Roger Ascham's legacy looms large over Waltham Forest.

Both a school and the council's housing body Ascham Homes are named after him, and his name frequently crops up on buildings such as the side of Wood Street Library in Walthamstow.

But, in contrast to some of the borough's other celebrated residents like William Morris and Alfred Hitchcock, he has been rather forgotten in the wider world.

This is perhaps because the only physical legacy of his life is a handful of books on education and archery which are not very widely read today outside of academia.

And as one of his biographers dryly noted, the “most interesting” things he ever wrote were his private letters – and they were mostly in Latin.

His fame is arguably more to do with his sixteenth century celebrity status as one of the country's best tutors and for his popularity with various royals.

Ascham was born in Yorkshire in 1515 and it wasn't long before his natural talent shone through. Indeed, aged just 15 he was whisked off to study Greek at the prestigious St John's College in Cambridge.

After completing his degree he was swiftly elected a fellow at the age of 18, and his rapid ascent led to the rich clamouring for him to tutor their children, despite his own tender age.

Ascham's reputation grew to the point where he was a natural choice to be the new teacher of Princess Elizabeth when her tutor died in 1548.

The future Queen was a big fan of Ascham, but he left after two years, claiming to be offended by the impertinence of her servants.

However he soon found favour again with the royals, later being appointed a secretary to King Edward and then Queen Mary, before joining the court of his old pal Queen Elizabeth when she came to the throne in 1558.

It was then he moved to Walthamstow, taking up residence in Salisbury Hall Manor, which was located between Folly Lane and Chingford Road near today's Crooked Billet roundabout.

The grand house cost Ascham £20 a year in rent to the Queen, which even back then was considered a bit of a bargain.

But his time in Walthamstow was brief. In 1568, at the age of 52, he died of an unidentified illness.

On hearing the news Queen Elizabeth was said to remark: “I would rather have cast ten thousand pounds in the sea than [be] parted from my Ascham."