Church of St Helen and St Giles

St Helen and St Giles
St Helen and St Giles
Denomination	Church of England (Anglican)
Administration
Deanery	Havering
Archdeaconry	Chelsea
Diocese	Chelmsford
Province	Canterbury

St Helen and St Giles is a church and landmark of Rainham, London, and is the oldest building in Havering (being Norman). The church retains many of its original features, for example the round-headed arches. It was founded by Richard de Lucy, the son-in-law of Henry II of England. de Lucy was also one of the instigators of the assassination of Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1170. Construction of the church took place between 1160 and 1170. The church was restored during the period of 1893–1906, using donations from the Freemasons, yet it is still thought to closely resemble its original condition.^[1]

The Rectory Manor, also known as Parsonage Farm, was initially part of Rainham Manor, but in 1178 the King granted it to Lesnes Abbey, which owned it until the Dissolution of the Monasteries, when it was conveyed to Cardinal Wolsey. After Wolsey's fall the Rectory Manor fell to Sir Robert Southwell, and eventually to a group of five Londoners. In 1714 Rectory Manor was reunited with Jordans Manor by William Blackborrne of Hornchurch, who left the two manors to Lincoln's Inn barrister Levett Blackborne, grandson of Sir Richard Levett, Lord Mayor of London. On Levett Blackborne's death, the combined manor was sold to the Crosse family of Berwick manor, who owned it into the twentieth century, when it was broken up for development.^[2]

References

London Borough of Havering
Districts	Ardleigh Green Chase Cross Coldharbour Collier Row Cranham Elm Park Emerson Park Frog Island Gallows Corner Gidea Park Hacton Harold Hill Harold Park Harold Wood Havering-atte-Bower Heath Park Hornchurch Noak Hill North Ockendon Rainham Rise Park Romford Rush Green South Hornchurch Upminster Upminster Bridge Wennington
Attractions	CEME The Diver Havering Museum Langtons Queen's Theatre Rainham Hall Rainham War Memorial The Rom Tithe Barn Museum Upminster Windmill
Major retail	The Brewery The Liberty The Mercury Romford Market
Places of worship	St Andrew, Hornchurch St Edward the Confessor, Romford St John, South Hornchurch St Helen and St Giles, Rainham St Laurence, Upminster St Mary Magdalene, North Ockendon
Parks and open spaces	Bedfords Park Dagnam Park Harrow Lodge Park Havering Country Park Hornchurch Country Park Hylands Park Pyrgo Park Tylers Common Wildspace Conservation Park Upminster Park
Constituencies	Dagenham and Rainham (part) Hornchurch and Upminster Romford
Tube and rail stations	Elm Park Emerson Park Gidea Park Harold Wood Hornchurch Rainham Romford Upminster Upminster Bridge
Other topics	Council Grade I and II* listed buildings People Public art Public transport Schools

Coordinates: 51°31′06″N 0°11′26″E / 51.5183°N 0.1905°E / 51.5183; 0.1905