The Abbey Church of Waltham Holy Cross and St Lawrence, also known as Waltham Abbey, is the parish church of the town of Waltham Abbey, Essex, England. It has been a place of worship since the 7th century. The present building dates mainly from the early 12th century and is an example of Norman architecture. To the east of the existing church are traces of an enormous eastward enlargement of the building, begun following the re-foundation of the abbey in 1177. In the Late Middle Ages, Waltham was one of the largest church buildings in England and a major site of pilgrimage; in 1540 it was the last religious community to be closed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. It is still an active parish church for the town, and is a grade I listed building.
Waltham Abbey
The surviving bridge and gatehouse of the abbey
Waltham Abbey depicted in 1851, before the rebuilding works
Burges's East Wall and Zodiac Ceiling
Waltham Abbey is a town and civil parish in the Epping Forest District of Essex, within the metropolitan and urban area of London, England, 13.5 miles (21.7 km) north-east of Charing Cross. It lies on the Greenwich Meridian, between the River Lea in the west and Epping Forest in the east, with large sections forming part of the Metropolitan Green Belt.
Image: 2022 02 12 Waltham Abbey Church (3)
Image: 2022 02 12 Waltham Abbey Town Hall
Image: Royal Gunpowder Factory, Waltham Abbey (geograph 2559819)
Image: The Welsh Harp, Waltham Abbey, Essex geograph.org.uk 3517192