Woodford Green

Infobox UK place
official_name= Woodford Green
map_type= Greater London
region= London
country= England
london_borough= Redbridge
london_borough2= Waltham Forest
constituency_westminster= Chingford and Woodford Green
post_town= WOODFORD GREEN
postcode_area= IG
postcode_district= IG8
dial_code= 020
os_grid_reference= TQ405915
latitude= 51.60482
longitude= 0.02742

Woodford Green is part of the North East London suburb of Woodford, on the edge of Epping Forest, mostly within the London Borough of Redbridge with a small part on the western side of the green within the London Borough of Waltham Forest (this area is known as "Woodford Side").

History

Woodford Green is part of a larger area, Woodford, including areas such as Woodford Wells and Woodford Bridge. Please see Woodford for a detailed overview on the history of Woodford, which includes detailed information on Woodford Green.

Railways

The Great Eastern Railway (GER) line to Loughton (and later Ongar) was opened in 1856 and with it Woodford station. This led to the construction of many houses in the area, some of which were the grand houses of successful London merchants and bankers. The higher quality housing constructed in the area was due to the "fare-policy" of the GER, which kept the fares on the Loughton Branch higher than on the comparable Enfield and Chingford branches, where a "low-fare policy" was pursued. Further estates were built from the late 1920s onwards until the 1950s, covering most of the land still available for building.

The former GER Ongar branch became part of the London and North Eastern Railway in 1923, later becoming part of London Transport's Central Line, with the section through Woodford opening in 1947. As part of the electrification of the Loughton & Ongar branch and subsequent takeover by London Transport, the level-crossing at Woodford station (and with it Snakes Lane) was closed, being replaced in 1947 by a re-aligned Broadmead Road with a viaduct over the railway.

Politics

The parliamentary constituency of Chingford and Woodford Green is represented by Iain Duncan Smith, who led the Conservative Party from 2001 to 2003. Iain Duncan Smith is a successor of Winston Churchill, who was also MP for this area. Churchill is commemorated by a statue on the Green at Woodford.

In the 1920s and 1930s, Clement Attlee, later Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (Labour, 1945-1951) had a residence in Woodford Green, the seat of his opponent, Winston Churchill. A blue plaque to that effect resides on his house in Monkhams Avenue.

Education

Primary schools

*Avon House School
*Bancroft's Preparatory School
*Ray Lodge Primary School
*St Antony's Catholic Primary School
*St Aubyn's School
*Woodford Green Preparatory School
*Wells Primary School
*Woodford Green Primary
*St.Joseph's convent school

econdary schools

*Bancroft's School, Woodford Green, (Independent)
*Trinity Catholic High School
*Woodbridge High School
*Woodford County High School for Girls

pecial needs schools

*Hatton School

Notable individuals associated with Woodford Green

*Clement Atlee, Labour Prime Minister
*Sir Winston Churchill, Prime Minister
*James Hilton, Author
*Louisa Leaman, Author
*Kele Okereke, Bloc Party Vocalist and Guitarist
*Sylvia Pankhurst, suffragette
*Tony Robinson, actor and TV personality
*Kate Williams, Actress, Woodford resident during the making of the TV series Love Thy Neighbour

Trivia

The Castle, a former inn and now a Harvester restaurant near the Green, is where David Beckham first dated Victoria Adams However they never went inside as they did not want to be spotted together. [The Independent on Sunday, 27 Jul 2003 by Cole Moreton [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4159/is_20030727/ai_n12744511 findarticles.com] ] .

Transport and locale

Roads and buses

The A104 runs through Woodford Green and forms its High Street while Chigwell Road, the A113, runs along the east side with Broadmead Road connecting the two. Woodford Green is served by Woodford tube station. Various bus routes also connect Woodford Green with nearby major towns:
*the 20 to Walthamstow, Whipps Cross, Loughton and Debden
*the 179 to Chingford, South Woodford, Gants Hill, Ilford and Barking
*the 275 to Highams Park, Walthamstow, Woodford Bridge and Barkingside
*the 397 to Crooked Billet, Chingford Mount, Chingford, Buckhurst Hill, Loughton and Debden.
*the 549 to Loughton, Buckhurst Hill and South Woodford
*the W13 to South Woodford, Wanstead and Leytonstone.
*the W14 to Woodford Bridge, South Woodford, Snaresbrook, Wanstead, Leytonstone and Leyton.
*Night bus N55 to Oxford Circus via South Woodford, Leytonstone, Leyton, Stratford.

Nearest places

*Chingford
*South Woodford
*Woodford Bridge
*Buckhurst Hill
*Loughton
*Highams Park
*Clayhall

ee also

*South Woodford
*Woodford
*Woodford Bridge

Notes