 | |
High Beach(orHigh Beech) is avillageinsideEpping Forestin south-westEssex,England. Part of the civil parish ofWaltham Abbey,the village is within theEpping Forest Districtand thewardof Waltham Abbey High Beach, and lies approximately 11 miles (18 km) north-east ofCharing Cross.
It is the location ofLippitts Hilland theMetropolitan Police Air Support Unit.[1]
Elevations
[edit]High Beach is in the uplands of Essex, which reach heights of 110 metres (360 ft)above sea levelon the western fringes of Epping Forest. Areas of the surroundingforestare 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 ofBagshot 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
[edit]
Holy Innocentschurch is surrounded byforest.It was built in 1873 byThomas Charles Baringto replace the earlier church (St Paul's) which was located in Church Road around 1 mile away from the present church's location and had fallen into disrepair. The new church was designed by thearchitectArthur Blomfieldin theEarly Englishstyle at the cost of £5,500. It wasconsecratedin 1883 and became theparish churchin 1884. The 125 feet (38 m)towerandspirecontains 13hemisphericalbells cast at theWhitechapel Bell Foundry.[4][5]
Notable residents
[edit]In July 1837,poetJohn Clare'sdeterioratingmentaldisorder caused him to be admitted to the High Beach private asylum under the guidance of the enlightened Dr Matthew Allen. The poet, after suffering fromdepression,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 Tennysonlived 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 lawyerWilliam St Julien Arabinlived at Beech House, later renamed Arabin House. The mixed martial arts pioneerEdward William Barton-Wrightlived at The Lodge, High Beech, in 1932.[8]
Culture and community
[edit]
Amenities include the church, primary school,[9]horse riding school[10]and threepubs:theDuke of Wellington(now closed),The Kings OakandThe Owl.[11] Owned and managed by theLondon Borough of Waltham Forest,the Suntrap Forest Education Centre and TheField Studies CouncilEpping Forest Field Centre offersfield studiesand other activities to schools and other groups.[12][n 1] Epping Forest Visitors Centre in Nursery Road is one of three visitor centres in the forest that provide learning, tours, exhibits and recreational facilities.[14]
Sport and forest walks
[edit]In February 1928, an ovalcindercircuit to the rear of theKings Oakpublic house was the venue forBritain'sfirstmotorcycle speedwaymeeting.[15]
Courses and appropriate tracks for outdoor pursuits includehorse riding,mountain biking,orienteeringand seasonally there arerunningevents. The 15 miles (24 km)Epping Forest Centenary Walkpasses through the locality.[16]The route was established in 1978 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the passing of theEpping Forest Act 1878.[17]Section 18 of theLondon Loop,along distance footpath,can be joined at nearbySewardstone.
In Mott Street the High BeachCricketClub play in Division 4 of the Herts & Essex League.[18]
Governance
[edit]High Beach is part of the civil parish of Waltham Abbey, and the parish council is Waltham Abbey Town Council.
The local authority isEpping Forest District Council.Residents of High Beach fall into the Waltham Abbey High Beach Ward, which also coversSewardstoneandUpshire.Traditionally, the ward has been aConservativesafe seat.
In the late 2000s, there was a strong showing forGreen 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.
Transport links
[edit]Road
Rail
- Chingford railway stationis approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) away.
London Transport
- Loughton tube stationis approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) away.
Bus
- London bus route 215serves the A112 Sewardstone Road, approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) away. Arriva route 66 connects intoLoughtonand runs approximately hourly to the fringes of the village close to the Woodbine pub.[19]
Further reading
[edit]Notes and references
[edit]- Notes
- ^NaturalistandauthorFred J Speakmanestablished the Epping Forest Field Studies Centre and later taught at the Suntrap.[13]
- References
- ^"NPAS base reopens at Lippitts Hill".
- ^[1]Archived29 October 2013 at theWayback MachineOrdnance surveywebsite
- ^Essex rockArchived11 September 2012 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 9 February 2011
- ^Whitechapel foundryArchived15 December 2010 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 31 January 2011
- ^abHistory of High Beach churchRetrieved 09 March 2016
- ^Dr Matthew AllenRetrieved 15 February 2011
- ^John ClareArchived9 May 2008 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 15 February 2011
- ^London Gazette,15 Mar 1932.
- ^High Beech primary schoolRetrieved 22 February 2011
- ^High Beech riding schoolRetrieved 22 February 2011
- ^The Robin Hood is thought of as in High Beech, but is actually inLoughton.High Beech public housesRetrieved 22 February 2011
- ^The Suntrap Forest Education CentreArchived5 June 2011 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 24 February 2011
- ^p7 Fred Speakman[permanent dead link]Retrieved 24 February 2011
- ^Epping Forest Visitor CentreRetrieved 24 February 2011
- ^King's Oak speedwayRetrieved 7 March 2011
- ^Epping Forest Centenary WalkArchived12 March 2012 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 7 March 2011
- ^Epping Forest Act 1878 p3Archived9 July 2011 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 7 March 2011
- ^High Beach CCRetrieved 3 July 2014
- ^"Bus route 66".Arriva.Retrieved27 September2020.
