7 October 2025
St Edward's Church in Romford has recently celebrated its 175th anniversary, with a series of events and services to bring the community together and celebrate different eras in the church's history.
Events hosted at the church have included:
- An exhibition of the church's history in conjunction with Havering Libraries
- A Victorian themed service
- A tea dance
- An 80's disco
- A special service of commemoration on 21 September
For generations of people in Romford, St Edward's has been “the church in the Market Place”, occupying a unique position both geographically and in the religious life of Romford. St Edward’s in the Market Place, is dedicated to local Saint Edward the Confessor and St Mary the Virgin. King Edward (who was canonised as a saint in 1161) reigned from 1042 to 1066 spending much of his time at his Palace at Havering. The present church building dates from 1850 and cost £7,000 to build from funds raised by subscription and aided by New College, Oxford and the Church Building Society.
It wasn't the first church on the site though, with records indicating the presence of a church as early as 1177.
