Parish Church of St Edward the Confessor

The Parish Church of St Edward the Confessor stands in Romford’s Market Place, a Gothic Revival building completed in 1850. It replaced an earlier church on the same site, first recorded in the late 14th century. The architect John Johnson designed the present structure using Kentish ragstone and Bath stone, with carved corbels taken from John Nash’s demolished Quadrant in Regent Street. Inside, the nave has five bays with clerestory and a west gallery added later. Two vestries were added in 1885, and the church contains monuments by sculptor Cornelius Cure. The church is worth visiting for its historic fabric and art. The stained glass includes windows by Charles Edmund Clutterbuck on the east and three by William Wailes in the south chapel. A silver communion set donated by a parishioner and made by John Turner of New Bond Street is displayed. The spire reaches 162 feet and was repaired in 1992 after wartime damage. The church was listed Grade II* in 1952, recognising its architectural importance. Visitors find a spacious nave with north and south aisles, a chancel, and a Lady Chapel. The west gallery houses an organ installed in 1979. Outside, the churchyard is separated from the Market Place by a wall that may date to the 14th century. An oak carving of St Edward the Confessor was placed in the main porch in 2001. The interior pews were replaced with chairs in 2002, and kitchen and toilet facilities were added the same year.