There’s a certain serenity to this quaint section of Walthamstow, largely due to its rich heritage dating back to medieval England. Much of Walthamstow has transformed over the years as it adapts to changing times, however Walthamstow Village, or simply known locally as ‘The Village’, is largely preserved, helped by its conservation status being introduced in the late 1960’s. This makes The Village architecturally stunning, with buildings immortalising times that have come before. There’s the oldest residential house in Walthamstow, still visible in its distinct 15th century design, and Orford House, an early 19th century villa now serving as a social club and events venue. There’s St Mary’s C of E, whose site has served as a church since the 12th century Norman period, and the much newer Our Lady and St George Catholic Church built in 1995, which won a Civic Trust’s commendation award for its “interesting and unusual design”. If you want to delve deeper into The Village’s history, you can check the archives at the Vestry House Museum, or look out for free historic tours in our What’s On section, which takes place throughout the year.

To compliment a walk around the sites, there’s a nice selection of shops along Orford Road, in particular its range of quality pantry goods doubling up as a coffee shops and eateries. These include Froth&Rind, a coffee and cheese shop, Eat17 wholefood store and bistro, and Peeld, serving hearty poke bowls.

There’s a nice selection of drinking spots in The Village too. By way of pubs you have The Castle, Queens Arms, The Village, and last but not least the eccentric feline friendly Nags Head. For a more sophisticated approach to beverages, Hometipple is cosy wine bar and shop who also regularly host fun and informative tasting workshops.