Wandstead: A picturesque suburban area in the heart of London

Wanstead in the London borough of Redbridge, is a picturesque and desirable suburb in which to live. It has a largely suburban feel to it, and has lots of green spaces and open landscapes. The area is a very historical one and contains ancient royal connections, as well as great schools.

In this area, you could be forgiven for thinking you had ventured into rural England, rather than a district in the north-east of London. The natural beauty of the area, combined with the abundance of small tea shops, cafés and farm houses make it a highly desirable place to live. It also has a much slower pace of life.

It tends to attract professionals seeking family homes and those who have retired and are looking for a place to settle down.

One of the great things about Wanstead is that it has a strong sense of community, and is residents fiercely defend the heritage and greenery of the area.

This was demonstrated last year when a number of residents in the area protested against the building of the M11 link road.

When the work started to get underway, the locals even declared their neighbourhood the Independent Free Area of Wanstonia and constructed a tree house in a 250-year old chestnut at George Green.

Despite the slightly rural nature of the area, it is still in close proximity to other areas of the city, providing residents with easy access to amenities.

The district is located just ten miles from Central London on the southern edge of Epping Forest and is also quite close to Leytonstone and Woodford.

Green spaces

Epping Forest is one of the main areas of natural beauty within Wanstead. It also incorporates the famous Wanstead Park, a grade II listed municipal landscape that covers 140 acres.

It has a very long and ancient history dating all the way back to the Roman era. The park used to be the home of a building known as Wanstead Hall, which was built during the 14th century and was acquired by the reigning monarch Henry VII.

The future King Henry VIII also lived there for a while and both kings would hunt there regularly during their lifetimes.

In 1577, it was then sold by Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, who purchased the nearby manor of Stonhall in Ilford at the same time. It was demolished after the bankruptcy of the owner, William Wellesley-Long, in 1824.

The park has many artificial lakes and also incorporates a golf club.

Wanstead Flats

This forms part of the southern areas of Epping Forest, and contain some of the most stunning scenery in the heart of London.

The grasslands is a little bit of an oasis in that it is surrounded by heavily urbanised areas, with Manor Park and Forest Gate to the south-east and south respectively. To the north-west, it is connected by way of Bush Wood to Leyton Flats.

Education

The area has a number of good schools, most of which have been given a high rating by Ofsted.

Primary schools include Our Lady of Lourdes RC and Nightingale, which have been ranked as 'outstanding' by the regulator, while Wanstead Church is 'good'.

In addition, it also contains a private school known as At Joseph's Convent, plus Aldersbrook.

The area is also home to a large comprehensive, known as Wanstead High School.

Properties

Wanstead contains an interesting mix of quaint Victorian cottages and terrace houses, combined with Edwardian homes and contemporary flats.

Rental prices are fairly average for such a pleasant locality in London and in fact are much more affordable than one would imagine.

For example, you can pick up a two bedroomed flat in the area for as little as £265 a week, and a studio for as little as £167.

Published 24th October, 2014

© 2014 Estates IT Limited