Gidea Park Walks

The details of these walks have been provided by the Gidea Park and District Civic Society and are based on their published leaflet entitled 'Two Walks through the Romford Garden Suburb in the Gidea Park Conservation Area'. Details at the bottom of the page.

On the area...

The "Romford Garden Suburb" began in 1910/11 on the Gidea Hall and Balgores Estates as an exhibition of town planning and of 159 small cottages and houses designed by more than 100 architects, many of them of considerable reputation. A competition was held to select the best town planning scheme for the suburb and the best designs for houses costing £500 and cottages costing £375. The project, including a new railway station, was promoted by a company founded by three Liberal MP's who had links with the Hampstead Gardens Suburb development, Herbert Raphael, John Tudor Walters (later both knighted) and Charles McCurdy.

The 1910/11 exhibition houses in their garden suburb setting are fine examples of their time and have not been excelled since. Six of them are Grade II listed buildings. Many more houses in a similar style were built in the suburb, for example in Crossways, between 1912 and the early 1920's.

In 1934 35 houses mostly of contemporary flat-roofed designs were built for a "Modern Homes" Exhibition in Heath Drive, Brook Road, Eastern Avenue, one by Lubetkin is Grade II listed.

Further information may be obtained from The Secretary, Gidea Park and District Civic Society , 9 Meadway, Gidea Park, RM2 5NU (phone: 01708 743645).

How to get there 

Gidea Park is located one mile north east of Romford Town Centre. The area is well served by public transport. Bus routes 151, 174, 350, 351, 374,565, 751, 752 all run to the start of the walks in Main Road. Gidea Park main line station is served by First Great Eastern Railway and connects to the start of the walks by buses 565, 751, 752.

Both walks start by the Ship Public House in Main Road. The first walk covers an area north of Main Road. The second walk starts at The Ship, but runs south from Main Road. There are many points of architectural interest along both walks.

The terrain is flat. No special clothing or shoes are required.

Copies of Two Walks through the Romford Garden Suburb in the Gidea Park Conservation Area can be obtained from the Society, phone Mrs. Joyce Leicester on 01708 -743645 or you can email the Council's Conservation Coordinator, Sue Smith at sue.smith@havering.gov.uk.