Cranham
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Cranham | |
  Cranham shown within Greater London |
|
| OS grid reference | |
|---|---|
| London borough | Havering |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | London |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | UPMINSTER |
| Postcode district | RM14 |
| Dialling code | 01708 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| European Parliament | London |
| UK Parliament | Upminster |
| London Assembly | Havering and Redbridge |
| List of places: UK • England • London | |
Cranham is a place in the London Borough of Havering. It is a suburban development situated 17.4 miles (28 km) east north-east of Charing Cross. Its name is first recorded in 1086 as Craohv, meaning "spur of land frequented by crows".[1]
It is still sometimes referred to as a village despite forming the easternmost edge of London's continuous urban sprawl. To the north of Cranham is the Southend Arterial Road and to the east the M25 motorway.[2]
Contents |
[edit] History
Cranham was historically two Anglo-Saxon manors, named Crauoho and Bishop's Ockendon. The latter name was frequently used in the Middle Ages for the whole parish, and appears even in late 19th century legal documents. The ancient parish boundaries were sub-triangular, and elongated north-south with an extreme length of 3.5 miles (5.6 km). The southern boundary was about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) across, but the parish tapered to a northern boundary that was only 5/8 mile (1 km) long. Rectilinear field boundaries in the south of the parish suggest a middle Saxon (or earlier) occupation.
Until the mid-20th century, Cranham was a small village. Its only industries have been the railways and a brick works in the late 19th and early 20th centuries located in its east-central part, with a railway spur; the area is now a large public open space called the "Brick Fields". The moderately sized, coppiced wood of oak and hornbeam adjoining this area to its east is called Frank's Wood, although this is also known locally as the "Bluebell Wood" because of its spectacular flowering in Spring.
Perhaps the most famous resident of Cranham was General James Oglethorpe who founded the 13th and last American colony, which is now the State of Georgia, USA. He is buried alongside his wife at the centre of the chancel of All Saints' parish church in Cranham.
From 1894 the Cranham parish formed part of the Romford Rural District of Essex. In 1934 the parish was enlarged by gaining North Ockendon and Romford Rural District was abolished. The enlarged parish then formed part of Hornchurch Urban District, with a small part to the north, near Great Warley, transferred to Brentwood Urban District. Cranham parish and Hornchurch Urban District were abolished in 1965 and their former area was transferred to Greater London, to form part of the present-day London Borough of Havering.[3]
In 1993 the Greater London boundary, to the east of Cranham and north of the railway line, was locally realigned to the M25 motorway.[4]
[edit] Transport
Cranham is the location of the Upminster depot of the London Underground's District Line on the former Guyler's Farm. There is not a station here; a site was acquired for a station on the Ockendon branch of the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway; but it was never built and is now occupied by a development known as Judith Anne Court. However, Transport for London provide several London Bus routes, including London Buses route 248, which connect to the Underground and National Rail network at Upminster station.[5]
[edit] Nearest places
[edit] Nearest station
[edit] References
- ^ Mills, D., Oxford Dictionary of London Place Names, (2000)
- ^ Streetmap - Location shown relative to A127 and M25
- ^ Vision of Britain - Cranham parish history
- ^ OPSI - Essex and Greater London (County and London Borough Boundaries) (No.2) Order 1993
- ^ Transport for London - Upminster and Cranham bus services
[edit] External links
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