Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge
Bolt & Heeks were delighted to start work at the Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge complex, Chingford, in December 2010.
The complex comprises the original Tudor Hunting Lodge, the Stables and Coach House, and the Butler’s Retreat.
We will be converting the Stables and Coach House into an Interpretation Centre, which will have a first floor glass and steel link walkway. The Centre will have a large exhibition area with thought-provoking displays. It will also house a community room which can be used for school and adult learning as well as providing a versatile facility for local groups..
The Butler’s Retreat, built around 1859 as a barn to store harvested corn from Chingford Plains, was used until recently as a cafe on the ground floor with living accommodation on the first storey. We are converting the whole building into a two-storey cafe and restaurant for both visitors to the Hunting Lodge and Epping Forest.
Both the Coach House and Butler’s Retreat are Grade II listed buildings from the Victorian era; City of London, custodians of the QEHL complex, has received contributions from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Essex County Council for the works.
The restoration is part of the Branching Out project, a five year programme of improvement works to the QEHL complex and Epping Forest which, it is hoped, will increase visitor numbers and enhance their understanding of this important historical site.
Finally, Epping Forest, a major public open space and a site of international importance for its cultural and wildlife value, is owned and managed by the City of London. Since the 1870s, it has had a policy of protecting open spaces for the enjoyment of Londoners. This policy was subsequently adopted by central and local government and led directly to the establishment of the Green Belt.
