Waltham Forest Town Hall Guided Tour

Designed by Philip Dalton Hepworth following a competition in 1929 this Portland Stone clad building is an icon of Waltham Forest. Incorporating Art Deco and Nordic Classicism styles there is also a strong William Morris influence.

Completed in 1941 the war years had a profound impact on the design and finish of the building and the rooms within. Steel doored bunkers in the basement were initially used as civil defence headquarters. These remain alongside one way air valves which protected against bomb blasts.

Various sculptures adorn the building including a series by Irish sculptor John Francis Kavanagh who was influenced by Henry Moore whose ‘The Arch’ is currently on loan to the council and stands nearby.

Extensively refurbished in 2020-2021 this building is one of the jewels of Waltham Forest.

The tour route takes in the foyer which includes items previously in the history room, the council chamber, the basement rooms plus the grounds including the newly created Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Garden.

The minimum age for participants is 12 and children aged 12-15 must be accompanied by an adult.

Please arrive at the town hall 10 minutes before the tour commences. The meeting point is in the foyer.

NB From November 2025 tours will be on Sundays. There will be no tour in December.

Tours only run with combined groups of three or more people. If it's necessary to cancel a tour we will contact you via email 48 hours in advance.

is a qualified City of Westminster and Clerkenwell & Islington Tour Guide . Over the past 15 or so years Joanna has created, researched and led walks both in Central London and her own neck of the woods in Walthamstow and Chingford.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Jo is an excellent guide: experienced, knowledgeable and thorough, she had researched the building and its history well ...”

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"I did one of Joanna’s Waltham Forest Town Hall tours. ... I was fascinated to learn the history of the building. There were lots of features I had never noticed before. I have done a number of Joanna’s tours; they are always incredibly well researched ..."

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Waltham Forest Town Hall Tours