Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge, Tudor hunting lodge in Chingford, England
Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge is a Tudor-era gatehouse in Chingford that served as a viewing platform for hunting activities in Epping Forest. The three-story building features timber framing and traditional period details, positioned on Rangers Road to overlook the surrounding woodland.
King Henry VIII commissioned this structure in 1542 as a watching point for deer hunting, with completion the following year. The building remained in its original location at the forest edge, making it a surviving record of 16th century royal hunting customs.
The building reveals how hunting shaped leisure practices for Tudor nobility and their place in English society. Walking through it, you notice the spaces designed for watching rather than doing, reflecting a very different way of enjoying the forest.
The building is easily accessible from Rangers Road and welcomes visitors with no admission charge to explore its Tudor rooms and displays. The City of London Corporation manages the site and provides educational programs for those interested in royal hunting history.
The lodge still occupies its original spot overlooking Epping Forest, giving visitors a chance to see the woods exactly as Tudor monarchs did centuries ago. This unchanged location is rare, offering a direct link between the historic building and the historic view.
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