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Call 020 8593 1317 to book your carpet cleaning in Hornchurch and the neighbouring areas or click here.

Hornchurch is one of those towns within the Greater London Metropolitan area that has a quirky name. One wonders how horns and churches became associated, and the imagination quickly turns to possibilities involving Old Nick and a local worthy, similar to the legends of St Dunstan, maybe. However, the reality behind the name is much more prosaic: the name was taken from St Andrew’s church. The “Hornchurch” name was an English translation of the more stately Latin used for the abbey that the original French monks for whom the church was built came from: Monasterium Cornutum. Much later on in the history of St Andrews and long after the French monks had left, a carved bull’s head that featured an impressive set of horns was added to the church building. Exactly why the original abbey had its name is something of a mystery, though, and maybe that’s where some odd legend may come into play.

However, Hornchurch as a settlement goes back well before the 1200s when the original abbey was built. Archaeologists have found Bronze Age and even Stone Age artefacts in the area, suggesting that people have been living in the area ever since Hornchurch carpet cleaning involved dunking a mammoth skin in a handy creek when it looked a bit grubby.

The Middle Ages brought the monks, as recorded in the paragraph about the town’s name. These monks left before the Dissolution of the monasteries – lucky them – and the priory was taken over by William of Wykeham, who was the Lord Chancellor under Richard II. William, being a bishop as well as Lord Chancellor, set to and carried out a few renovations to the church, although this may not have included Hornchurch carpet cleaning, as church interiors tended to be rather Spartan when it came to comfort during those days, no matter how impressive the architecture was. (Monks were expected to stand, not sit, during services, although those who were a bit old and infirm could lean – not sit – on “misericords”. And you thought the seats in your local place of worship were hard!). William also had a keen interest in education, and used the lands around Hornchurch to maintain New College in Oxford, which he founded.

Hornchurch seemed to just potter on quietly, expanding during the development of the railways in the Victorian era, like many other towns around London. It was during this time that the bull’s head was added to the church. But in the war years, Hornchurch managed to gain some prominence. This was because the Royal Air Force (RAF) base at Hornchurch was established. This RAF base also has the bull’s head as part of its official insignia. During both world wars, this base was crucial for defence, as it was close to London and was ideally placed for Sopwith Camels (during World War 1) and Spitfires (during World War 2) to take off ready to intercept German bombers. This airfield is no longer in use and much of the grounds and buildings have been converted into housing and associated facilities: Hornchurch Country Park. Where a soldier on fatigues (probably) did the Hornchurch carpet cleaning in the officers’ mess, a medical centre now stands, known locally as Astra House.

Hornchurch today contains a number of similar housing estates to Hornchurch Country Park.

Do you need a carpet cleaner in Hornchurch? Anyclean can offer its fine carpet cleaning services. Call 020 8593 1317 for an instant quote. We also cover Emerson Park, Gidea Park, Elm Park, Rush Green, Romford, and Harold Wood.