Heritage

Scratch beneath the bustling modern surface of Havering and you'll discover an area with a rich and varied history. From the Romans to the arrival of the railways, each century has left fascinating marks on the borough - and they're still visible today.

Trading position

Havering's position between East Anglia and London has been key to its historical development. The Romans established a trading post here known as Durolitum, possibly on the site of present day Romford. That post has, in varying forms, grown ever since. In 1247, Henry III gave instructions to the Sheriff of Essex to hold a market every Wednesday. The direct descendant of that market still exists today in Romford town centre.

Havering's position on the river Thames was also highly significant. A wharf was built in Rainham – bringing wealth to the borough and, in particular, to one Captain John Harle, who traded goods from the wharf in the 18^th century. He built the borough's only remaining National Trust property, Rainham Hall, with his profits.

Royal patronage

Henry III was not the only royal with a link to the area. There had been a royal manor in Havering-atte-Bower since Saxon times, built as a base for hunting in the forests of Essex – then teeming with wild boar and deer. Such was the area's royal favour that Edward IV granted the Royal Liberty of Havering in 1465.

In the wake of royalty came a mix of nobility and new money – and their homes. From the 15^th century onwards, magnificent country houses with extensive estates dominated the countryside around Romford. Thomas Cooke, who became Lord Mayor of London in 1462, owned a handful of these – most notably Gidea Park. Traces of the estate are still visible in Raphael Park.

Havering-atte-Bower's royal estate was sold in the 17^th century but the village still bears evidence of a royal presence – the green was protected in the sale of royal estates to be retained for the permanent enjoyment of the people of the village.

The modern age

Despite the absence of royalty, Havering has continued to prosper, thanks, in great part, to the railway, which reached Romford in 1838. With it came the dawn of the commuter age – and an unprecedented period of growth.

As suburbia spread in the twentieth century the area changed beyond recognition. Part of this huge building project included the Harold Hill, once Europe's largest council estate, and Romford Garden Suburb, an area of Gidea Park created as part of an international architecture competition. The suburb is a hidden gem that features homes by Clough Williams-Ellis, the creator of Portmerion in Wales, and Berthold Lubetkin, who built the Penguin House at London Zoo.

Today

The heart of Havering, Romford, is now a hugely successful market town for the borough's residents and visitors to enjoy. But amidst the bustle, the borough's heritage is still there for all to enjoy and, for those who live outside Havering, easily accessible from the M25. Havering-atte-Bower remains a charming village, while Corbets Tey and Upminster retain a uniquely rural feel. And Gidea Park boasts an extraordinary, and very successful, 20^th century architectural experiment on a par with Hampstead Garden Suburb.