David Boote unspools the fascinating history behind the Royal Forest Hotel in Chingford, which will reopen as a pub in time for Christmas

The Royal Forest Hotel in an old postcard — The Royal Forest Hotel illustrated on a postcard, circa late 19th Century, Provided by Chingford Historical Society

In the late 1880s, Epping Forest nearly became an extension of the London suburbs with a railway line extended out from Chingford to High Beach. The City of London Corporation took action in 1878 and the forest became the protected public open space it now is.

The Great Eastern Railway quickly gave up its hopes of carrying rich commuters from leafy villas to City boardrooms, and instead welcomed onto its trains large numbers of day-trippers escaping the polluted East End.

As more and more people flocked to Epping Forest, the Royal Forest Hotel was built in 1881. Surrounded by views of the forest and Chingford Plain, the hotel took its design cue from the adjacent tudor-style Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge.

Twirly ‘barge board’ roof ends, closely spaced false timber beams and thick window frames formed a vision in extreme wood carpentry from the mind of local architect Edmond Egan.

Inside, a Victorian taste for the extravagant and the exotic was unleashed. The main staircase took daylight through a stained glass window showing Queen Elizabeth I at the Hunting Lodge.

Interior spaces presented styles from Queen Anne’s reign as well as Queen Elizabeth I’s, evoked Watteau, Louis XVI and the Renaissance, drew upon Dutch and Spanish fine arts and took inspiration from Japan and south Asia.

When Queen Victoria visited in 1882, 100,000 people saw the hotel illuminated by Chinese lanterns, a fireworks display and a fairground.
The hotel was repaired after a major fire in 1912. A nascent appreciation for simplistic architecture and interior design meant the hotel was rebuilt at a uniform three storeys, so as to not outshine the Hunting Lodge.

After the 1950s excitement seemed to leave the Royal Forest Hotel, with it attracting ever fewer paying visitors. However, in an exciting venture, Heartwood Collections has completely refurbished the building this year, and in time for Christmas it will reopen as a pub with 80 covers together with a dining room seating up to 142 guests.

The Chingford Historical Society is issuing ‘The Royal Forest Hotel and the life which flowed through and around it’ by popular society author Morna Daniels next month

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.