A history of Upminster

While the name of the parish suggests that it was established much earlier, William the Conqueror's Domesday Book of 1086 contains a reference to Upminster and records its population as 39.

Around 1200 St Laurence's Church was built. This church was restored a great deal in the 19th century when many old tombs were removed, including that of Alice Perrers, mistress of Edward III.

Dating from the 15th century Tithe Barn was originally located close to Upminster Hall. There is no evidence that the barn was used for the collection of tithes, and today it is a museum relating to agriculture and domestic life in the area.

Upminster smock mill, dating from 1803, has become a symbol of Upminster and a reminder of its long rural past. A partnership of Havering Council and the Hornchurch and District Historical Society enables Tithe Barn and Upminster Mill to be opened on Saturday and Sunday afternoons once a month in during summer.

The various manors in the parish have seen building and rebuilding over the centuries. In some cases such as the estate of Sir James Esdaile, the second half of the 18th century saw a building programme that changed the southern end of the parish. At the end of the 19th century and the start of the 20th the fields of the old estates were sold off one by one to provide houses for new suburban dwellers.

Perhaps the most famous of Upminster's inhabitants is William Derham, who was rector from 1689 to 1735. He was a man educated in theology, science and medicine who treated his parishioners' ailments and kept records of the geology and climactic conditions of the locality. He then used these notes to compare with other observers in different parts of the country.