Goldings Hill, Loughton

Time Travel

The Second Golden Hill Manor (the original was pulled down around 1820) sat beside Goldings Hill. Until September 1940 when a Land Mine drifted down over Loughton,  Anti Aircraft gunners operating Bofurs guns mounted on the back of a lorry in the High Road shot at it in an attempt to explode it in mid air.

All that actually happened was the blast from their gun blew in the doors of the cinema!  The mine floated down and exploded on the roof of Goldings Manor.  In 1948 the estate was sold for housing.

2015

1980s

1940

The Second Manor (somewhere between 1820 & 1940)

Traps Hill House, Loughton

Time Travel

Traps Hill House, sat alongside Traps Hill Farm, and can now be found in Rowans way,  Just off Traps Hill.  It has changed surprisingly little.

21st Century

20th Century

Early 20th Century

Newnham House, Loughton

Time Travel

Newnham House in Loughton High Road was one of a number of large houses in the area that eventually became unpopular due to needing a large staff to manage them.  In Februuary 1962 the house was demolished to make way for these flats.

21st Century

20th Century

19th Century

Forest Road, Staples Road (or Shaftesbury), Loughton

Time Travel

In the 80s it was already impossible to take a picture in the same place as the original because so much of the forest has grown up with the abolishment of lopping rights.   Today we experience the forest as a world of large ancient trees,  but back in the 19th century most of the forest consisted of stubby trees that had been lopped by the people of Loughton.

21st Century

20th Century

19th Century

Borders Lane, Loughton

Time Travel

The bank where these two young lovers sat is still there but the pond has long gone.

21st Century

20th Century

19th Century

St. Nicholas, Loughton

Time Travel

The parish church of St. Nicholas sat on this site till in 1846 it was decide to move it to St. Johns in what was to become Church Hill.  In 1877 as Loughton Hall was rebuilt the present church was constructed.  Later this became a chapel of ease for The Debden Estate.

21st Century

20th Century

Before 1846

Loughton Hall

Time Travel

For the first time on this project I felt a real sense of loss taking these pictures.  Now a care home, Loughton Hall was once the thriving home to Debden Community Association. The DCA used to have any number of activities from Astronomy to Winemaking , not to mention Gymnastics, Weightlifting, Wargaming, Angling, Shooting and a whole host of things I have forgotten.

It is sad that such a hub of the community has disappeared, The sports Hall is now flats and the rifle range is an ambulance station whilst the old house is preserved as a care home.

The old Manor of Loughton pictured in the illustration burnt down in 1836,  it wasn't until 1879 that The Maitland family built the house we see today.

21st Century

20th Century

18th Century ?