Nestled between Walthamstow, Chingford and Woodford, you’ll find Highams Park with our thriving community committed to the social and economic development and environmental well-being of the area.
Conveniently located for the City, we are only 20 minutes from London Liverpool Street.
Highams Park is home to a vast amount of green space, including parts of Epping Forest and The Highams Park – a large public park.
Framed by woodland Highams Park also boasts a wonderful flower meadow and boating lake designed by 18th century landscape designer Humphry Repton. The lake is one of the largest stretches of open water in Epping Forest and you can still fish in the lake today but some restrictions apply.
Highams Park offers a range of food outlets including traditional Indian cuisine, a Chinese and Italian restaurant, various cafes and ice cream bar and 2 popular local pubs.
Highams Park caters for all amenities including a large supermarket, as well as small businesses including: a bike shop, post office, a traditional cookery shop, hairdressers and florists.
Essex Farmers’ Market hold a market in the Highams Park Station car park every fourth Sunday of the month, 10am-3pm. You can check out goods and produce.
We also have our own arts and culture community, ARC, whose vision is to develop arts and culture within the community by:
- Creating opportunities to engage and participate
- Developing a programme of activities and events
- Showcasing the talent of local artists
- Encouraging the provision of spaces
In Hale End Library there are drop-in sessions for ICT support, a Silver Surfers IT Workshop for ages 55+ and a monthly Family History Group for those interested in tracing their roots. You can also catch a movie at the Highams Park Friday Films group on the second Friday of each month.
Our history
Highams Park, London
Highams Park lies on the Greenwich Meridian, about ten miles from St Pauls Cathedral.
Early settlers came to the Great Forest of Waltham and, from the Tudor period to the Victorian era, the beautiful forest around Hale End, and its proximity to the City, appealed to Lord Mayors of London and wealthy merchant bankers.
Epping Forest and the lake attracted day trippers, who came by rail to Hale End station, but the urban village of Highams Park only began to develop in the 20th century, when a plastics factory was established here.
Suddenly shops, schools and affordable houses were being built for factory workers and City clerks, and a lively community was created.
Fascinating people have always lived in the area, from Haldan in Saxon times to the designers of the Airship R101 and Concorde more recently.
Other Groups of Interest
- www.highamsparkforum.co.uk
- www.highamsparksociety.co.uk
- www.highamsra.org
- www.fothp.org
- www.highamsparkforum.co.uk/clubsoc.html