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More about Ilford

Ilford was historically known as Great Ilford to differentiate it from nearby Little Ilford, in the London Borough of Newham The only complete skull of a Mammoth discovered in the United Kingdom was unearthed in 1860 at the site where Boots the Chemist now stands in the High Road; the skull can now be seen in the Natural History Museum.

Redevelopment has destroyed much of the evidence for early Ilford, but the oldest evidence for human occupation is the 1st and 2nd century BC Iron Age earthwork known as Uphall Camp. This was situated between the Roding and Ilford Lane and is recorded in 18th century plans. Roman finds have also been made in the vicinity. A nearby mound called Lavender Mount existed into the 1960s, when it was removed during building work at Howards chemical works. Excavation has shown that the latter may have been a 16th century 'beacon-mound'.

Ilford straddled the important road from London to Colchester, again likely to be of Roman origin, and also (in historic times) was the main crossing point of the marshes, providing the only land access from London to Barking and Tilbury. Barking was the site of Barking Abbey, an important Christian centre from 666AD, and a major fishing port from the Middle Ages. Tilbury achieved importance in the Tudor era as a fort, and later as a port. The Middlesex and Essex Turnpike Trust controlled and maintained this road from 1721. The River Roding was also made navigable for barges as far as Ilford Bridge from 1737

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