Romford offers several distinct points of interest for a stay: the large open-air market in the heart of the town, Havering Museum, Raphael Park and Brookside Theatre. The themes range from market history and local heritage to a park with a historic water feature and workshops for school groups. If you are considering what will shape your stay, it helps to distinguish between these highlights: a market, a museum, a park and a theatre each represent a different kind of connection to the town.

Romford Market

Romford Market is a large open-air retail market in the heart of Romford. It opened in 1247 by royal decree. This brings together a specific type of market and a clearly dated historical origin. The market is of interest for travel planning both as a present-day retail market and for its history. Compared with the museum, the focus here is on the opening of a place of trade; at Havering Museum, galleries and exhibitions explore the past.

Havering Museum

Havering Museum has two permanent galleries that explore local history through a range of themes, and hosts exhibitions about Havering’s past. The permanent galleries maintain a focus on local history through a range of themes; the exhibitions look at Havering’s past. The museum is also located on part of the site of the former Romford Brewery. This adds a specific historical connection to the site and a link to the former Romford Brewery to the museum’s themes.

Raphael Park and Black's Lake

Raphael Park covers 44 acres. Black's Lake is an original 18th-century water feature in the park. The acreage gives a sense of its scale, while the lake provides a historical connection to the site. These describe different aspects of the same park: its size and a water feature that is among its original features. This adds a natural landscape highlight to the cultural themes.

Brookside Theatre

Brookside Theatre is located in the historic buildings of the Romford War Memorial. It offers tailored workshops for students and school groups. The historic location and the group offering answer two different planning questions: where is the theatre based, and what specific offering is available for learners and groups? If you are planning a trip with a school group, the workshop is the specific format on offer; the location in the historic buildings provides an additional connection to the area.

Comparing historical connections

The historical connections also differ in nature. The market dates back to 1247 and a royal decree; Black's Lake is an original 18th-century water feature. At Brookside Theatre, the historic buildings of the Romford War Memorial define its location, while Havering Museum occupies part of the site of the former Romford Brewery. This allows you to distinguish between market history, park history and historic buildings as locations.

Discover more destinations: Rainham, Hornchurch.

For the overview of the wider area: Havering.