Lippitts Hill

Lippitts Hill is a hill within Epping Forest, near High Beach and Waltham Abbey in Essex, on the north-eastern fringe of London. It is not a ticketed attraction with visitor signage. Its interest lies in a long record of defending and policing the capital from a patch of woodland.

What is Lippitts Hill?

It is a rise of forested ground inside the Epping Forest boundary. Rather than a nature reserve or viewpoint, it is known for military and police roles. For anyone curious about London's recent history, it shows how suburban greenery was used as a back-line for the city's security.

What is its history?

• First World War: a gun emplacement stood on the hill.
• Second World War: an anti-aircraft site. In 1941 the US 184th Anti-Aircraft Artillery installed guns, an underground control room and blockhouses.
• From 1944: a British prisoner-of-war camp. It left behind a memorial to the American forces and a concrete figure of a man made by a German prisoner, Rudi Webber. After the war the site was used for civil defence.
• Early 1950s: a Cold War anti-aircraft operations room was built. By 1956 fast jet bombers and missile technology had made the system obsolete, and it was abandoned.

How did the police use the site?

In 1960 the area became a Metropolitan Police training ground, a role it kept until 2003. After three officers were killed in west London in 1966, firearms training took place here, although a new pistol range was only approved in 1973. The Met's Firearms Training Unit was based here and ran the force's first firearms course. The main training centre today is at Gravesend.

From 1976 Lippitts Hill served as a base for police helicopters, first borrowed from the Army and flown over London. The unit joined the National Police Air Service (NPAS) in 2014. Operations shifted to North Weald Airfield around late 2019, and NPAS returned to the hill at the end of 2021.

Can you visit, and how do you get there?

The site is an operational police facility, so do not expect open access. Plan a walk through the surrounding Epping Forest and the village of High Beach instead. Driving is the easiest option, or take the Central line to Loughton and continue by local bus or on foot. Check current timetables and path maps before you go.

When should you go?

Spring and early autumn are the best seasons for Epping Forest: tracks are drier and the woods are at their most colourful. After winter rain some paths turn muddy. Walk during daylight, as the forest gets dark quickly.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Lippitts Hill? In Epping Forest near High Beach and Waltham Abbey in Essex, on the edge of London.

What was it used for during the world wars? Both wars saw gun positions here. In 1941 a US anti-aircraft unit built an underground control room, and from 1944 a prisoner-of-war camp operated on the site.

Is it still a police site? Yes. It became a Metropolitan Police training area in 1960, and since 1976 it has hosted police helicopters, now run by the National Police Air Service.

What else is worth seeing nearby? The wider Epping Forest and High Beach, which suit a full day's walk away from central London.