Horndon On The Hill: History and Village Culture

Horndon on the Hill brings together historic buildings, memorials, village culture and paths through the surrounding countryside. There are several ways to shape your stay: explore medieval architecture, follow the Horndon History Hunt or take a walk that leads beyond the village.

Architectural history and landmark buildings

The Horndon-on-the-Hill Conservation Area was designated in 1969. The Old Market Hall in Horndon on the Hill dates from the 14th century. Its ground floor is open on the sides and supported by massive oak posts. This links its date to a specific architectural feature.

The Church of St Peter and St Paul contains fabric dating from the 13th century, as well as alterations from the 14th and 15th centuries. Arts and Crafts elements designed by Charles Robert Ashbee were added during restoration in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The church therefore reveals several building phases: earlier fabric, later alterations and a much later restoration.

The Bell Inn comprises a building dating from the late 14th century, with alterations from the 15th and 16th centuries. Inside are hollow-moulded tie beams, crown-post roofs, moulded beams, and a 15th-century window and door. The dates of the building and its alterations give it a different chronological focus from the church fabric.

Memorials and village culture

The Horndon on the Hill War Memorial was unveiled on 5 December 1920 and commemorates those who fell in the First World War. In contrast to the medieval buildings, it offers a clearly dated point of reference from the 20th century. In its regional context, Horndon on the Hill is part of the Land of the Fanns landscape.

The Horndon Woolmarket continues to serve as a cultural centre for Horndon; the events held there may vary. The feast and fair in Horndon on the Hill are also still celebrated on 29 June. The Horndon Feast & Fayre includes a Flower Festival at St Peter & St Paul Church. Details of each year's event may vary; check them if you are planning your trip around the feast.

Discover the history on foot

The Horndon History Hunt features eleven markers at historically significant places throughout the village. Each marker has a QR code that provides a photo and information about the location. The Hunt therefore draws attention to several places around the village, rather than focusing on a single building.

A walk through Horndon-on-the-Hill starts at the Woolmarket and ends at the Bell Inn. Stan's Walk passes through Horndon on the Hill and the surrounding countryside. The Hunt focuses on historic places in the village, while Stan's Walk also takes in the countryside; the Woolmarket and Bell Inn are named as the walk's starting and ending points. As route conditions and the availability of the leaflet may change, check both before setting out on Stan's Walk.

Discover more destinations: Grays, Aveley, West Thurrock, Purfleet, Linford, Tilbury, South Ockendon, Stanford-Le-Hope

For the broader travel overview: Thurrock.