High Beach
| High Beach | |
| Essex | |
|---|---|
 Centenary walk | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | TQ409982 |
| Location: | 51°39’43"N, -0°1’55"E |
| Data | |
| Post town: | Loughton |
| Postcode: | IG10 |
| Dialling code: | 020 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Epping Forest |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Epping Forest |
High Beach (or High Beech) is a village inside Epping Forest in south-western Essex, and encompassed in the parish of Waltham Abbey. The River Lea, marking the border of Middlesex, and nearby with Hertfordshire, is two miles to the west.
The Metropolitan Police Air Support Unit is based here, at Lippitts Hill and.[1]
High Beach is in the uplands of Essex, on the western fringes of Epping Forest. Areas of the surrounding forest are also named High Beach or High Beech. Many of the forest paths are naturally gravel-lined with underlying deposits of Bagshot Sands.
Parish church
Holy Innocents Church in the village is surrounded by forest. It was built in 1873 by Thomas Charles Baring to replace the earlier church (St Paul's) which was located in Church Road around a mile away from the present church's location and which had fallen into disrepair. The new church was designed by the architect Arthur Blomfield in the Early English style at the cost of £5,500. It became the parish church in 1884.
The 125-foot tower and spire contains 13 hemispherical bells cast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry.[2][3]
Poets, madmen and lawyers
In July 1837, poet John Clare's deteriorating mental disorder caused him to be admitted to the High Beach private asylum under the guidance of the enlightened Dr Matthew Allen. The poet, after suffering from depression, was invited as a guest to Allen's asylum.[4] Clare spent four years at the asylum before escaping in July 1841.[5]
Alfred, Lord Tennyson lived at Beech Hill House from 1837 to 1840. During his short stay he may well have encountered Clare and other inmates. Tennyson was reported by a journalist as being "...delighted with the mad people...the most agreeable and the most reasonable persons he has met with."[3]
The lawyer William St Julien Arabin lived at Beech House, later renamed Arabin House.
About the village
The village has two pubs: The Kings Oak and The Owl.
The Suntrap Forest Education Centre and The Field Studies Council Epping Forest Field Centre are based in High Beech, offering field studies and other activities to schools and other groups.
Epping Forest Visitors Centre in Nursery Road is one of three visitor centres in the forest that provide learning, tours, exhibits and recreational facilities.[6]
Sport and forest walks
In February 1928, an oval cinder circuit to the rear of the Kings Oak public house was the venue for Britain's first motorcycle speedway meeting.[7]
Courses and appropriate tracks for outdoor pursuits include horse riding, mountain biking, orienteering and seasonally there are running events. The 15-mile Epping Forest Centenary Walk passes through the locality. The route was established in 1978 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the passing of the Epping Forest Act 1878. Section 18 of the London Loop, a long distance footpath, can be joined at nearby Sewardstone.
- Cricket: High Beach Cricket Club, based on Mott Street[8]
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about High Beach) |
References
- ↑ "NPAS base reopens at Lippitts Hill". https://www.npas.police.uk/news/npas-base-reopens-lippitts-hill-epping-forest-essex.
- ↑ Whitechapel foundry Template:Webarchive Retrieved 31 January 2011
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 History of High Beach church Retrieved 09 March 2016
- ↑ Dr Matthew Allen Retrieved 15 February 2011
- ↑ John Clare Template:Webarchive Retrieved 15 February 2011
- ↑ Epping Forest Visitor Centre Retrieved 24 February 2011
- ↑ King's Oak speedway Retrieved 7 March 2011
- ↑ High Beach CC Retrieved 3 July 2014
- Foulds, Adam: 'The Quickening Maze', 2009