I I I I I I DAGENHAM EAST STATION I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I

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I I I I 3 I I T I I I I 04 I I I I 01 I I I I I I I I

I I I I DAGENHAM EAST STATION I I H I I I I 05 EASTBROOKEND COUNTRY PARK I I I I I I I Beam River 1 I I I I 02 I I I I 06 I I I I Beam Valley Country Park

I 4 A 03 2 Bridge M 07

E 08 S 1 Exit Dagenham East Station and turn Brettons Farm C right to light controlled pedestrian K crossing just over the brown of the Beam River H L hill. Once across turn right and walk A A downhill for about 30 yards. SE W

2 Turn left and enter the Beam BEAM RIVER Valley Country Park - there is a 5 sign as you enter. Follow the 5 09 7 path. FORD LANE

3 Keep going for about 50 yards on RAINHAM ROAD the path until it turns right. Follow it for another 100 yards. On the FORD LANE left you will see the bridge over the

river Beam. GROVE PARK ROAD

4 Cross the bridge and follow the path for a short distance. After many years, a bridge across the Beam SOUTH END ROAD 8 River connecting the Chase path in Barking and Dagenham 10 and Brettons Farm in Havering was constructed in 2014 from a Big Green Fund grant. This helps to provide access from Eastbrookend Country Park to the Ingrebourne Valley.

5 There is a cross path. Keep going straight and you will reach some BRETONS CENTRE houses. Follow the path round in a ‘u’ and go past some allotments Ingrebourne Hill at the end and by a tree line turn right towards the road. 11 6 Cross Rainham road and look slightly right for Ford Lane. 9

7 Follow Ford Lane into Grove Park Road - this will lead you into STILLWELL LAKE Ingrebourne Country Park. Here you can join the second part of the walk to Rainham Station. 12 8 Entering the park from Hornchurch country park its a short walk 100 yards to Ingrebourne. Upon entering you have the choice of 2 pathes, the one to the right runs round the outer edge of the park, this walk runs alongside a horse ride. The party is straight

ahead and will take you directly to the car park. Care should be MOUNTAIN BIKING taken on this path as it is crossed by a mountain bike track in two places.

9 The centre path is part of the London link pathway, so when you I I I Dovers I exit the park keep on the right hand side of the road. Follow this I I Corner I I I down to the Dovers Corner roundabout passing the public house I I I I on your right. The crossings are pedestrian controlled. Signs for I I INGREBOURNE HILL I I I the London link are on the lamp posts. Moving towards Tesco I I I I I there is a footpath on your right alongside the river it regrettably I I I TESCOS I I does not lead anywhere. You have now reached Tesco. I I I I I I 13 10 I I I 10 Exit from the car park from Tesco’s main entrance or via a small I I HOUSES & BUILDINGS I I I14 11 alleyway. If you choose the alley there is a mural on the wall to I I I TREES/HEDGES I your right and you will exit opposite the parish church of St I I I 15 I I RAINHAM STATION FARMLAND Helens and St Giles. To the right is the war memorial (currently I I I I under restoration). Turn to your left and follow the road - on I I I GRASSLAND I I your left is Rainham Hall owned by the National Trus.t I I I I MARSHLAND I I I I I - - - - - ROUTE RAINHAM CHURCH I 11 There is a signpost on the corner showing Ferry Lane. Follow this I I I for 100 yards. This will take you to Rainham Station where you I I I I I I I I RAILWAY I I I I catch a local train towards London or Southend. I I I

of East London and Essex. Essex. and London East of

We really hope you had a great time exploring this hidden area area hidden this exploring time great a had you hope really We purposes. topsoil; large scale seeding was undertaken using wild flower flower wild using undertaken was seeding scale large topsoil;

other great routes. great other amenity and leisure for Havering by bought was land much The landfill was capped with a layer of impermeable clay and and clay impermeable of layer a with capped was landfill The

your friends and family to come and join you on one of the the of one on you join and come to family and friends your and property the and needed longer no was farm sewage land.

and hopefully encourage encourage hopefully and the 1976 By farm. sewage a as use for 1869 in Board Local undulating landscape on what was formerly land filled derelict derelict filled land formerly was what on landscape undulating

can then share your views using the social media sharing button, button, sharing media social the using views your share then can Romford the to sold was it until family Dare the in remained it

1990s with large scale earth moving to develop an interesting, interesting, an develop to moving earth scale large with 1990s

5 1 Once you’ve experienced one of these trails on the app, you you app, the on trails these of one experienced you’ve Once and death Hopkin's John the on farm the over took Dare John The creation of Eastbrookend Country Park started in the the in started Park Country Eastbrookend of creation The

restore and open up this hidden piece of London’s history. London’s of piece hidden this up open and restore wall. garden

Country Park. Country

4 0 funders, Rainham Hall are working on an exciting project to to project exciting an on working are Hall Rainham funders, a and barns built brick two with along listed is and staircase You can take this bridge and walk towards Eastbrookend Eastbrookend towards walk and bridge this take can You

generous support of the Heritage Lottery Fund and grant grant and Fund Lottery Heritage the of support generous the including features original its of much retains house The Dagenham plant by 2013. 2013. by plant Dagenham

Rainham Hall has been quietly biding its time. Now, with the the with Now, time. its biding quietly been has Hall Rainham miserliness. his for Sanofi-Aventis announced their intention to close the the close to intention their announced Sanofi-Aventis

landscape of big skies, wild marshland and thriving industry, industry, thriving and marshland wild skies, big of landscape known well was Hopkins style. Palladen in time this rebuilt, again changed the Dagenham site owner to Sanofi-Aventis. In 2009 2009 In Sanofi-Aventis. to owner site Dagenham the changed

eastern fringes of London. Surrounded by a contrasting contrasting a by Surrounded London. of fringes eastern was house the century 17th the in occupation up took Hopkins Later on, a further merger with Sanofi-Synthelabo in 2004, 2004, in Sanofi-Synthelabo with merger further a on, Later

The hall is nestled in the heart of Rainham village on the far far the on village Rainham of heart the in nestled is hall The John When built. was house Elizabethan new a occupation R&D at the site in July 2000. July in site the at R&D

local and regional history. regional and local their during and family Ayloffe the to sassed then Bretons company name to Aventis, and also instigated the loss of of loss the instigated also and Aventis, to name company

witness of the river trade which forms an important part of of part important an forms which trade river the of witness miles. for visible just Pharmaceuticals), merged with Hoechst and changed the the changed and Hoechst with merged Pharmaceuticals), just

of Rainham Village in the 18th century. It is a rare surviving surviving rare a is It century. 18th the in Village Rainham of it makign Church Hornchurch on steeple a build to bequest In 1999 the company was split – the Dagenham site (now (now site Dagenham the – split was company the 1999 In

for his trading activities, which were a factor in the development development the in factor a were which activities, trading his for a left death his on who Scargill Thomas by occupied was May & Baker name until the 1980s. the until name Baker & May

The hall and its cluster of associated buildings were a focal point point focal a were buildings associated of cluster its and hall The house its name. In the middle of the 15th century the house house the century 15th the of middle the In name. its house East London, although they continued to trade under the the under trade to continued they although London, East

and ship’s captain, John Harle. John captain, ship’s and occupied it between the 12th and 14th centuries giving the the giving centuries 14th and 12th the between it occupied Poulenc) in 1922, and subsequently moved to Dagenham, Dagenham, to moved subsequently and 1922, in Poulenc)

Queen Anne house, built in 1729 by an enterprising merchant merchant enterprising an by 1729 in built house, Anne Queen Radulphus Briton inherited the house and who's family family who's and house the inherited Briton Radulphus

(later to become Societe des Usines Chimiques Rhone- Chimiques Usines des Societe become to (later

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Rainham Hall is a charming and remarkably fine example of a a of example fine remarkably and charming a is Hall Rainham The first mention of a house on this site is 1177 when when 1177 is site this on house a of mention first The The company was bought by Etablissements Poulenc Freres Freres Poulenc Etablissements by bought was company The

died in that war were also added to the memorial. the to added also were war that in died approach Bretons House. Bretons approach for research & development. & research for

7 0 War. After the Second World War, the names of those who who those of names the War, World Second the After War. If you take a detour, and carry on walking straight you will will you straight walking on carry and detour, a take you If Photographic, Pharmaceuticals, Agrochemicals and chemicals chemicals and Agrochemicals Pharmaceuticals, Photographic,

Many of these memorials were erected after the First World World First the after erected were memorials these of Many cross the River Rom at the top of Beam Valley. Beam of top the at Rom River the cross years they diversified into other chemical fields including including fields chemical other into diversified they years

War II (20 names). (20 II War The River Beam gets its name from a beam bridge that used to to used that bridge beam a from name its gets Beam River The of chemicals derived from Mercury and Bismuth. Over the the Over Bismuth. and Mercury from derived chemicals of

were killed or missing in World War I (159 names) and World World and names) (159 I War World in missing or killed were which were also one of the earliest in Essex. in earliest the of one also were which London in 1851. They initially specialised in the manufacture manufacture the in specialised initially They 1851. in London

3 1 This memorial commemorates the residents of Rainham who who Rainham of residents the commemorates memorial This Dagenham sprawled out from these early Saxon developments, developments, Saxon early these from out sprawled Dagenham

It was started by Mr. May and Mr. Baker in Wandsworth, Wandsworth, in Baker Mr. and May Mr. by started was It

3 0 side of the lake then over the top of Ingrebourne Hill. Ingrebourne of top the over then lake the of side Dagenham was founded at the upper limits of the River Beam. Beam. River the of limits upper the at founded was Dagenham May & Baker was a British chemical company. chemical British a was Baker & May

be enjoyed. To the left a gravel footpath goes around the north north the around goes footpath gravel a left the To enjoyed. be Dagenham. ground. ground.

At Stillwell Lake there is a picnic area with plenty of wildfowl to to wildfowl of plenty with area picnic a is there Lake Stillwell At Borough of Havering and the London Borough of Barking and and Barking of Borough London the and Havering of Borough - Under London the to transferred ownership 1969 in and

06 aircraft during the Battle of Britain. of Battle the during aircraft Beam River forms the boundary between the London London the between boundary the forms River Beam in 1948 management of the station passed to British Railways Railways British to passed station the of management 1948 in

Distinguished Flying Cross for destroying several German German several destroying for Cross Flying Distinguished during the war. the during current name in 1949.[2] After nationalisation of the railways railways the of nationalisation After 1949.[2] in name current

in WW2, who was based at RAF Hornchurch and won the the won and Hornchurch RAF at based was who WW2, in memorials are found in the true-life experiences of those alive alive those of experiences true-life the in found are memorials

Heathway in 1932 and Dagenham East was renamed to its its to renamed was East Dagenham and 1932 in Heathway

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The lake is named after Squadron Leader Stillwell, Spitfire pilot pilot Spitfire Stillwell, Leader Squadron after named is lake The reminder of the borough’s wartime role, but more vivid vivid more but role, wartime borough’s the of reminder

eastern perimeter. An additional station was opened at at opened was station additional An perimeter. eastern

Specially built track for mountain biking mountain for track built Specially Some of them can still be seen today, serving as a permanent permanent a as serving today, seen be still can them of Some 1 1 the Becontree estate in the late 1920s, of which it was on the the on was it which of 1920s, late the in estate Becontree the

bike track. bike Dagenham East Station. East Dagenham at Bow. The station was in a rural location until the building of of building the until location rural a in was station The Bow. at

space with new trees, benches, paths and a dedicated mountain mountain dedicated a and paths benches, trees, new with space placed along the rear of Western Avenue and ran along to to along ran and Avenue Western of rear the along placed District Railway, who connected to the main line at a junction junction a at line main the to connected who Railway, District

Ingrebourne Hill, offering the local community a public green green public a community local the offering Hill, Ingrebourne invasion became real, anti-tank defences and pillboxes were were pillboxes and defences anti-tank real, became invasion From 1902 to 1905 the station was served by trains of the the of trains by served was station the 1905 to 1902 From

In 2007 the Forestry Commission took on management of of management on took Commission Forestry the 2007 In As the Nazis began bombarding London and the threat of of threat the and London bombarding began Nazis the As station was extensively refurbished by Metronet. by refurbished extensively was station

way to London. to way prisoner of war camp. war of prisoner trace remaining of the station's Victorian origins. In 2006 the the 2006 In origins. Victorian station's the of remaining trace

the highest point in the area, and from here you can see all the the all see can you here from and area, the in point highest the including using German and Italian workers from a nearby nearby a from workers Italian and German using including typical railway architectural style for the period, with little little with period, the for style architectural railway typical

the site, and created the ‘Hill’ you see today. The top of the hill is is hill the of top The today. see you ‘Hill’ the created and site, the The companies used whatever manpower they had available, available, had they manpower whatever used companies The date from the introduction of electric services in 1932 and of of and 1932 in services electric of introduction the from date

In the early 2000s, Ingrebourne Valley Limited began restoring restoring began Limited Valley Ingrebourne 2000s, early the In Baker produced items such as medical supplies. medical as such items produced Baker 1885 and was called Dagenham. The current station buildings buildings station current The Dagenham. called was and 1885

60s. After being capped, the land stood empty for many years. many for empty stood land the capped, being After 60s. Ford produced military vehicles and engines while May and and May while engines and vehicles military produced Ford line station on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway in in Railway Southend and Tilbury London, the on station line

for gravel extraction in the 1950s, then filled with landfill in the the in landfill with filled then 1950s, the in extraction gravel for (later Sanofi-Aventis). (later exits or entrances a year. The station was opened as a main main a as opened was station The year. a entrances or exits

As with many areas of land in east London, this site was used used was site this London, east in land of areas many with As Company and pharmaceuticals manufacturer May and Baker Baker and May manufacturer pharmaceuticals and Company usage for a suburban station, with approximately 2 million million 2 approximately with station, suburban a for usage

past this was a very different story. different very a was this past to a number of industry giants such as the Ford Motor Motor Ford the as such giants industry of number a to west and Elm Park to the east. The station has moderate moderate has station The east. the to Park Elm and west

Today, you can enjoy a relaxing public green space, but in the the in but space, green public relaxing a enjoy can you Today, In a prime location close to the Thames, Dagenham was home home was Dagenham Thames, the to close location prime a In Zone 5 and is located between Dagenham Heathway to the the to Heathway Dagenham between located is and 5 Zone

Ingrebourne Hill! Ingrebourne by the military to fight. to military the by London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. The station is in in is station The Dagenham. and Barking of Borough London

You might be surprised at what’s under your feet at at feet your under what’s at surprised be might You producing the goods and, of course, providing the men needed needed men the providing course, of and, goods the producing

District line, located in the suburb of Dagenham, in the the in Dagenham, of suburb the in located line, District

Commission waymarker, which has a map of Ingrebourne Hill. Ingrebourne of map a has which waymarker, Commission Barking and Dagenham during the Second World War – – War World Second the during Dagenham and Barking 2 0 Dagenham East is a London Underground station on the the on station Underground London a is East Dagenham

there is an entrance to Ingrebourne Hill, with a Forestry Forestry a with Hill, Ingrebourne to entrance an is there In many ways this was a sign of the role to be undertaken by by undertaken be to role the of sign a was this ways many In you to explore these wonderful green spaces. green wonderful these explore to you

0 1 Opposite the junction of Avalon Road and Grove Park Road Road Park Grove and Road Avalon of junction the Opposite William Congreve. William

Big Green Destinations app has been designed to encourage encourage to designed been has app Destinations Green Big

Cross carefully at the junction. the at carefully Cross weapon used during the Napoleonic War and invented by Sir Sir by invented and War Napoleonic the during used weapon 09 the River Thames at Rainham Riverside. The Thames Chase Chase Thames The Riverside. Rainham at Thames River the

because of their unfavourable conservation status in Europe. in status conservation unfavourable their of because what were known as Congreve Rockets, a British military military British a Rockets, Congreve as known were what Dagenham East station, the Thames Chase Forest Centre and and Centre Forest Chase Thames the station, East Dagenham

5 0 management of watercourses. Kingfishers are amber listed listed amber are Kingfishers watercourses. of management In 1870 Dagenham became home to a factory producing producing factory a to home became Dagenham 1870 In strategic east to west and north to south green links between between links green south to north and west to east strategic

and habitat degradation through pollution or unsympathetic unsympathetic or pollution through degradation habitat and on their doorstop. their on Destinations project aim is to create and complete vital vital complete and create to is aim project Destinations

above the water's surface. They are a vulnerable to hard winters winters hard to vulnerable a are They surface. water's the above with the chance to experience the pleasure of the countryside countryside the of pleasure the experience to chance the with park at Rainham marshes. The Thames Chase Big Green Green Big Chase Thames The marshes. Rainham at park

and hunt fish from riverside perches, occasionally hovering hovering occasionally perches, riverside from fish hunt and The park officially opened in 1995 and provides local people people local provides and 1995 in opened officially park The becomes estuary and the emerging wild space conservation conservation space wild emerging the and estuary becomes

of slow moving or still water. They fly rapidly, low over water, water, over low rapidly, fly They water. still or moving slow of 84-hectare site. 84-hectare Community Forest - the place where the River Thames Thames River the where place the - Forest Community

Kingfishers are small unmistakable bright blue and orange birds birds orange and blue bright unmistakable small are Kingfishers more than 50,000 small trees (whips) were planted across the the across planted were (whips) trees small 50,000 than more

West Essex, is the 40 square miles of the Thames Chase Chase Thames the of miles square 40 the is Essex, West

08 Kingfishers can be seen across this stretch of the trail. the of stretch this across seen be can Kingfishers grassland mixes that are particularly suited to poor soils and and soils poor to suited particularly are that mixes grassland 1 0 On the edge of East London, and reaching out into South South into out reaching and London, East of edge the On

DAGENHAM STATION The station was opened as a main line station in 1885 and Thames Chase - was called Dagenham. The current station buildings date from the introduction of electric services in 1932 and of typical Community Forest railway architectural style for the period, with little trace Transforming remaining of the station's Victorian origins. In 2006 the station Environmental improvements within the borders of was extensively refurbished by Metronet. Thames Chase Community Forest are all around landscapes, transforming BEAM VALLEY COUNTRY PARK you in the many green spaces that are enjoyed This country park in Dagenham runs alongside the River through its 40 sq miles of countryside. lives Beam, from Dagenham Village and the railway in the north almost all the way to New Road in the south, opposite the This landscape regeneration project is now being Ford plant. managed by the Thames Chase Trust. The area has been partly worked for gravel, leaving a wide The Forest Centre provides information about the diversity of habitats, with wet and dry grassland, tall herbs and Community Forest and scrub, and one small area of willow woodland, a scarce habitat in London. Dense wetland vegetation grows alongside a focus for community the river in places, especially in the northern section and activities. There is a along the Wantz Stream in the south. Snipe sometimes find wide range of events refuge here in winter, kingfishers are seen regularly, and reed warblers and reed buntings breed. Skylarks breed in the drier to interest all ages - grassland. The valley is also worth a visit in migration periods, pick up a leaflet at the because migrating birds follow the Dagenham Corridor – of which the Beam Valley forms a part – through London. Forest Centre. A series of ponds have been created and these are used for breeding by great crested newts and other amphibians. 10ha of reedbed and wetland have been created at the southern Opening Hours end by the Wantz Stream in a flood defence area that still Visitor Centre: serves its original function, flooding in winter. 10am - 5pm every day. (Late March to October) Remnants of World War II defences can still be seen and one 10am - 4pm each day. (November to Late March) pillbox has been converted into a bat cave, providing a secure Destination walk from: space for roosting. Site: Daily; 8.30am - to dusk. Dagenham East Station to BEAM RIVER (RIVER ROM) The River Rom, also known as the River Beam below its Car parking confluence with the Ravensbourne, is a tributary of the River Rainham Station Thames in England that flows through east London suburbs A fixed daily donation to Thames Chase Trust payable surrounding the metropolitan centre of Romford, forming the at the ticket machine. 4 miles (approx) boundary between the London boroughs of Barking and Dagenham and Havering. The Rom is culverted for a brief Thames Chase Walks are sponsored by (approx) midsection as it passes through the centre of Romford. 2 hours

INGREBOURNE HILL App for Android Walk the dog, jog, ride your horse or mountain bike, picnic or and IPhone play, perhaps just kick back and relax. /Thames Chase With 4km of pathways and connections to Hornchurch Country Park, you can do it all on Ingrebourne Hill. For more information and to make bookings please ring There’s a great deal to look out for at Ingrebourne Hill. 01708 642970 or call at The Thames Chase Forest Centre, T

Whether it’s mountain bikes hurtling around the specially Pike Lane, Upminster RM14 3NS H K built track, spotting distant sights from its viewing point, taking E-mail: [email protected] A L in relaxing views whilst enjoying a picnic beside the lake, Web site: www.thameschase.org.uk M A watching children playing in the Spitfire Scramble play area, or ES W just observing the wildlife. Charity no. 1115627. Company No. 5687558 CHASE Design & Artwork by P A Vine Mobile: 07940570194 Email: [email protected] Thames Chase Trust