Guide to Leytonstone
Leytonstone is an eclectic, colourful and lively part of East London that has something for everybody. With its long, bustling high street, and its proximity to amazing green open spaces, it feels a bit like an overgrown village.
Just two stops along from Stratford on the Central Line, Leytonstone is a quick connection to the Jubilee Line for Canary Wharf and the Elizabeth Line for central London. Or, if you take the Overground from Leytonstone High Road, you can be in the trendy Walthamstow Village in just four minutes.
Leytonstone is a dynamic community, with fabulous local pubs—like The Red Lion, The Birds (named as a hat tip to the late local boy Alfred Hitchcock), Leytonstone Tavern, The Holly Tree, and Rookwood Village—and great cafes and restaurants, like Homies on Donkeys for Mexican cuisine, Tamping Grounds for great coffee, Singburi for famously good Thai, and Bocca Bocca for pizza.
On the edge of the Epping Forest, Leytonstone is bordered by the beautiful greenery of Wanstead Park, Wanstead Flats and Hollow Pond.
There’s a property to suit everyone in Leytonstone, whether you’re looking for a small studio flat, a spacious maisonette, or an enormous family villa. The area is brimming with stunning Victorian and Edwardian homes, gorgeous architectural gems from the 1920s and 30s, right through to new builds apartments.
Depending on where you’re searching for property in Leytonstone, you’ll find homes and communities of unique character.
Upper Leytonstone
If you’re looking for space to stretch out, head for Upper Leytonstone, which extends from Cavendish Drive all the way up to Whipps Cross Road. Here the streets are wider and quieter, with terraces of large family houses—Victorian, Edwardian and 1930s—and easier parking.
It’s a peaceful pocket, where you’ll find the biggest properties in E11. Forest Glade takes the crown for the most exclusive road, but Preston Road, Maple Road, Fladgate Road, Ashbridge Road and Lytton Road all have beautiful homes. A special mention goes to Forest Drive East and Hainault Road for their very large double-fronted houses. Hainault Road is also where you’ll find Gwyn Jones Primary School, rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted.
Parts of Upper Leytonstone are slightly further from Leytonstone’s town centre and the Central Line station, but there is a nearby London Overground station at Leyton Midland Road which is a fast connection to the Elizabeth Line at Wanstead Park, or Walthamstow Queens Road in the other direction, which makes a journey into the West End simple.
There is a parade of local shops along Hainault Road and a few convenience stores dotted around the neighbourhood. Upper Leytonstone borders the popular green space of Hollow Pond, which is ideal for nature lovers, dog walkers, cycling enthusiasts and families.
Barclay Estate
Just north of Upper Leytonstone, the Barclay Estate runs from James Lane all the way up to Lea Bridge Road. It’s named after the Barclay Park Estate, a large house and grounds that once stood here and that was owned by J.G. Barclay of Barclays Bank fame.
Today, the Barclay Estate is a family-friendly collection of wide avenues and home to some of the best Edwardian properties in Leytonstone. Leafy Sandringham and Colchester roads, in particular, are popular for their general prettiness. Abbotts Park Road is known for its large imposing frontages, and its lovely local park.
The Barclay Estate has two schools: Barclay Primary School, rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted in November 2021, and Leyton Sixth Form College, rated ‘Good’ in March 2024.
There are extensive bus routes running through the neighbourhood, including a night bus service.
South Leytonstone
South Leytonstone at the southern end of the E11 postcode is a fabulous neighbourhood that is popular with first-time buyers, young families, and those prioritising affordability. The Cann Hall Estate, in particular, has row upon row of archetypal Victorian terraces, usually with two or three bedrooms.
There’s also plenty going on. You’ll find excellent craft beers at both The Wanstead Tap and the Mammoth Tap, pub grub and Sunday roasts at the Holly Tree, and arguably London’s best pie and mash at the Noted Eel and Pie House.
Plenty of buses run along Leytonstone High Road, from where it’s less than 10 minutes to Stratford’s major transport interchange and the Westfield Shopping Centre.
Bushwood
When it comes to community spirit and neighbourliness, Bushwood is hard to beat. The local residents’ association, BARA, organises events and discounts, and even operates a “Library of Things” you can borrow. No wonder almost half of all Bushwood residents are members.
It’s also a beautiful, peaceful neighbourhood, with rows of Victorian terrace houses of two to five bedrooms. It’s an extremely in-demand pocket of Leytonstone. In fact, it takes its name from the most expensive road in E11, Bushwood, where large properties directly overlook the lush greenery of Wanstead Flats.
Bushwood is ideal for anyone who wants to be close to green open spaces, Leytonstone High Road, and the Tube. For going out, the Red Lion is a great local pub, as is The North Star in the old village centre. Bushwood is also less than a mile from the delights of Wanstead.
Davies School Catchment area
While this is not an official neighbourhood, it’s a much sought-after area. Davies Primary is considered by many to be the best school in the area. It was rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted, again, in July 2024. If you’re hoping to be in this school’s catchment, the streets to focus on are: Malvern Road, Ferndale Road, Lister Road, Davies Lane, Cotton Close, Montague Road (north of Malvern Road) and Mornington Road (south of Lister Road).
The streets in this area are classic Leytonstone: terraces of two- and three-bedroom Victorian and Edwardian houses, and some larger semi-detached properties.
