Referred to by locals as the ‘Town Hall’, The Bull & Crown became the hub of Chingford Green back in the 19th century.

 Built in the 18th century, the pub was the meeting place and hub of the village and is often referred to as the Old Town Hall. The pub gave its name to the lane in which it stood, Bull lane. It changed its name to Kings Road in 1901 in honour of King Edward VII who was crowned that year.

Adjoining the old Bull & Crown was the village shop of George Bartrip, first parish clerk who served Chingford for over 40 years. He had Carrier carts that departed to London and surrounding villages twice weekly. The earliest postal deliveries were made here.

Known as ‘Bartrips’ the shop had an adjoining room where villagers paid rates, income tax, published banns and made funeral arrangements. The shop sold grocery and hardware and was a confectionary and drapers.

In 1898 it was decided to rebuild the pub, but the locals insisted that the old Bull should not be demolished until the new building was completed behind it.

The new building was built in a French chateau-style , very flamboyant for the time. It had guest accommodation and a ballroom.

The style was there to attract the growing number of visitors who came by train to visit the forest, the only problem was that the building was too far from the station at the other end of Station road.