ACCESS STATEMENT FOR THE EPPING FOREST GATEWAY

Welcome to Epping Forest

Please let us know if there is anything we can do to improve your visit.

Introduction

The Epping Forest Gateway is situated on the edge of Chingford on a slight hill

overlooking Chingford Plain and Epping Forest. The site comprises three buildings:

the Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge, a unique survival of a Tudor hunt

standing, built in 1542-43

The View, the main visitor centre for Epping Forest housed in a converted

coach house and stables

Butler’s Retreat, the last remaining example in the Forest of a wooden

refreshment facility that once catered for large organised groups, renovated

into a comfortable restaurant and café. It is leased to an external company.

The View is based on two floors with lift access to galleries on the first floor with its

external, covered wooden balcony offering a wonderful view of the Forest. The

visitor centre tells the story of the Forest and provides an insight into its flora and

fauna. It gives a taster of the many things you can go on to do. Our knowledgeable

staff are on hand to answer any questions or suggest areas of the Forest to visit, or

simply to help.

The Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge is an atmospheric Tudor building, built by order

of Henry VIII. It was intended as a grandstand from which the King’s guests could

view the Royal hunt and participate by shooting the deer with crossbows from the

upper floors. In Tudor times, it would have functioned as a venue for royal ‘corporate

hospitality’ as a means of displaying the wealth and power of the King. There are

exhibits on each of its three floors. Only the ground floor is fully accessible but the

upper floors are reached by wide, shallow stairs.

Getting around

Parking for blue badge holders is provided directly in front of The View (two spaces),

at Barn Hoppit car park (two spaces) across the road and at Butler’s Retreat (one

space). The car park at Barn Hoppit and the link paths are asphalt or resin bonded

to provide an even surface. The coach drop off point is on the road next to the

entrance.

The Epping Forest Gateway is a short uphill walk from Chingford train station and the

bus station alongside. It takes between 5 and 10 minutes using the roadside

footpath.

The Epping Forest shuttle bus stops here on Sundays and Bank Holidays during the

summer, linking High Beach with Chingford and Loughton via a hail and ride service.

Further Afield

Car parks further afield in Epping Forest, at Lower Forest, Connaught Water, Bury

Road and Knighton Wood have smooth, bonded surfaces.

There are over 20 miles (33 km) of shared use trails, which are surfaced with self-

binding material. Seven waymarked trails, ranging from 1.5 miles to 6.5 miles in

distance have been created to make navigation easier though paths are generally

not surfaced and may be very muddy, particularly during the winter.

Accessible trails suitable for wheels (chairs and buggies) are available at Connaught

Water, High Beach and Knighton Woods, all within a two mile radius, and at Jubilee

Pond in the south of the Forest. There is an obligation to maintain the natural aspect,

but seating and informal resting places are provided where possible.

The View

Foyer

The View is accessed through automatic glass doors with step-free, level access

throughout. The floor surface is tiled. The area is evenly and well lit with overhead

lighting from spotlights. There are two lowered sections of the welcome desk. A

magnifying glass, pen and paper are available.

There is a hearing loop system installed and one is also available in our Community

Room. This room at the far end of the external courtyard can be hired by external

groups as well as in use for City of London activities.

The exhibition displays

These are designed to appeal to everyone. The displays range from 20cm to 2m

above floor level, suitable for all ages and heights. Most are to be found on the first

floor which is accessed by stairs or by lift (space for one large wheelchair). This has a

wooden floor and is bright and evenly lit from overhead spot lights.

The display cabinets are tactile and can be explored for cut-outs of animals and

objects. Some artefacts can be touched. Manual and audio interactives are

provided.

Plain English guidance has been used for drafting text, and we have attempted to

explain all potentially unfamiliar terms. The font is Din with a 35 point size, a high

contrast between the text and background, and suitable levels of lighting.

Different levels of information are provided from broad headings, to simple

summaries, more detailed explanations and captions. A summary overview of the

exhibition, which can be read on screen or as a printout, will be available in April

2013. Tours of the exhibition are available on request.

Additional information on the history and ecology of Epping Forest is available on

the website and we will continue to add the results of research to the heritage and

conservation pages.

Public toilets

Public toilets are located on the ground floor off the old stable yard reached from

the main foyer by level access. The yard can also be accessed from a door (kept

open during opening hours) around the side of the building

There is a unisex accessible toilet straight ahead when entering the toilets, which are

well lit with fluorescent tube overhead lighting and low level light switches. There are

vertical rails either side of the toilet and a horizontal rail on the side wall adjacent.

The sink has a lever tap. The flooring throughout is non-slip.

Shop

There is a shop with a wide range of gifts. Epping Forest guidebooks, walking

guidebooks, the Epping Forest map and books relating to the heritage and ecology

of the Forest are available to purchase. Free walk sheets, leaflets and other

information are also available to take away.

The shop can be accessed directly from the main foyer or when exiting the

exhibition areas. The shop is level throughout and a low level desk and counter is

provided. There is ample room within the shop for a large wheelchair to manoeuvre

and turn. Nearly all of the stock is displayed at a height which is accessible from a

seated position. The counter has a hearing loop system installed and staff have

been trained in its use. Staff can offer assistance if required.

Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge

The ground floor is fully accessible. There are two rooms: an entrance hall and a

kitchen, where there is a Tudor fireplace and an attractive and sensory display of

Tudor food. Both rooms have flagstones and offer level access. On the walls are

panels setting the historical background to the building and what we know of the

Tudor hunt.

There are wide, shallow wooden stairs and a hand rail leading to the upper two

floors where there are costumes available to try on. Staff will be happy to bring some

of the items downstairs if you are unable to access the upper floors. A folder

explaining what can be seen upstairs is also available.

The building is fitted with a hearing loop.

Grounds

The Epping Forest Gateway overlooks the wide expanse of Chingford Plain. The

Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge is set in its own grassed area with benches and a

picnic table. A resin bonded path leads to Butler’s Retreat where refreshments are

available; the café has ample seating around the building and a ground floor

accessible toilet.

Events run by the City of London

Entrance to the View and to Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge is free. A charge is

made for group tours, which need to be booked in advance. These can include

handling sessions. Sensory days and events are listed in the Epping Forest Events

Diary. British Sign Language interpretation is provided for selected events listed in the

diary, or if booked in advance (the latter may be subject to a fee).

Information for teachers and worksheets for pupils are available from the Forest

Centres Officer (Lifelong Learning). School visits should be booked in advance.

Outreach events include introductory sessions to help communities experience

Epping Forest for the first time. If you know a group that may benefit, please let us

know.

Other Forest activities

Epping Forest Centenary Trust (EFCT) offers practical conservation-based experience

particularly aimed at people who would otherwise find it hard to access the Forest,

www.efct.info.

Learning opportunities are listed in the Events Diary and include courses about the

Forest environment for all ages at the Field Studies Centre in High Beach. Telephone

020 8502 8500, www.field-studies-council.org/centres/eppingforest.

Inclusion

Comments and feedback on the displays and exhibitions and all aspects of work at

Epping Forest are welcomed. A Visitors Book is one display on the front desk of the

Foyer and in the Hunting Lodge for you to add your comments.

The Access Forum at Epping Forest welcomes new participants. Please ask a

member of staff to pass on your contact details or email

epping.forest@cityoflondon.gov.uk. Please see the Statement of Community

Involvement for details of how we consult stakeholders on how the Forest is

managed.

Disability Awareness and Equality Training is available to all staff and volunteers at

the City of London.

We actively strive to improve the diversity of our staff and volunteers. Please ask us

how we’re doing.