32. GREAT ILFORD. (C.c.)
(O.S. 6 in. (a)lxv. S.E. (b)lxvi. S.W. (c)lxxiii. S.E.)
Great Ilford is a parish and suburb of London
formerly part of and adjoining the parish of Barking
on the N. The Chapel of St. Mary and St. Thomas
is of interest.
Roman
c(1). Near Valentines, about 1 m. E. of the River
Roding, Roman burials were found in 1724 and
1746; and about 1 m. further N. in gravel pits
at Carswell, near St. Swithin's Farm, much pottery
has been turned up at various times in association
with pieces of clay belonging to wattle and daub huts.
Roman pottery, including 2nd-century "Samian",
has been found in Uphall Camp, and urns containing
burnt human bones are said to have come from
here. The earthwork itself has no resemblance to
pre-Roman work. (See Sectional Preface, p. xxviii.)
Ecclesiastical
c(2). Ilford Hospital, chapel and almshouses,
stands on the S. side of Ilford Hill. The Hospital
was founded about 1140 by Adeliza, Abbess of
Barking. The Chapel of St. Mary and St. Thomas
of Canterbury has rubble walls covered with
cement; the roofs are tiled. The Chancel and
Nave were apparently re-built early in the 14th
century. In the 19th century the building was
drastically restored and the North Porch, Organ
Chamber, South Aisle, Chapel and Vestry were
added and the nave probably extended towards the
west.
Ilford Hospital Chapel, Plan
Architectural Description—The Chancel (21 ft.
by 16½ ft.) has an early 15th-century E. window
of three cinque-foiled lights with vertical tracery
in a two-centred head, all much restored. The
N. and S. walls each have, at the E. end, a late
14th or early 15th-century window probably set
in an earlier opening and of two cinque-foiled
lights with tracery in a two-centred head. The
remaining details are all modern.
The Nave (65 ft. by 16½ ft.) has no ancient
details except two much restored windows of
early 14th-century character and of two trefoiled
lights with tracery in a two-centred head.
Re-set in the S. wall of the S. chapel and S. aisle
are two heads of early 14th-century windows,
similar to those in the nave.
The North Porch has a re-set early 14th-century
outer archway with moulded jambs and a two-centred arch.
Glass Quarries with Badge of Sir John Gresham
Fittings—Monument: In chancel—in S. wall,
said to be of John Smythe, 1475, master of the
hospital, effigy of priest in mass vestments under a
canopy of early Renaissance character, all modern
except the pilasters, etc., on the S. face (Plate
p. 251). Re-set in S. aisle at W. end—panelled
back of this tomb with similar carved early Renaissance pilasters. Glass: In chancel—in N. window,
two panels (Plate p. xxxvii.) with cartouches
of the arms of John Gresham, a cartouche with
his merchants mark and initials and two quarries
of the Gresham badge; a wreathed shield in a
panel of the quartered coat of Dennis, quarries
with flower-ornament, etc., mid or late 16th-century; border of Renaissance ornament, 17th-century; in tracery, an achievement dated 1631
and two shields all of the arms of Ward. In the
S. window eight medallions, probably all foreign,
two with figure-subjects, probably Lot warned
to leave his house and Joab slaying Amasa, the
remainder with shields of arms, one with the
inscription "Van de Balik 1550," all 16th and
17th-century; quarries with conventional foliage;
in tracery, a medallion of the Virgin visiting St.
Elizabeth and two small shields of arms, dated
respectively 1559 and 1569 (Plate p. xxxvii).
Miscellanea: In chancel—re-set in N. wall, foliated
diaper-ornament, probably 16th-century.
Uphall Entrenchments Great Ilford.
The Almshouses form two blocks on the E. and
W. sides of a courtyard, adjoining the chapel
on the N. They are of one storey with brick
walls and tiled roofs, hipped at the ends. Both
blocks were re-built early in the 18th century
and have original solid frames to the windows
and leaded glazing.
Condition—Of chapel, good, much altered;
of almshouses, good.
Secular
a(3) Outbuildings, etc., at Clayhall Farm,
¾ m. W.S.W. of Barking Side church. The House
is modern but re-set in the W: wall are two
cartouches of the arms of Campbell of Clayhall
impaling Corselis, surmounted by balls with the
date and initials 1648 TCH. The Stable W. of the
house was formerly a chapel, consecrated in 1616.
The walls are of brick and the roofs are tiled;
the upper parts of the walls appear to have been
re-built. The S.W. wall has two round-headed
openings, now blocked, with moulded sills inscribed "1659 James Campbell" and "1659
Tho. Campbell"; there are also remains of a
moulded brick cornice. The Granary S. of the
house is of brick, largely refaced. Inside is a
plain stone tablet with the ordinary arms of
Campbell impaling Fanshawe and an inscription
recording the building in 1664 by Sir Thomas
Campbell, Bart., and details of his family.
Condition—Fairly good.
a(4). Gaysham Hall, house and barns, about
½ m. E. of (3). The House is of two storeys;
the walls are of brick and the roofs are tiled. It
was built early in the 17th century and has an
18th-century wing on the S.E. side. Inside the
building, the entrance hall has an original panelled
door and two original doorways with stop-moulded
frames. The room at the W. end is lined with
original panelling; the fireplace is flanked by
coupled and fluted pilasters supporting a panelled
overmantel of three bays divided by fluted
pilasters (Plate p. 247). The room above has a
segmental ceiling and another room on the first
floor has original panelling.
The Barns N.E. of the house are timber-framed
and appear to date from the beginning of the 18th
century.
Condition—Of house, good.
b(5). Cottage, at bend in road 700 yards N.N.W.
of Aldborough Hatch church, is of two storeys
with attics, timber-framed and weather-boarded;
the roofs are tiled. It was built early in the
17th century and has an original chimney-stack of
cross-shaped plan, set diagonally.
Condition—Ruinous.
c(6). Barn at Uphall Farm, ¾ m. S. of (2), is
timber-framed; the roofs are tiled. It was built
probably late in the 16th century.
Condition—Fairly good.
Unclassified
c(7). Uphall Camp (Plan p. 98), situated on
low-lying ground close to the river Roding. The
remaining earthworks consist of a short length of
rampart with an irregularly shaped mound at the
north end, which is known locally as Lavender
Mount, and another short length north of the
farmhouse; there are also traces of the east side
of the camp running parallel with Barking Lane.
An early plan shows part of the north and east
sides of the earthwork and suggests that it was
roughly rectangular in outline. In 1750 the
north, east and south sides are said to have had a
single trench, and the west side a double trench
and bank.
The mound is 21 ft. high and 85 ft. in diameter
at the base. The date of the earthwork is doubtful,
but it does not appear to be pre-Roman.
Condition—Bad; in some danger of destruction.