Churches of the British Isles

The nave and chancel were built in the later twelfth century. A north aisle was added about fifty years later. The north chapel, which has an arcade of two bays to the chancel, was added about 1300. The chancel may have been remodelled around this time. The north aisle was given a new doorway and windows in the later fourteenth century. The tower is from the fifteenth century. In 1840 the church was restored, but a more complete restoration was carried out in 1858.

The Parish Church of All Saints Cranham lies in secluded grounds next to Cranham Hall, The Chase, leading south from St Mary's Lane, to the east of Upminster railway station. The earliest reference to the church occurs in 1254. The advowson of the rectory passed with the lordship of the manor of Cranham Hall until the eighteenth century. Since Cranham was a thinly populated parish, the rectors before the Civil War were often non-resident or pluralist or both.

The first church on this site was apparently built in the thirteenth century. It comprised a nave, chancel, south porch, and short weatherboarded west tower. In 1702-1703 the north side of the church was 'ripped up and new piled', but in 1871 the building was said to be in a miserable state of dirt and dilapidation. The decision was taken to replace it with the present Early English style church, which was built in 1873-1875 on the same site, designed by Richard Armstrong.

Upminster Baptist Church sits on the northern side of Springfield Gardens as the road dips south-west and then heads a short way west to Corbets Tey. It is colloquially known as 'the Church on the corner'. A general Baptist church drawing its worshippers from Pilgrim's Hatch, Hornchurch, Aveley, and Upminster originated before 1700. This church started in 1934, with support from North Street Baptist Church, Hornchurch. The church building was opened in 1959.

Upminster Old Chapel lies on the southern side of St Mary's Lane. It was built in 1800 and was known as the Church of the Protestant Dissenters. Attendance grew and a new building was needed, so the chapel was sold to the Plymouth Brethren in 1911. It has been closed since 1986. Behind it lies the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Mary Convent Chapel within the convent and girls school itself. The Sisters bought Hill Place, St Mary's Lane, in 1927 and it continues today.

St Joseph's Catholic Church stands on the north-eastern corner of Champion Road and St Mary's Lane. A small oratory opened on the Hill Place Estate on the same lane about 1881. Services continued until the property was sold in 1888. In 1923 a church was opened on the corner of St Mary's Lane and Sunnyside Gardens (now a petrol station). It closed in 1932 when the present site was gained and a temporary church opened. The present church was built in 1939.

The Parish Church of St Laurence stands inside the large corner between St Mary's Lane and Corbets Tey in Upminster. The name 'Upminster' suggests that an ancient mother church, serving an area wider than the later parish, existed here long before the Conquest. Sadly, no trace remains of it today. The present church was built about 1200. Of that, only the stone tower survives, capped by a shingled and leaded spire with partly thirteenth century framing and four bells.

The religious upheavals of the mid-sixteenth century apparently had little effect on Upminster. In 1573 the church had still not been stripped of all 'popish' features. With the exception of the tower the church was almost wholly rebuilt in 1861-1862, but the form of the earlier building was largely retained. The arcade separating nave and north aisle was one of the few elements retained in the rebuilding, dating from about 1300 with surviving elements of its wooden screen.

St Lawrence Road Gospel Hall (Open Brethren) sits on the southern side of St Lawrence Road, midway along. These Brethren seem to have first met about 1907. Previously worshipping in a cottage near Hunts Farm, they built the hall as a mission, and it seems likely that these were the Brethren who took over the former Congregational Church. In 1971 they were still worshipping there, but not in 2010. In 1952 they also registered St Lawrence Road as a full church.

All photos on this page by P L Kessler.