Waltham Cross facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Waltham Cross |
|
|---|---|
 The Eleanor Cross |
|
 Waltham Cross
|
|
| Population | 8,577 (2021 census, Waltham Cross ward) |
| OS grid reference | TL360003 |
| • London | 12 mi (19 km) SSW |
| District |
|
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | WALTHAM CROSS |
| Postcode district | EN8 |
| Dialling code | 01992 |
| Police | Hertfordshire |
| Fire | Hertfordshire |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament |
|
Waltham Cross is a town in Hertfordshire, England. It is about 12 miles (19 km) north of central London. The town is in the south-eastern part of Hertfordshire. It borders Cheshunt to the north, Waltham Abbey to the east, and Enfield to the south.
Waltham Cross is famous for the Eleanor cross in its town centre. This cross is one of only three original crosses left. King Edward I ordered twelve of these crosses to be built. They marked the places where his wife, Eleanor of Castile, rested on her final journey in 1290.
Contents
Town History
Waltham Cross has a long history. It was once part of the larger area of Cheshunt. The town grew around the River Lea, which flows into the River Thames. People started calling it Waltham Cross after the famous cross was built in the 1290s.
In 1855, Waltham Cross became its own church area. Its church, Holy Trinity (now called Christ Church), was built in 1832. The main road, called the High Street, had special "Spital Houses" (hospital houses). These were first built in 1625.
The town was part of the Cheshunt Urban District from 1894 to 1974. An "urban district" was a type of local government area. In 1974, Cheshunt joined with another area called Hoddesdon. Together, they formed the Borough of Broxbourne, which is the local government area for Waltham Cross today.
Town Landmarks
The Eleanor Cross
The most important landmark in Waltham Cross is the Eleanor cross. It is one of only three medieval Eleanor crosses that still exist. These crosses were built to remember Queen Eleanor. Her coffin rested at these spots on its way to Westminster Abbey in 1290.
The Waltham Cross was designed by Nicholas Dymenge de Reyns. It is shaped like a hexagon and has three levels. The main level has three statues of Queen Eleanor. These statues stand in special spaces under canopies. The original statues were made by Alexander of Abingdon. One of the original sculptures is now at the Victoria and Albert Museum. The cross has been repaired many times over the years to keep it in good condition.
Four Swannes Sign
You can see a large sign with four sculpted swans over the High Street. This sign used to belong to a pub called the Four Swans. The pub is no longer there. The sign you see today is a copy put up in 2007. The original swan signs are kept in a museum nearby.
Getting Around Town
Waltham Cross has two train stations. They are on different train lines.
- Waltham Cross station has trains to London Liverpool Street and Stratford. You can also connect to the Victoria line at Tottenham Hale. Northbound trains go to Hertford East or Bishops Stortford.
- Theobalds Grove station is north of the town centre. It also has trains to London Liverpool Street. You can connect to the Victoria line at Seven Sisters. London Overground runs the trains and manages this station.
There is also a bus station in the town centre. Many London Buses routes start or end here. You can connect to other bus services that go further outside London.
Famous People from Waltham Cross
Several well-known people have lived in Waltham Cross:
- Cliff Richard (Harry Webb) spent some of his childhood here. He went to Kings Road Junior Mixed Infants School.
- Bill Treacher played Arthur Fowler in the TV show EastEnders. He grew up in York Road and also went to Kings Road JMI School. Before acting, he worked at Waltham Cross train station.
- The famous writer Anthony Trollope lived in Waltham Cross for 12 years. He wrote many novels while living here. His house was taken down in 1936. Now, a pub called the Moon and Cross stands on the site. It has a literary theme inside.
Town Population
The Waltham Cross area had a population of 8,577 people in 2021. This was an increase from 7,407 people in 2011.
The town has become more diverse over the years. In 2021, less than half of the people (41.8%) identified as White British. This number was higher in previous years.
| Ethnic Group | 1991 | 2001 | 2011 | 2021 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
| White: Total | 5,392 | 96.5% | 5,991 | 92.3% | 5,591 | 75.5% | 5,394 | 62.9% |
| White: English/Welsh/Scottish/Northern Irish/British | – | – | 5,372 | 82.7% | 4,215 | 56.9% | 3,582 | 41.8% |
| White: Irish | – | – | 108 | 1.7% | 111 | 1.5% | 73 | 0.9% |
| White: Gypsy or Irish Traveller | – | – | – | – | 38 | 0.5% | 28 | 0.3% |
| White: Romani | – | – | – | – | – | – | 31 | 0.4% |
| White: Other | – | – | 511 | 7.9% | 1,227 | 16.6% | 1,680 | 19.6% |
| Asian: Total | 60 | 1.1% | 125 | 1.9% | 245 | 3.3% | 448 | 5.2% |
| Asian or Asian British: Indian | 20 | 0.4% | 50 | 0.8% | 51 | 0.7% | 101 | 1.2% |
| Asian or Asian British: Pakistani | 2 | 0% | 3 | 0% | 22 | 0.3% | 60 | 0.7% |
| Asian or Asian British: Bangladeshi | 5 | 0.1% | 18 | 0.3% | 40 | 0.5% | 82 | 1% |
| Asian or Asian British: Chinese | 15 | 0.3% | 18 | 0.3% | 27 | 0.4% | 39 | 0.5% |
| Asian or Asian British: Other Asian | 18 | 0.3% | 36 | 0.6% | 105 | 1.4% | 166 | 1.9% |
| Black: Total | 83 | 1.5% | 227 | 3.5% | 1,128 | 15.2% | 1,469 | 17.1% |
| Black or Black British: African | 6 | 0.1% | 101 | 1.6% | 676 | 9.1% | 869 | 10.1% |
| Black or Black British: Caribbean | 61 | 1.1% | 112 | 1.7% | 339 | 4.6% | 376 | 4.4% |
| Black or Black British: Other Black | 16 | 0.3% | 14 | 0.2% | 113 | 1.5% | 224 | 2.6% |
| Mixed: Total | – | – | 114 | 1.8% | 300 | 4.1% | 440 | 5.1% |
| Mixed: White and Black Caribbean | – | – | 49 | 0.8% | 121 | 1.6% | 137 | 1.6% |
| Mixed: White and Black African | – | – | 12 | 0.2% | 63 | 0.9% | 78 | 0.9% |
| Mixed: White and Asian | – | – | 29 | 0.4% | 56 | 0.8% | 66 | 0.8% |
| Mixed: Other Mixed | – | – | 24 | 0.4% | 60 | 0.8% | 159 | 1.9% |
| Other: Total | 51 | 0.9% | 36 | 0.6% | 143 | 1.9% | 826 | 9.6% |
| Other: Arab | – | – | – | – | 19 | 0.3% | 36 | 0.4% |
| Other: Any other ethnic group | 51 | 0.9% | 36 | 0.6% | 124 | 1.7% | 790 | 9.2% |
| Total | 5,586 | 100% | 6,493 | 100% | 7,407 | 100% | 8,577 | 100% |
Town Economy
Waltham Cross has a busy town centre. Its High Street is for pedestrians only. You can find many shops there, from big chains to small local stores. There is also an indoor shopping centre. Fishpools Department Store has been in the town since 1899. A market is held on the street on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Other Businesses in Waltham Cross
Waltham Cross is home to some big businesses.
- News International Printworks: One of the world's largest printing factories is here. It prints newspapers like The Sun and The Times. This huge plant can print over 1,000,000 newspapers per hour!
- Sunset Studios: In 2022, plans were approved for a large film and TV studio. This big project is currently on hold.
- Google Data Centre: In 2024, Google started building its first data centre in the UK here. They bought the land in 2020 and are investing $1 billion (£790 million) in the project. They hope to finish it by 2025. Important leaders like Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt have said this investment shows how much potential the UK has for growth in technology.
Sports and Activities
Waltham Cross is home to the Lee Valley White Water Centre. This centre was built for the 2012 Olympics. It was the only new Olympic venue that opened before the Games. Now, anyone can visit and try out the white water rapids, just like the Olympic athletes!
The town also has a Gaelic Football club called St Joseph's. This is quite rare for the area. It shows the long history of Irish people living and working in Waltham Cross. Many Irish people helped build the local reservoirs and railways.
See also
In Spanish: Waltham Cross para niños
