Inventory Site Record

The Church of St Peter and St Paul was built on Chingford Green in 1844 to replace the old Chingford Parish Church of All Saints situated a little distant on Chingford Mount, which had by then fallen into a state of decay. The church and its surrounding graveyard are on former forest land, but it is now in the centre of Chingford and surrounded by roads. The churchyard is well planted with trees including holm oak and lime, and the area around Chingford Green retains some sense of its former village atmosphere.

Site location:

The Green, Chingford

Postcode:

E4

What 3 Words:

from.caring.mining

Type of site:

Churchyard

Borough:

Waltham Forest

Open to public?

Yes

Opening times:

unrestricted. Church open daily 8.30-9am/6-6.30pm plus Wed 2-4pm

Special conditions:

Facilities:

Events:

occasional concerts in church

Public transport:

Rail: Chingford. Bus: 97, 179, 212, 313, 379, 444

Citymapper    
Google Map    
streetmap.co.uk

Research updated:

22/07/2021

Last minor changes:

29/03/2026

Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news. www.parishofchingford.org.uk/html/ss_peter_and_paul.html

St Peter and St Paul's Church was largely paid for by the Rector of All Saints, the Revd Robert Boothby Heathcote, who was also Lord of the Manor of Chingford Earls. Standing on Chingford Green (q.v.) the new brick and flint church cost £5,000 and was designed by Lewis Vulliamy, who also designed the Rector’s residence, Friday Hill House (q.v.) near Pimp Hall Park. The church was dedicated by the Bishop of London on 18 July 1844. Inside are artefacts from the old church of All Saints, including a C12th square font of Purbeck marble. The church has a fine spire and distinctive chequerboard decoration. Following the arrival of the railway in 1873, Chingford grew considerably and by the end of the C19th a larger church was needed. The church was enlarged with an extended chancel and nave aisles by architect Sir Arthur Blomfield and re-dedicated in 1903 by the Bishop of St Albans. Two memorials to the Boothby Heathcote family are on the North Nave wall.

There are a number of old buildings still overlooking Chingford Green, including the remains of the stable block of an early C18th pub, The King’s Head. Behind the pub rises Pole Hill on top of which the Reverend John Pound, then Astronomer Royal, erected an obelisk in 1824 to mark True North when viewed from Greenwich Observatory. However, the Meridian was adjusted in 1884 and true north now lies 19 feet east of the obelisk.

Sources consulted:

Ben Weinreb & Christopher Hibbert, 'The London Encyclopaedia' (Macmillan, revised ed. 1993); Arthur Mee ‘The King’s England, London North of the Thames’, (Hodder & Stoughton, 1972); Guy Williams London in the Country, LB Waltham Forest Conservation Area leaflet

Grid ref:

TQ385943 (538590,194371)

Size in hectares:

0.62

Site ownership:

Church

Site management:

Urbaser Ltd as part of the Street Care and Associated Services contract with LB Waltham Forest

Date(s):

1844

Designer(s):

Listed structures:

LBII*: St Peter and St Paul's Church. LBII: churchyard gates and gate piers north and south of church

On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens:

No

Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965:

No

Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931:

No

Local Authority Data

The information below is taken from the relevant Local Authority's planning legislation, which was correct at the time of research but may have been amended in the interim. Please check with the Local Authority for latest planning information.

On Local List:

No

In Conservation Area:

Yes

Conservation Area name:

Chingford Green

Tree Preservation Order:

No

Nature Conservation Area:

No

Green Belt:

No

Metropolitan Open Land:

No

Special Policy Area:

No

Other LA designation:

None

St Peter and St Paul's Church, January 2020. Photograph Sally Williams

Click a photo to enlarge.