Walthamstow Village walk

Waiting for the walk to start outside Walthamstow Central station on 9th May, I was interested to count the number of e-bicycles on the road. The answer was Nil, they were all on the pavement.

We walked up Hoe Street, turned right into Church Hill and right again to enter the peace and calm of the village. We stopped at Vinegar Alley and the Monoux alms houses then went on to St Mary’s Church where we stopped for a tea and cake. Our leader Kathy had done a lot of research and told us the church was the oldest building in the village, dating back to the 12th century. It had connections to William Morris, Sir George Monoux and - I like this - Samuel Pepys. Apparently, Pepys once visited the church and found the sermon so boring he pulled out a pocket sized book of Latin to read instead.

Refreshed, we went on past the Squires alms houses and Vestry House, the last currently closed for refurbishment.

The pedestrianised area of Orford Road was charming with lots of small shops, the former town hall and eateries. We walked on to arrive at God’s Own Junkyard. This is an eccentric emporium, decorated with period posters and illuminated with neon signs of every description. See the photo to appreciate the effect. A real mixture of miscellany, all of it apparently for sale.

We walked back to The Village Pub in the pedestrianised area for a pleasant lunch and then back to the traffic maelstrom that is Hoe Street and on to our homes.

Brian U.  12th May 2025