[1] The first civic building in the area was a single storey public hall in Orford Road, Walthamstow, which probably dated back to the first half of the 19th century.

[9][10] The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with 19 bays facing onto Forest Road with the end bays projecting forwards; the central section featured a three-bay full-height portico with piers supporting a frieze above containing the words "Walthamstow Town Hall"; there was a tall copper-clad clock tower at roof level.

[11] The town hall continued to serve as the local seat of government after the expanded Waltham Forest London Borough Council was formed in 1965.

[14] Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh visited the town hall and had lunch with civic officials in March 2012.

[17] The renovation of the town hall was completed in 2021 with further changes including the creation of Fellowship Square and the Queen Elizabeth II memorial garden at the rear with a copy of The Arch by Henry Moore.