[4] Drury has suggested that early trade was with the nearby settlements of Romford and Hornchurch and with London via the River Thames at Rainham.

[10] In 1993 the Greater London boundary, to the east of Cranham and north of the railway line, was locally realigned to the M25 motorway, returning some mostly unpopulated areas of open land to Essex and leaving North Ockendon as the only part of Greater London outside the bounds of the motorway.

[11] In the 17th and 18th centuries manorial homes, including Cranham Hall, became attractive properties for merchants from the City of London.

[3] Initial attempts to expand the suburban estates from Upminster in the early 20th century ran into problems because of the lack of water supply.

Cranham's location on the very edge of London's urban sprawl is explained by the halting effect on suburban house building of the introduction of the Metropolitan Green Belt and World War II.

[3][4] Thereafter building took place within the area bounded by the Southend Arterial Road in the north and St Mary's Lane in the south; and there were 615 council houses built by 1971.

Franks Wood and Cranham Brickfields are designated a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation with a habitat of ancient woodland, coppices, ditches, scrub, tall herbs and neutral grassland.

[17] The community forest centre for the extensive Thames Chase is located in the open land to the south east.

All of Cranham is contained within these wards, however they also cover the connected settlement of Upminster and the rural outlier of North Ockendon.

[27] The level of home ownership is atypically high compared to the rest of London and England, with over 90% of housing tenure under owner-occupation in both wards.

[31] There are a number of commercial businesses centred around the A127 Southend Arterial Road including a wholesale butcher, mushroom cultivator, caravan sales, and a sports equipment supplier.

Approximately 0.5 miles (0.80 km) to the northeast it has a junction with the M25 motorway, which forms the outer ring road of London.

The London-Tilbury-Southend line of the National Rail network passes through the area in two places, with the nearest station also at Upminster.

[40] Cranham Social Hall, with a capacity of 100, is separately operated by the Front Lane Community Association, and provides a limited range of activities.