Upminster, Hornchurch, Barking and Rainham

This should have been a trip to try out a new camera but the new camera has not yet arrived…

Upminster

This town looks as though it was developed in the 1930s and not redeveloped since then although there are some modern buildings. The church is very old with a tower held up by wooden beams and this contains six bells.
The highlight of Upminster is its windmill. The picture shows the windmill. This is one of the few windmills left in Greater London and is quite a sight. I imagine a good view can be obtained from the top as it is set on a hill but it was closed when I passed on Saturday afternoon!

There was a cricket match in progress on the recreation ground and I paused to think of those immortal lines- does the church clock still stand at ten to three and is there cricket still for tea?

Oh for the sound of willow on leather.

Hornchurch

Busy suburb town with a Woolworths and olde inne (lots of new ones too). People in Hornchurch like to drink, play bingo (the Mecca Bingo Hall was open when I called) and have homeopathy, these being a few of the services on offer in the main street. There is also the Queens Theatre.

Barking

Nobody smiles in Barking.

Rainham

A pleasant surprise! A little 10th Century church, the peace memorial is striking - a truncated clock tower and there are two old inns and Rainham Hall, only open on Saturdays by written appointment with the tenant. I could not get into the church as there was a wedding party when I called but the outside is a gem. There were also lots of wild blackberries but the best I saw were on the railway cutting and thus inaccessible.