United Kingdom · England · London
Hainault, London — Area Guide & Where to Stay
Hainault edges Hainault Forest on the Central line, a suburban district of London known for its country park and the Hainault Lodge reserve.
About Hainault
Where to stay in Hainault
Each area has its own feel; here's who each one suits.
Hainault works as a quiet outer base by Hainault Forest, close to the Central line. The tube runs into central London. Rooms are few and mostly residential, set among the streets between Hainault Forest and the station, within reach of Chigwell and the Redbridge Sports Centre.
Stay near the tube for the run into town, or by the forest edge for walks in the country park. The woods define the area.
About Hainault
What are the main landmarks in Hainault?
Hainault's landmarks are its open land more than its buildings. Hainault Forest, a country park, spreads along the edge of the district, with the Hainault Lodge nature reserve beside it. St Francis of Assisi serves the parish.
Nearby, St Winifred stands at Chigwell. The Redbridge Sports Centre and the Hainault Depot on the Central line mark the built side of the area.
What is the history of Hainault?
Hainault grew late, as a suburb reached by rail. The forest here long predates the streets around it. The Fairlop Loop, a branch of the former Great Eastern Railway, first brought the line out this way, and it later became the Hainault Loop of the Central line.
Suburban streets followed the railway. Hainault Forest was kept as open country park as London spread around it.
Where is Hainault?
Hainault lies at the edge of Hainault Forest in London, its streets running between the country park and Chigwell along the Central line.
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Updated July 2026