Hornchurch has many links to history and various points of interest from its markets and festivals to its theatre to the annual Havering Show. It isn’t known how Hornchurch got its name but in the 13th Century the area was known as ‘Horned Church’ and if you look at St Andrews Church, High Street, RM12 there is a cow’s head above one of its stained glass windows, giving a possible further reference to a ‘Horned Church’.
In the 19th century Hornchurch had various business sectors including leather, a foundry and a brewery. It is probably most remembered for its airfield which opened in 1915 as ‘Suttons Farm’ before becoming RAF Suttons Farm on 1st April 1928 before being renamed as RAF Hornchurch. The motto for RAF Hornchurch was ‘First Things First’. RAF Hornchurch played an integral part in World War II due to its location in ‘bomb alley’ covering both London and the Thames corridor from air attack. There were many squadrons stationed here with the historic Supermarine Spitfires powered by Rolls Royce Merlin engines which flew countless missions during the war. The airbase finally closed in 1962, however today part of the airfield is now Hornchurch Country Park and part of it was used to build houses on which is still known locally today as ‘The Airfield Estate’.
Hornchurch is a busy and thriving area within the London Borough of Havering and has a wide range of businesses, restaurants, bars and retail shops. It is located on the district line of the London Underground which will take you to Tower Hill, or you can travel from nearby Upminster on the C2C mainline service to London Fenchurch Street or London Liverpool Street.
Hornchurch is 30 minutes from the coast at Southend, London is 28 minutes on the C2C service and you can be in beautiful rural Essex countryside 30 minutes by car, you have a choice of everything. There is the Queens Theatre which is on Billet Lane at its’ purpose built site since 1975, which interesting was originally located on the site where you will find our offices in Station Lane.
Hornchurch has a diverse range of cultures with generations of families having lived in Hornchurch all their lives and as families grow there is a good range of primary and secondary schools as well as the Sixth Form College on the educational side, with many opportunities for employment in the local area.
Whether you are selling, buying or looking to rent a property, give Hunters Hornchurch a call to see how they can help you with your property requirements.