Hornchurch 1855 Post Office Directory

History of Hornchurch

Hornchurch is a village and parish, pleasantly situate on the main road from Romford to Upminster, 2 miles south east from the railway station of the former, 1 mile from the latter, and 14 from London. Here are a foundry and agricultural implement works; brick and tile and drainpipe making: brewing, malting, and the manufacture of knitting yarn, Guernsey frocks, sea stockings, and woollen mops are carried on to a considerable extent. There are almshouses founded by Dame Appleton, 1587, rebuilt 1838; and others by John Pennant, 1597, restored by Thomas Mashiter Esq, 1837. There are other charities connected with this parish, distributed at various times according to the directions of benevolent donors deceased. Hornchurch was anciently celebrated for the number of pellmongers who resided here; their business was to dress the leather for the breeches makers of Romford. A boar�s head is wrested on Christmas day, this is an ancient custom. Hornchurch parish contains near 6,799 acres of arable, grass, and marsh lands; it is bounded on the west and east by the rivers Ingerbourn and Rom, and by the Thames on the south. David McIntosh Esq, is the lord of the liberty; but most of the land belongs to New College, Oxford. It is within the liberty of Havering ate Bower, Romford union, southern division of Essex, and contained in 1851, a population of 2,378. The living is a vicarage, value �740, in the bishopric of Rochester, archdeaconry of Essex, deanery of Epping, and gift of New College, Oxford, The Rev Daniel George Stacy, BCL, is the incumbent, having been presented thereto in 1831. The church � an old, spacious stone building dedicated to St Andrew � has a nave, chancel, north and south aisles and porches, with a large square tower, turreted and embattled, crowned with a neat spire, the whole rising 170 feet from the base; there is a peal of 6 bells and a clock. Hornchurch Hall, Great Nelmes, The Lodge, Fair Kytes, Lanftons, and Britons are seats within this parish.

Haveringwell, 1 mile north of the village, is a hamlet of Hornchurch.

Gentry

Bearblock John, esq

Bearblock Peter, esq

De Porquet Louis Fenwick esq, Fairkytes

Francis John esq

Gutch John Joseph Wm esq, Sutton�s gate

Hanson George esq, Harrow Lodge

Mashiter Thomas esq, The Lodge

Squires Mr Geo Frederick, Grosvenor House

Stacy Rev Daniel George, BCL

Truston Mrs, Havering Well House