Havering

Romford and the surrounding areas have many places to visit including;

~ Historic Interest ~

Rainham Hall, Rainham
Impressive building completed in 1729 for the merchant and shipowner Captain John Harle. The Hall was built to exceptionally high standards and much of the original survives. Now owned by the National Trust. Features of interest include ornamental stomework, an immense mulberry tree and a Victorian dog house. The Hall and gardens are open to the public Wednesday and Saturday afternoons by written arrangement with the tenant.

Upminster Windmill, Upminster
A fine example of a smock mill dating from 1803. The original machinery is intact but not working. Open from 14.00 - 17.00, one weekend (Saturday and Sunday) per month between April and September.

Upminster Tithe Barn
Agricultural and Folk Museum
Situated in Hall Lane, Upminster, this is a large aisled barn dating from the late 14th Century. Open from 14.00 - 18.00, one weekend (Saturday and Sunday) per month between April and October.

The smock mill and barn are owned by the London Borough of Havering and administered by the Hornchurch and District Historical Society.

~ Parks ~

Havering Country Park
A large area of glades, attractive mature woodland and meadows. only two miles north of Romford town centre. Fine views of London and Essex. Huge variety of tress, wildlife and woodland birds, especially woodpeckers. A network of footpaths and horserides link with neighbouring Hainault Forest. Picnic sites.

Hornchurch Country Park
Overlooking the River Ingrebourne Valley, it is the former site of RAF Hornchurch airfield. The park has extensive tree plantations, fields, a lake and Ingrbourne Marshes - a site of special scientific interest, which is rich in wildlife.

Bedfords Park
The park has wooded hills, grassland and a lake. Fine views are afforded and there is a collection of red deer. Special hedgerow, woodland and meadow habitats encourage varied and plentiful wildlife.

Thames Chase
Part of the long-term national project b the Countryside Commission, Forestry Commission and local authorities to provide community forests for cities in England and Wales. Thames Chase covers 6 square miles, from Barking, through Havering and into the Essex districts of Thurrock and Brentwood.

~ Countryside Paths ~

Within Havering's 24 square miles of green belt, the Council's Countryside Management Service maintains more than 34 miles of countryside paths and bridleways, many of which pass through scenic and historic landscapes. Yellow waymarker arrows indicate the routes and footpaths. Leaflets describing them are available from librries and Havering Town Hall.

LONDON

As the heart of London is only some 30 minutes away by train and tube, here are a number of links to those places of interest, that have sites on the Web;

The British Library
Buckingham Palace
The Geffrye Museum
The Kew Bridge Steam Museum
The London Transport Museum Madame Tussauds
The Natural History Museum
The Public Record Office
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The Royal Parks
The Science Museum

An Online London Theatre Guide
Keith Prowse Ticket Agency

The Coliseum - Opera
Royal Court Theatre
London Royal Opera House

Weather for London and the UK
London Traffic Update
London Underground Map