| Debden | |
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Debden
Debden shown within Essex |
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| OS grid reference | TQ442962 |
|---|---|
| Parish | Loughton |
| District | Epping Forest |
| Shire county | Essex |
| Region | East |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LOUGHTON |
| Postcode district | IG10 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Essex |
| Fire | Essex |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament | Epping Forest |
| List of places: UK • England • Essex | |
Debden is a suburb of the town of Loughton, in the Epping Forest district of Essex, England. It takes its name from the ancient manor of Debden, which lay at its northern end.[1] The area is predominantly residential, but is also the location of Epping Forest College, East 15 Acting School and the De La Rue printing works.[2] It forms part of the Greater London Urban Area and is one of a limited number of places outside Greater London to be served by the London Underground.
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Debden originated as a manor of 40 acres (160,000 m2) in the Ongar hundred of Essex. The manor became the property of Waltham Abbey in 1086. By about 1254 the manor of Loughton had absorbed Debden. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1540 the manor passed to the king and later to private owners. In 1944 John Maitland sold 644 acres (261 ha) of land to the London County Council for the building of a housing estate.[3] The Debden Estate was constructed between 1947 and 1952.[2] The London Underground Debden station is a renaming (1949),[4] of the Chigwell Lane railway station,originally opened on the Eastern Counties Railway in 1865. Because of post-war restrictions on building, a supermarket could not be opened until 1952.[5]
The name (Deppendana in the Domesday Book) is derived from the Old English dep, 'deep' and den, 'valley'.[6]
There is considerable light industry, including the De La Rue print works which prints Bank of England banknotes. The headquarters of Higgins Group PLC moved to Debden in 2005.[7] and in 2008, Amstrad announced their intention to move the group HQ to Debden from Brentwood. The Broadway comprises one of Loughton's two main shopping centres, and forms an architecturally-important parade consisting mainly of family-run shops together with a small weekly market.[2]
The area is served by Debden tube station on the London Underground. Debden is located next to the M11 motorway, about 2 miles (3.2 km) from its junction with the M25 motorway. It is interesting to note that one cannot enter northbound or exit southbound the M11. This is said to be because of the proximity of the De La Rue printing works, for security reasons.[2]
There are many bus routes in Debden, which are either London Buses routes, commercial routes or Essex County Council contract routes. Services operating to destinations south of Debden are mostly frequent and are London Buses services, to places such as Ilford, Chingford, South Woodford and Walthamstow. The London Buses routes are routes 20, 167, and 397. Services operating to destinations north and east of Debden are not London Buses routes, and are either commercial services or services under contract to Essex County Council. Destinations include Epping, Harlow, Romford, Theydon Bois, Abridge, Waltham Abbey and Waltham Cross.
The local Debden Sports Club, founded in 1948, includes a football team that competes in local leagues.Debden.[8] There is an annual Debden Day celebration.[9] Debden is the location of The British Postal Museum Store.[10] Debden Community Association was founded c.1950 and formerly had premises at Loughton Hall and on land owned by Epping Forest College.