Waltham Abbey is a suburban market town in the Epping Forest District of Essex. Located on the Greenwich Meridian, between the River Lea in the west and Epping Forest in the east, the town is 14 miles from central London and lies on the outskirts of North East London, with the Metropolitan Green Belt to the north, east and south of the town. For statistical purposes, Waltham Abbey is included in the metropolitan area of London and the Greater London Urban Area.