History of Epping in Photographs

03/05/2026

Palmers Hill traffic lights, left to Harlow and right to St Margaret’s Hospital and North Weald. The water trough which stood there for years is apparently in someone’s garden somewhere! Years ago this part of The Plain was treeless right to Epping Lake, seen clearly in the second photograph where St Margaret’s would be to the left of the photograph. This part of plain was once home to Epping Cricket Club until 1896.

After chapel people would go to a huge oak tree called The Gospel Oak to sing hymns.

12/04/2026

259 High Street (formerly 165) Epping once a 17th Century Manor House. Timmy Rowland opened his chemist in 1880 (see Sidney Hills article) Later E Slater bought the premises but then moved to further down the High Street selling 259 to R Barron Chemist which was then sold to Coop Chemist in 1946, Holland & Barrett now occupy the premises

06/04/2026

1908
Happy Easter
A snowy Epping High Street on Easter Monday. The George and Dragon Pub sign to the left in the first photo, the second taken by Squires, the Cottis family home which eventually became the Brunchi Bar now Starbucks

05/04/2026

Another photo of The Homestead
1915
Members of The Church Family at the Homestead.
This photo taken with Soldiers who were billeted with them.
Supplied by John Duffell.
Next photos are just before demolition.

Homestead High Street Epping used to stand next to Hawthorn Lodge (near the Methodist Church), next to where Dominoes are

04/04/2026

1914c
The Homestead used to stand near the Methodist Church where Unigate were and was the home to the Church family (butchers)

04/04/2026

1968
The Post Office, Church's Pork Shop and Eldred Greengrocers
a great nostalgic photo from the Allan Church collection

02/04/2026

Epping once had two wooden Market houses in the High Street, this one was pulled down in 1845.
There was also a Buttercross which stood near the Police Station, how Buttercross Lane was named. Epping was famous for its butter and sausages of course and was mentioned by the poet Thomas Hood (Posted by Wendy Clarke)

Epping, for butter justly famed, And Pork in sausage popp’d;

Where winter time, or summer time, A Pig’s flesh is always chopp’d

But famous more, as annals tell, Because of Easter Chase,

There ev’ry year ‘twixt dog and deer, There is a gallant race

Extract from ‘The Epping Hunt’ (1829)

25/03/2026

The telephone boxes used to be outside the old Post Office opposite

I am aware of the campaign to save the telephone boxes in Epping. I fully support this and love our iconic red telephone boxes.

The council has looked into this previously and approached BT about adopting them. Unfortunately, they were taken on by a charity in 2018, and despite attempts to make contact to explore working together or purchasing them, we have not received a response.

We are now contacting BT again to see if there is another route available, particularly as the boxes are being put up for sale.

I would love to see them repurposed, perhaps as a mini library or a defibrillator point. They are an important part of our town’s character and heritage.

24/03/2026

I have received the following message from Les Flack.

“Our dear Mum Joan Flack (nee Rodd) passed away peacefully at home a couple of weeks back at the good age of 97. She lived in Epping since 1948 when she married our Dad Robert or Bob Flack. She worked at International Stores and also Flexilamps.
She filled us with many fond memories of old Epping back in the day. She’ll be missed greatly of course and marks the end of a generation in the family. Would love to hear if you or your family knew her (or Dad)
x”

So sorry to you and your family for your loss ♥️

07/03/2026

1972c
Mayfair Drug Store I’ve seen! Next door Copped Hall Florist and Elizabeth

Does anyone remember the shop Elizabeth?

Edmunds Epping Ltd and A & D Archer in Station Road

Fantastic photo supplied with thanks by Peter Newton.

07/03/2026

1970c Four Seasons Florist and Collop Greengrocers High Street Epping (Something Special Sweet Shop next door)

1969-1970c
Collops Greengrocer (Inside the shop)
307 High Street Epping