Inventory Site Record

The site of Walthamstow Town Hall and Assembly Hall was originally part of the Chestnuts Farm Estate. The Town Hall and Assembly Hall were built in 1938-41 when Walthamstow moved its administrative headquarters from the old Victorian Town Hall in Orford Road. Designed by P.D. Hepworth, the civic buildings overlooked a large centrally-placed circular basin, to which an ornamental fountain was added in 1953 in commemoration of Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation. The landscape setting of the buildings consists of generous sloping lawns on either side of the central driveway leading from ornamental entrance gates on Forest Road. Behind the Town Hall is Chestnuts Field sports ground. In June 2020 regeneration of the Town Hall site commenced as part of the Fellowship Square Development, with a new water feature replacing the fountain and basin. In June 2024 the new Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Garden was opened in Chestnuts Field behind the Town Hall, and a sculpture 'The Arch' by Henry Moore was unveiled to celebrate the opening of the new garden. 

Previous / Other name:

Chestnuts Farm Estate; Walthamstow Town Hall and Walthamstow Assembly Hall

Site location:

Forest Road

Postcode:

E17 4JF

What 3 Words:

cloak.button.tummy

Type of site:

Public Gardens, Public Open Land

Borough:

Waltham Forest

Open to public?

Yes

Opening times:

unrestricted

Special conditions:

Facilities:

Assembly Halls: cafe, toilets.

Events:

Fellowship Square/Chestnuts Field: numerous events; seasonal fountain schedule; Assembly Hall/Town Hall events. check LBWF website: https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/events

Public transport:

Tube: Walthamstow Central (Victoria). Rail: Walthamstow Central; Wood Street. Bus: 123, 275

Citymapper    
Google Map    
streetmap.co.uk

Research updated:

22/08/2024

Last minor changes:

23/08/2024

Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news. www.walthamforest.gov.uk

The sites of Walthamstow Town Hall and Assembly Hall, as well as the adjacent technical college, magistrates court and Sir George Monoux Sixth Form College (q.v.), were all originally part of the Chestnuts Farm Estate. In the C17th the estate was owned by Anthony Lowther, brother-in-law of William Penn, who founded Pennsylvania. The name is kept alive by Chestnuts Field, formerly known as Chestnuts Sports Ground, the public open space behind the Town Hall that is used for a variety of events throughout the year.

The Town Hall and Assembly Hall were built when Walthamstow moved its administrative headquarters from the old Victorian Town Hall in Orford Road. Built between 1938 and 1941, the buildings were designed by architect Philip Dalton Hepworth in the classical style that was then popular, particularly for civic buildings of this sort. On the rear façade of the Town Hall is a group of five sculptures carved in 1938 by the Irish sculptor, John Frances Kavanagh, which represent Motherhood, Work, Recreation and Education, either side of the central figure of Fellowship. The latter figure was modelled on William Morris, who was born in Walthamstow in 1834 and spent part of his early life in the Water House, which is now the William Morris Gallery in nearby Lloyd Park (q.v.). Morris's words are also emblazoned on the front of the Assembly Hall: 'Fellowship is Life and the Lack of Fellowship is Death'. Kavanagh, who had a studio in Essex, also carved the smaller reliefs in the Town Hall's front portico, and the figures of Comedy and Tragedy on the Assembly Hall. The setting of the civic buildings was very much part of the design and included sloping lawns either side of the driveway that led from ornamental entrance gates on Forest Road. Planting in the grounds has changed over the years but at one time included ornamental beds with seasonal displays. The civic buildings immediately overlooked a paved terrace with a large, centrally-placed circular basin. In 1953, in commemoration of Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation, a fountain was installed in the centre of the basin, which had red, white and blue underwater lighting. This area has now been renamed Fellowship Square.

Walthamstow War Memorial stands near the Assembly Hall, re-located here in 1961 from its original position outside Lloyd Park (q.v.), near the William Morris Museum. The stone memorial, which has a classical female figure leaning on a monument with four columns, commemorates the dead of both World Wars and was unveiled in 1922. 

In June 2020 construction began on Fellowship Square, an ambitious regeneration project for the Town Hall and Assembly Hall site that aimed to build on the legacy of LB Waltham Forest as the first Mayor’s London Borough of Culture in 2019. The project's aims are to provide opportunities for new leisure, entertainment and learning spaces, shops and cafes; to provide jobs for local people and brand new, affordable homes that would be prioritised for Waltham Forest residents. Phase One has seen renovation of the listed town hall buildings, restoration of the war memorial and the area around the fountain has been made more accessible. The fountain itself has been replaced with a new water feature with choreographed water jets, night-time illumination and a reflection pool. The old fountain was deemed unsafe, its upkeep costly and needed extensive repairs, added to which the chemicals used to keep the water clean had a negative impact on the environment. The new fountain is designed to be safe and usable by the public, with the minimum amount of safe dosing to treat the water, which is fully recyclable and environmentally friendly. Phase Two of the project includes the building of more than 450 new homes, the regeneration of existing green spaces and improved accessibility to Chestnuts Field, creation of a modern civic building with retail on the ground floor, and bringing the majority of LB Waltham Forest's council officers together into new office space. Since it opened, Fellowship Square with the new fountains has been used for numerous community events. In November 2021 Fellowship Foods, a catering company owned by Waltham Forest Council, opened the Café on the Square in the Assembly Hall. 

On 23 September 2022 Cllr Grace Williams, the Leader of Waltham Forest Council, announced that a memorial garden would be created on Chestnuts Field at the rear of the Town Hall, dedicated to the late Queen Elizabeth II following her death on 8 September. The Memorial Garden was opened by Cllr Williams on 13 June 2024 and among the plants used are the Queen's favourite flower, the Lily of the Valley, and rosemary, which was used in her funeral wreath. The new landscaping includes a Sensory Garden designed as a calm space providing seating and shade aranged in a series of zones to focus the senses. The planting includes cherry blossom trees and fragrant plants such as lavender and sage to appeal to the sense of sight and smell as well as encouraging pollinating bees and butterflies, and a water feature provides sound. Nearby, a sculpture by Henry Moore, 'The Arch' (1963/69) has been installed to celebrate the opening of the new Memorial Garden. On a four-year loan from the Henry Moore Foundation, this fibreglass version of Moore's sculpture was cast in 1971 for installation at the Forte Belvedere in Florence to coincide with Moore's 1972 exhibition in the city. Subsequent casts in bronze have been placed in other cities worldwide, often in conjunction with architecture, and here it can be seen adjacent to the listed Town Hall, as well as welcoming visitors to the new landscaping. The loan was made possible by funding and support from Countryside Partnerships, working in partnership with Waltham Forest Council. A travertine marble version of 'The Arch' can also be seen in Kensington Gardens (q.v.), which Henry Moore donated to the public park in 1980, two years after his 80th birthday exhibition at the nearby Serpentine Gallery. 

Recent improvements to Chestnuts Field include a new wetland landscape, with a flood basin created to take storm water run-off, in order to help reduce flooding in the local area as well as improve biodiversity. A stream runs along the northern boundary of Chestnuts Field. A Wetland Trail has been created around the new flood basin with a series of information panels. Further works as part of this scheme in the north-east corner of Chestnuts Field are due for completion in 2024.

Sources consulted:

LB Waltham Forest leaflets; https://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/waltham-forest-town-hall-war-memorial; https://henry-moore.org/press/the-arch-installed-to-celebrate-new-queen-elizabeth-ii-memorial-garden/; Fellowship Square Trail Info Book

Grid ref:

TQ376898 (537650,189850)

Size in hectares:

4.76 Town Hall/3.63 Showground

Site ownership:

LB Waltham Forest

Site management:

Chestnuts Sports Ground; Green Space Service, Environment and Regeneration (Town Hall Gardens not managed by Greenspace Group)

Date(s):

1938-41

Designer(s):

Town Hall/Assembly Hall complex: Philip Dalton Hepworth

Listed structures:

LBII: Town Hall, Assembly Hall; gates, gate piers, railings to Civic Centre, pair of flagpoles in front of Civic Centre, 8 gate piers in forecourt to south of Civic Centre

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:

No

Tree Preservation Order:

No

Nature Conservation Area:

No

Green Belt:

No

Metropolitan Open Land:

No

Special Policy Area:

No

Other LA designation:

None

Walthamstow Town Hall and Assembly Hall with new fountains, December 2021. Photograph Sally Williams

Click a photo to enlarge.