Walthamstow shares borders with Chingford to the north, Snaresbrook and South Woodford to the east, Leyton and Leytonstone to the south, and Tottenham to the west. According to the 2011 census, Walthamstow had a population of around 109,424 residents.
One of the most notable features of Walthamstow is its High Street, which is home to Walthamstow Market, the longest outdoor market in Europe. The town’s historic core, known as Walthamstow Village, lies to the east of the town centre and has St Mary’s Church, the town’s primary parish church. In the northern part of Walthamstow, the former Walthamstow Stadium once stood as a prominent East End landmark. Another significant attraction is the William Morris Gallery, located on Forest Road in a Grade II* listed building that was once the family home of the renowned designer and craftsman William Morris. Walthamstow is well-connected to the rest of London, with five railway stations serving the town, including Walthamstow Central and Blackhorse Road, which are interchange stations on the London Underground’s Victoria line.
Historically, Walthamstow was a civil parish within the Becontree Hundred of Essex. As London expanded during the 19th century, the town experienced rapid growth and became part of the city’s urban area. Since 1840, it has been under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Police District, and from 1856 onwards, it has been part of the London postal district. The parish evolved into a local board district in 1873, then an urban district in 1894, and finally a municipal borough in 1929. Following the 1965 local government reform in London, Walthamstow merged with the municipal boroughs of Chingford and Leyton to create the new Waltham Forest local authority district, which is now part of Greater London. The borough council is headquartered at Waltham Forest Town Hall on Forest Road.
