Lopping Hall, Loughton

The villagers of Loughton had upheld the tradition of lopping the trees in the forest believing that this right had been granted to them by royal charter by Queen Elizabeth I.  The lopped wood was used in lieu of coal for domestic fuel. In 1878 the Epping Forest Act was passed which stopped the practice of enclosure, it also brought an end to the practice of lopping, although grazing rights continued.

In compensation for the loss of lopping rights, Loughton Hall was erected as a community building funded by the City of London Corporation. 

Lopping Hall was opened in 1884 to a design by local architect Edmond Egan and is one of the most important public buildings in Loughton. The terracotta panel which sits above the original entrance to the Hall in Station Road, shows the loppers in action.

The foundation stone, laid in 1883 had deteriorated to such an extent that most of the letter cutting in the stonework was almost impossible to read.  Unfortunately, it was not possible to extract a part of the original stone as this was an extremely deep section and impossible to cut out without severe damage. Most of the brickwork and some of the terracotta carving has also been restored.