Category: Wansteadium

Tales of Wicked William

wickedKeen watchers of the Wanstead-based Twitter stream on this site may have noticed references to tales of the Epping Hunt recently. It’s all part of a developing website telling the story of Wicked William – the man whose recklessness denied all subsequent generations of the joys of the formerly magnificent Wanstead House.

Now would be a good time to have a read of the site if you haven’t already. Written by historian Greg Roberts, the latest instalment tells the story of how Wicked William, eager to impress, took on a “ludicrously quadruple-barrelled” surname (“Pole-Tylney-Long-Wellesley”) but how his Wanstead neighbours insisted on referring to him as just “Long’ – and then writing rude verse about him.

It also tells of what was to become the Toby Carvery, and how Long was just too flash for his own good, literally throwing money around. It’s a well-written and lively account and is worth following. You can find it here. Wansteadium will post occasional updates.

Guerrilla gardening second wave

Marian Temple writes:

For those not in the know, we have permission from the council to adopt patches in the Wanstead station surround where shrubs have died and sow, plant, weed, whatever is needed to make it a more pleasant/interesting place for commuters to do their commuting. All part of the “Cheer Up Sad Patches of Public Soil” campaign.

News from the front. The seeds sown have determinedly not germinated, no doubt biding their time to surprise us later. Most of the plants we put in are either ok(ish) or thriving. Look for the foxgloves in flower behind the manky litter bin. Now it’s time for a weed massacre.

Thistle Bash and Bindweed Pull. This is what’s lined up for Sunday. Pulling ribbons of bindweed off the shrubs (really therapeutic!) and cutting thistles off at the roots to prevent them flowering and seeding. (What spoilsports we are!) Also a bit of a litter pick. No need to know anything about gardening, kids welcome. Bring gardening gloves, secateurs if you have ‘em, if not, just bring yourselves for a fun morning of destruction in the name of beautifying Wanstead.

Sunday 22nd June 10.30 onwards at Wanstead Station. See you there

Wanstead weekend photo, XCI


Geoff Wilkinson writes on Wanstead Daily Photo: “You probably recognise this view it shows Snaresbrook Crown Court with Eagle Pond in the foreground. It’s not an easy building to photograph unless you are in the grounds, it tends to be hidden by the trees. However, sometimes everything comes together. Through this gap in the trees the Court could be glimpsed bathed in late afternoon sunlight and with dark rain clouds behind I thought it looked great.”