So on Tuesday the 19th September 2023 its another walk on my doorstep, its just a 2 mile drive to Havering-Atte-Bower and I park up by the Horse Riding centre next to the church.
I pull on my boots and walk over to St Johns Church.
There has been a church on this particular site, since the time of Edward the Confessor. One of the pieces of evidence for this, is the 800 year old Purbeck marble font, at the back of the church. Over the years, the church has served as a chapel for the many noble and royal people, who passed by as a result of Havering Palace being in existence.
The church as we know it today, was built between 1876 and 1878, after the previous building (also known as St Thomas) was demolished. The last service was held on Easter Day, April 16th 1876, after which all services and church meetings were temporarily transferred to a barn at the back of the Orange Tree public house, which is still in existence. The new church was consecrated on Saturday 13th April, 1878. During this time, there were two major benefactors, Mrs Macintosh and Anne Pemberton Barnes. Both were key to the church, and both contributed financially. For this reason, St Johns has the unusual feature of a dual entrance porch, designed, purposefully, to give equal welcome to both women, each of whom, had a house in the opposite direction to the other.
There are five stained glass windows, four on the south wall, and one large one behind the altar on the east wall, which was replaced in 1946 after a stray German landmine destroyed the original during World War II. There are two war memorials located on the site. One, inside, along the south wall, is dedicated to the memory of the eleven men killed in the Great War. The other, is by the gate to the Green, and is dedicated to the five men killed in World War II. There are two war graves, situated between the church and the riding stables.
The church has six bells, a treble, second, third, fourth, fifth and tenor. They were dedicated in 1897, replacing the single bell that was there before.
The Parish Room (the church hall) was built in 1902, with money provided by Ann Pemberton Barnes and her son. A second, smaller Parish room was built behind the original in 1933. This building was known as the Pemberton Room (and still is!).
In 1997, the Church Hall, and the Pemberton Room both were connected, with a second floor added in from the high ceiling of the hall, and facilities vastly improved upon what they had been before.
The village green still has on display its original village stocks, while on the opposite side of the road is a pond known as "Ducking Pond", rumoured to have been used for trials of witches. Though the name of the pond suggests such a history, hard evidence is yet to be uncovered.
The history of the area dates back to Saxon times and archaeological finds in and around Havering Country Park suggest a Roman villa or similar structure in the area.
Two particular myths arose from this time. One was that Edward was in Havering Park (backing onto the site that the church currently sits on) and the noise from the Nightingales stopped his prayers. He then prayed that there would no longer be Nightingales in the park. Apparently, since then, there indeed have not been!
The other myth is that on some occasion, Edward was in a procession, a beggar asked for money, and as Edward's almsman was nowhere near, Edward took a ring off his finger, and gave it to the man. So the legend goes, years later, two pilgrims were in the Holy Land and spoke with the same old man; who revealed he was St John the Evangelist. He gave them the ring, and asked them to return it back to Edward. Hence the name Have-a-ring Atte (at the) Bower. Who knows?
The village is steeped in royal history. Edward the Confessor was the first royal to take interest in the area. He established a hunting lodge here, which over the years would become a palace or 'bower.' It is believed, though disputed, that he may have died in the house that he had loved so much before being buried at Westminster Abbey.
I walk on down the road and take a path opposite the now closed Oak Public House.
The surrounding areas, including the parishes of Hornchurch and Romford, formed the Royal Liberty of Havering from 1465 to 1892. Until the 17th century, royalty used the house of Havering Palace for various reasons, adding the architectural style of the day to the expanding palace.
Another palace, east of the village, called Pyrgo, was purchased by Henry VIII to relieve the now ageing Havering Palace. By the 17th century, the Royal Palace of Havering was in decline, and it was eventually pulled down. Pyrgo was also demolished later, in the 18th century. Only one set of plans exists from the original Havering Palace, courtesy of a survey by Lord Burghley in 1578.
The village sits on one of the highest points in London, in the far north of the borough and near the M25 motorway. It is situated 344 feet (105 m) above sea level with striking views of east London, Essex and Kent. To the north is open countryside and to the south are the large suburban developments of Harold Hill and Collier Row.
Along the footpath, I stop to say hello to some horses.
On my right is the Water Tower. Built by the South East Essex Water Company in 1934 to help maintain water pressure to the town of Romford, some two miles distant. It is still owned by the water authority but believed to be not now required for its original purpose. With the sun shining on it, it can be seen from the top of the London Eye, seventeen miles away.
My earliest memory of this tower is my Dad trying to scare me saying its a Witches tower and I of course told my kids the same story.
I walk a short way past where our walk turns right so walking back I cross a small ditch and follow the path.
Here I met a young Pheasant, who I thought was rather friendly and was running alongside me. They normally fly off or runaway when you get near.
However this was not a pleasant Pheasant at all. It pecked me and drew blood. It then started a full on attack! It was flying up in the air and flapping it wings at me. I had to kick it back a couple of times. I tried to walk away but it started to run after me. So I managed to outrun the F*cker, even though it meant a ran a distance in the opposite way I wanted to go!
I stop and look back, it's gone. So I carefully walk back the way I came, keeping an eye out for the pheasant.
Pyrgo House, Playground for Princess’s Mary and Elizabeth, daughters of Henry VIII.
At the woodland's edge stands a pair of iron gateposts which once marked the entrance to the grand residence of Pyrgo. Nothing now remains of the house save this one rusting sentinel. In the 16th century, Pyrgo played an important role in determining the royal succession. Henry VIII had seen little of his second daughter, Elizabeth, since her mother's execution in 1536. In 1542, Henry VIII met her when he summoned both of his daughters to dine with him at the ancient house. Henry was impressed by Elizabeth and her sister, Mary, and decided to reinstate their place in the line of royal succession. This was confirmed by Parliament in 1544, restoring the sisters to their place after Edward thus giving England one of her finest monarchs when Elizabeth became Queen.
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| Pygro Palace |
I walk on passing Home Farm, a Equestrian centre.
As I walk I saw a Buzzard and shortly afterwards I saw a Red Kite pictured above soaring above me.
I walk through the field next to some more sweetcorn.
I follow a path through a field and through a kissing gate at the bottom and into a wood.
This path leads me out onto a track to leads to Two Oaks and Randalls Car Breakers.
I emerge out onto Broxhill Road that I follow uphill back towards Havering-atte-Bower.
I take a path on my right off Broxhill Road and head uphill back towards the way I came across earlier.
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| View through the corn to the Water Tower. |
I join the path where, I first met the pheasant, thankfully he isn't here.
I follow my footsteps from earlier, always looks a little different from another angle.
I see the Roundhouse, that I didn't see walking down. It really does make a difference walking the same path in a different direction.
The Round House is a Grade II* listed late Georgian elliptical stuccoed villa located on Broxhill Road in Havering-atte-Bower, London. The house was built between 1792 and 1794 by John Plaw for William Sheldon.
The building houses a residential recording studio called The Hideaway, created by Imogen Heap in 2006.
I am now back at the car and a nice walk, well apart from the Pheasant attack!
