A new information board, which reveals the importance of a historic rural community, has been unveiled. 

Councillors, residents and Highams Park community group members gathered on the green at the junction of Hale End and Oak Hill on Thursday (March 12) to celebrate the re-instated history of Hale End board. 

The board, described as "bigger and better" than its weathered predecessor includes archive material and photos from Walthamstow's Vestry House Museum of manor houses, cottages, the Royal Oak pub, and an aerial map of Hale End during the 19th century. 

It was designed and created by Waltham Forest council's design and conservation team after Hale End and Highams Park councillor Paul Braham noticed six months ago that the majority of the board was missing. 

Life-long resident Jean Brailsford, 87, of Armstrong Avenue, Woodford Green, said: "It is bigger and better than before and it will hopefully make people more aware of the interesting history of Highams Park." 

Hale End, which translates from Old English to mean 'place at the nook or corner of land', was one of four hamlets in the 7th century that made up Walthamstow. 

The name survived until the late 19th century when the railway station was renamed Highams Park after the City of London Corporation purchased Highams Park Lake.