Waltham Cross facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Waltham Cross |
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 The Eleanor Cross |
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 Waltham Cross
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| Population | 8,577 (2021 census, Waltham Cross ward) |
| OS grid reference | TL360003 |
| • London | 12 mi (19 km) SSW |
| District |
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| 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 |
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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 is next to Cheshunt to the north, Waltham Abbey to the east, and Enfield to the south.
Waltham Cross gets its name from 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
Where is Waltham Cross?
Waltham Cross is part of the Borough of Broxbourne in Hertfordshire. It is also within the larger London area. To its east is Waltham Abbey. To the north is Cheshunt, and to the south is Enfield. The M25 motorway runs just south of the town. The Waltham Cross postcode area also covers parts of Cheshunt and northern Enfield.
A Look at History
Waltham Cross has a long history. From Roman times, a village called Walthame was near the River Lea. After the Eleanor Cross was built in the 1290s, the area became known as Walthame Cross.
In 1855, Waltham Cross became its own church area. Its church, Holy Trinity (now Christ Church), was built in 1832. The main road, called the High Street, had old hospital houses built in 1625. Many inns and taverns were along this road in the early 1900s. Some of these, like the Four Swans Inn, were very old.
Waltham Cross was part of the Cheshunt Urban District from 1894 to 1974. In April 1974, Cheshunt and Hoddesdon joined together. They formed the Borough of Broxbourne.
Famous Landmarks
The Eleanor Cross
The Eleanor cross is a very important landmark in Waltham Cross. It is one of only three such crosses still standing from the Middle Ages. These crosses were built to remember Eleanor of Castile, King Edward I's wife. They marked the places where her coffin rested on its way to Westminster Abbey in 1290.
The Waltham Cross was designed by Nicholas Dymenge de Reyns. It has been repaired many times over the years. Major restorations happened in 1832, 1885–92, and 1950–53.
The cross has six sides and three levels. The main level has three statues of Queen Eleanor. These statues stand in special spaces under stone covers. The original statues were made by Alexander of Abingdon. One of the original sculptures is now at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
The Four Swannes Sign
Above the High Street, there is a large sign with four sculpted swans. This sign used to belong to a pub called the Four Swans (or "Swannes"). The pub is no longer there. The sign you see today is a copy put up in 2007. The original swan signs are kept at Lowewood Museum in Hoddesdon.
Getting Around
Waltham Cross has two train stations. They are both in London fare zone 7. Waltham Cross station has trains to London Liverpool Street and Stratford. You can also connect to the Victoria line at Tottenham Hale. Trains also go north 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 services at this station.
There is also a bus station in the town centre. Many London Buses routes start or end here. You can also find buses that go further outside London.
Famous People from Waltham Cross
- Cliff Richard (Harry Webb) lived in Waltham Cross as a child. He went to Kings Road Junior Mixed Infants School.
- Bill Treacher, who played Arthur Fowler in EastEnders, grew up here. He worked as a porter at Waltham Cross station before becoming an actor.
- Victorian writer Anthony Trollope lived in Waltham Cross from 1859 to 1871. He wrote many novels here. His home was taken down in 1936. Now, a pub called the Moon and Cross stands on the site.
Town Life and Business
Shopping and Fun
Waltham Cross has a busy town centre. Its High Street is for pedestrians only. You can find many different shops there, from big chains to smaller local stores. There is also an indoor shopping centre. Fishpools Department Store, which sells furniture, has been in the town since 1899. On Wednesdays and Fridays, a market is held in the street.
Other Businesses
West of the town, near the M25 motorway, is one of the world's largest printing factories. This factory prints newspapers like The Sun and The Times. It can print over 1,000,000 newspapers per hour!
In 2022, plans were approved for Sunset Studios to build a large film and TV studio here. This big project is currently paused.
In 2024, Google started building its first data centre in the UK in Waltham Cross. Google bought the land in 2020 and is investing $1 billion (£790 million) in the project. They hope to finish it by 2025. 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
The Lee Valley White Water Centre is located near the River Lea. This centre was built for the 2012 Olympics. It was the only new Olympic venue that opened before the Games began. Now, anyone can visit and try white water rafting, just like the Olympic athletes!
Waltham Cross also has a Gaelic Football club called St Joseph's (Waltham Cross). This is quite rare for the area. It shows the long history of Irish people living and working in the local area.
See also
In Spanish: Waltham Cross para niños
