The station was opened as 'Walthamstow' on 9 July 1894 by the Tottenham and Forest Gate Railway and was renamed on 1 May 1968. Walthamstow is recorded c. 1075 as Wilcumestowe ("the Place of Welcome") and in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Wilcumestou. King John visited Shern Hall (Shernhall Street), in 1213; the building survived until 1896. At one point Walthamstow was just a culmination of five small villages, and affairs were discussed at Vestry House, acting as the first town hall. In 1870 it had grown to the size of a small suburb and a town hall was built in Orford Road from which affairs of the village were run (which now takes place in Forest Road - since 1941). Until the 19th century it was largely rural, with a small village centre and a number of large estates. The main route through the district was Hoe Street. Additionally, there were various smaller lanes, crossing the town. Further south, the High Street was named Marsh Street, and led from the original settlement out to the marshes. Shernhall Street is an ancient route, as is Wood Street, to the east. In the 1660s Sir William Batten, Surveyor of the Navy, and his wife Elizabeth Woodcocke had a house here where, according to Samuel Pepys, they lived "like princes" and cultivated a vineyard.
The station stands on Edinburgh Road (not Queens Road). There is step-free access from the street to both platforms. The station is about 330 yards (300 m) from Walthamstow Central station and there is a direct footpath link between the two stations via a new exit onto Exeter Road. The footpath link, which opened in August 2014, is called Ray Dudley Way in commemoration of a local man who campaigned for the link for many years. This is an allowed out of station interchange with the Victoria Line, National Rail and London Overground Lea Valley Line East. The interchange and Walthamstow Central are also wheelchair accessible. The station is served by a train every 15 minutes in both directions throughout the day. The station is in Travelcard Zone 3 and has wi-fi, boarding ramps help points and a waiting room but no toilets.
Connections: Victoria Line (Walthamstow Central). National Rail. Lea Valley Line East (Walthamstow Central). The nearest bus routes are at Walthamstow Central bus station to the north of Walthamstow Central station.
