Waltham Abbey (or Waltham Holy Cross), market town and par., Essex, in W. of co., on left bank of river Lea, 1 mile E. of Waltham Cross sta. and 13 miles N. of Liverpool Street sta., London, 11,017 ac., pop. 5368; P.O., T.O., and P.O. at Waltham New Town; 1 newspaper. Market-day, Tuesday. Waltham Abbey has mfrs. of gunpowder and percussion caps, artificial flowers, &c. Of the old abbey, which originated in a church founded by the standard-bearer of Canute, made collegiate in 1062 by Harold, and converted into a mitred Augustinian abbey in 1177 by Henry II., the nave of the church (now the parish church) and the lady chapel remain.

(John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887))