Havering-atte-Bower

"HAVERING-atte-BOWER, a parish in the liberty of HAVERING-atte-BOWER, county of ESSEX, 3 miles (N.) from Romford, containing 352 inhabitants. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the peculiar jurisdiction of the court for the liberty, endowed with £400 private benefaction, and £600 royal bounty. John Heaton, Esq. was patron in 1784. The church is dedicated to St. John the Evangelist. A free school is endowed with £10 per annum, but the house is dilapidated, there being no trustees. This place was originally held in ancient demesne by the Saxon kings, and was the favourite residence of Edward the Confessor, who built a palace here, of which there are still some vestiges. The name is derived from a ring given to the Confessor by a pilgrim, according to a legendary tale, the particulars of which are recorded in basso relievo on a screen which separates the chapel of Edward from the altar in Westminster abbey. The liberty comprises also the parishes of Hornchurch and Romford." [From Samuel Lewis A Topographical Dictionary of England (1831) - copyright Mel Lockie 2016]