It historically formed a large ancient parish in the county of Essex that became the manor and liberty of Havering.

The economic history of Hornchurch is underpinned by a shift away from agriculture to other industries with the growing significance of nearby Romford as a market town and centre of administration.

Hornchurch Cutting is a Site of Special Scientific Interest just north of St Andrews Park which exhibits the geology.

[8] The priory claimed exclusive spiritual authority within the ancient parish of Hornchurch which was the same area as the manor of Havering at this time.

The Parliament of England authorised the king to confiscate the property of alien religious houses that supported the Avignon Papacy in 1379.

[14] Stafford Allen and Sons set up a chemical factory in Ardleigh Green, adjacent to the railway tracks, after their first choice of a nearby site in Gidea Park was rejected in 1919.

The royal manor of Havering, which was conterminous with the ancient parish of Hornchurch, enjoyed special status and a charter in 1465 removed it from the Becontree hundred and the county of Essex to instead form an independent liberty.

The urban district was significantly expanded in 1934 when the parishes of Cranham, Rainham, Upminster, Wennington and part of Great Warley were added.

[7] In 1886 the parish authorities of St Leondard Shoreditch purchased 80 acres of Harrow Lodge Farm for the construction of the Hornchurch cottage homes that opened in 1889.

It was a large village with scattered groups of houses throughout rest the parish and in the northwest the built up area of Romford extended into it.

[14] The growth of Hornchurch from rural village to suburban town began with the sale of the southern 200 acres (0.81 km2) of Nelmes manor for the Emerson Park housing estate of 200 homes in 1895.

[29] 60 further houses were built by Hornchurch Urban District Council on Suttons Avenue and Park Lane from 1928.

[30] The construction of the dual carriageways of the Southend Arterial Road between 1925 and 1940 cut off the Harold Wood part of the parish from the rest.

[31] Hornchurch was quickly built upon as part of the interwar private housing boom that saw workers migrate from the inner districts of London.

This was encouraged by the introduction of the electric District Railway service from 1932 and the availability of cheap agricultural land for development.

In 1930 the development of the Wych Elm Farm estate caused an arbitration case which only partially upheld the restrictive covenant on the size of houses that could be built.

[36] In 1932 the Hardley Green, Harold Wood Hall, Lee Gardens and Redden Court estates were being built.

During the Second World War, the airfield was known as RAF Hornchurch, and was home mostly to a number of Spitfire squadrons, with an advanced sub-station at Rayleigh.

During the First World War a large vacant country estate called Grey Towers on Hornchurch Road was commandeered by the Army Council as a military depot.

Harold Wood, Hylands and Harrow Lodge, South Hornchurch, Squirrels Heath and St Andrew's.

The town lies about 82 feet (25 m) above sea level, 15.2 miles (24.5 km) east-northeast of Charing Cross in Central London.

Hornchurch is identified in the London Plan as a local district centre with 31,000 square metres (330,000 sq ft) of commercial floorspace.

There are two other Anglican parish churches: Holy Cross in Hornchurch Road, and St George's in Kenilworth Gardens, both built in the 20th century.

[48] Hornchurch Drum & Trumpet Corps Boys marching band formed in 1959 and perform around the country.

The Kemp & Tasker building, which was converted into a bingo hall in 1973, is noted for its Art Deco architecture.

The Rom skatepark is located in the west of Hornchurch and is a Grade II listed structure.