It lies south of the town of Epping and north of the Ambresbury Banks archaeological site.

[2] Its green space is retained undeveloped due to the Epping Forest Act 1878[3] The settlement has a number of listed buildings, including The Black Cottage and 115-7 Bell Common.

[9] The construction of the roadway was protested by campaigns against the M25, including by members of the West Essex Rambler's Association[10] and the Upshire Village Preservation Society.

[13] The tunnel began a £90.4m Highways Agency refurbishment in 2008 to replace various equipment and the ventilation system.

[16] A report for Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council also says the covered tunnel "assisted in mitigating the community, landscape and ecological severance caused by running the M25 through Epping Forest.