Local Government
The other major factor indirectly responsible for the decline of the Liberty was the growth of local government in Romford and the surrounding area.
In 1786, Romford became a civil parish with responsibility for the administration of the Poor Law Acts in Romford Town Ward, Harold Wood, Noak Hill and Collier Row wards. During the next year a large workhouse was provided at Romford for the poor. Later, in 1819 an Act of Parliament was passed which required Romford to elect local people as Commissioners of Paving and Lighting, to be responsible for highways and to prevent 'all mischiefs happening by fires, as well as all murders, burglaries, robberies and all other outrages'.
There was increasing concern during the 19th century over public health; and in 1852, the Romford Local Board for Health succeeded the Commissioners, which became responsible for drainage, roads, parks and everything considered necessary to safeguard public health. The Board was re-constituted as the Romford Urban District Council in 1894 -although Harold Wood and Collier Row wards were included within the area of the new Council, Noak Hill became a separate Parish Council in 1895.
A Charter was granted in 1937, by King George IV, whereby the old Romford Urban District Council became the Borough of Romford. Finally, in 1965, Romford became part of the new London Borough of Havering.
The Houses at Harold Hill
Harold Hill has been occupied for over 700 years, and relying on documentary evidence alone, it is known that a Roger Cockerell held land and lived here with his peasants as early as the 13th century (circa 1233).
Prior to 1500, the houses on the estate were of two types, the manor houses of Dagenhams, Cockerells and Gooshays, most probably built of timber, which was plentiful in the area (stone being too expensive) and the hovels of the peasants made of daub and wattle. The architectural distinction between the two types of house was not very great; the only difference was in size and the number of rooms; the material used being the same.
The economy of the manor was very simple during this period, payment for land being mainly in kind or labour on the Lord's demesne, although some rent was received from freemen. Therefore, it may be assumed the Lords of the manors of Dagenhams, Cockerells and Gooshays were comparatively poor even by the standards of the early middle ages; and that they could ill afford to erect large and elaborate houses made of stone.
However, after 1500, with the change in economic conditions from feudalism to capitalism with the growth of materialism, the distinction in wealth between the Lords of the Manors, now the landed gentry and the peasantry grew rapidly; and this was reflected in the size and architectural design of the houses of the former. In the late 15th century and the l6th century, brick began to be used widely as a building medium, more so than stone, whilst timber was expensive because of the use made of it during earlier centuries.
During the l6th to 19th centuries, three large houses were built at Dagnam Park. At Gooshays only one large mansion was built, and out of its remains a farmhouse was erected in the late l8th century, which was itself demolished in 1961.
There were at least three manor houses or mansions, and possibly as many as five, at Dagnam Park. The first of the three houses that we know existed was Elizabethan in style, with three high gables and built of red brick, its existence is based purely on a map of the manor of Dagenhams, which was drawn in 1633, on the instructions of Doctor Laurence Wright. The house was sited within a moat, that was rectangular in shape (similar to that of Cockerells). The house was built at the southern end of the area inside the moat facing north, with buildings at the other end facing south. A drive led from the house over the northern end of the moat via a causeway and then north towards Noak Hill and the South Weald road. This house was probably built by Thomas Legatt II, between 1555 and 1603/4, but the date of the moat was much earlier.
It was probably built by the De Dakenham Family before 1300, and must be contemporary with the moat at Cockerells. During the early middle ages some defence was needed against wandering bands of outlaws and military deserters that at times pillaged the sparsely populated countryside, especially as Harold Hill was then near the Forest of Waltham, which these bands used as a hiding place. Inside the moat, the De Dakenhams probably built a simple manor house, made of timber, with the inside walls plastered with daub; containing an upstairs solar and main hall on the ground floor.
Although this house was sufficient for the needs of the De Dakenhams, who although rural gentry, were provincial in outlook, it cannot be conceived that an early medieval manor house would be adequate for the different needs of Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland or Sir William and his son Sir John Husy who would want a country residence. It seems obvious that they would rebuild, and that the material used would be brick, which was coming into use in the eastern counties during the late 15th century. If this house did exist it must have been demolished by Thomas Legatt II, after 1555. The Legatt house was demolished and the moat filled in by the Wright family in the 1650s. The new house was erected on or near the old site and built of brick. The architectural period of the house was late Stuart, (1603-1660) and designed in the classical style introduced into England by Inigo Jones. The house was rectangular in shape, with a large courtyard in front, which was probably gravelled. In the middle was a circular area around which ran the drive. On either side of the courtyard were other buildings. The drive ran from the house, which faced north, towards Noak Hill and the South Weald Road. The actual date the house was built is unknown but probably it had been erected by Sir Henry Wright, between 1657 and 1663. When Samuel Pepys visited Dagnam Park in 1665, it was the new house he saw and described in his diary:
"It being a most noble and pretty house that ever, for the bigness, I saw"
In the gardens at the back of the house stood a stone gate to the Park, which was probably created by Sir Henry Wright, at the same time as the house.
The only description of the house to be found is in 'A Gentleman's history of Essex' by Peter Muilman, his brother Henry, lived at Dagnam Park from 1749-1772.
"The building is of brick, spacious and surrounded by a park and commanding an agreeable prospect, it fronts nearly due north and in the west wing is enclosed a chapel called Dagnams. The rooms of the dwelling house are of a good proportion, convenient and well furnished. The inside of the chapel is neat. Grounds and gardens are laid out in a judicious manner"
Dagnam Park was purchased by Sir Richard Neave in 1772. The old house was demolished and a new mansion built, which took four years from 1772 to 1776. Although it has been written that the new Dagnams was built on a different site, this seems unlikely because Lady Dorina Neave, in her book, 'Romance of the Bosphorus' mentions a walled Charles II garden, which must have been preserved when the old house was pulled down, which then became part of the grounds attached to the new mansion. In addition, it would be logical to build onto the foundations of the older house. The new mansion was built of brick, which was whitish grey in colour, and late Georgian in style.
The house had three stories with six rooms to each floor. On the ground floor, to the right were the drawing and dining rooms, with an ante-room and to the left were the billiard and smoking (study) rooms with another ante-room. The rooms were entered from a large main hall, from which staircases ascended on both sides to a landing on the first floor. The landing continued as a central corridor on both sides of the house from which the main bedrooms of the Neaves and their guests were entered. On the top floor were bedrooms for the governess and senior servants, also the nursery and schoolroom. The house during the early years of this century was lavishly decorated with a large collection of paintings, chiefly old masters. The majority of the servants lived in an annexe built onto the east side of the house, where the kitchen and other domestic rooms were located. The butler had a waiting room and bedroom in the main house at the back of the stairs on the ground floor
The house overlooked a large lake and the wide expanse of Dagnam Park, which had been in existence since the 17th century. In 1812, Sir Richard commissioned Humphrey Repton, a famous landscape gardener, who lived in Romford at Hare Street, to design the layout of the gardens and park. A drive led from the house in both directions, to Noak Hill Road in the north, and the Brentwood Road in the south, and at either end of the drive were gates with a lodge. The Noak Hill Lodge was demolished in 1964 while the other lodge at the junction of Dagnam Park Drive and the A12 was first converted into a private house and then demolished in the 1970s.
The view of the park from the back of the house must have been rather serene and beautiful with the lake in the foreground and beyond, the park and in the distance the mass of Hatters Wood on the west side and Duck Wood on the east. The house had been positioned on rising ground to give a maximum view of the surrounding countryside.
Before the First World War, Sir Thomas Neave employed over 40 servants, in and outside the house. There was a butler, housekeeper, cook, governess (when the children were young), head nurse and other nurses, a footman, parlour, ladies, scullery and kitchen maids, chauffeur, groom, gamekeeper, head gardener and three other gardeners, and many other servants. During the 19th. century and the early years of this century the only employment available to the villagers at Noak Hill was labour on the farms or service at the ‘mansion'. (The villagers of Noak Hill always referred to Dagnams as the ‘mansion' and to Sir Thomas and earlier Neave Baronets as the 'Squire') the only other employment outside of Noak Hill being at Romford and other towns nearby, but in those days transport beside the railways was practically non-existent. But the Neaves were good employers, generous and fair, Mrs. Barber and Mrs. Knight, who are sisters, of Noak Hill, both former servants, cannot speak too highly of the Neaves. Their family had been servants to the Neaves for over three generations; their grandmother, Mrs. Emily Freeman started work at Dagnams at the age of 12 years, in l848.
During the Second World War, the house was commandeered for the Army. At the end of the war a rocket fell just in front of Dagnams, which severely shook the foundations. In 1947, when Dagnam Park was purchased by the London County Council, the house was to be preserved because of its architectural and historical qualities, but it was demolished in the early 1950s. Of the three houses and Cockerells Moat, that were to be preserved, only the moat and New Hall remain standing today. In the grounds of Dagnam Park, near the Noak Hill Road, stood the Priory.
The Priory was a large Victorian house, built of red brick, and containing about forty rooms. It was possibly built in the late 1840s, and is shown on the Ordnance Survey map of 1860. The house stood at the junction of Wrights Bridge Road and Noak Hill Road, The Priory was originally intended to be a Dower House - the possible reason for the name - as a home for the widows of the Neave baronets. The first occupant may have been the widow of Sir Thomas Neave who died in l848, The Priory, with 4l acres of land, was leased to Mr. John Sands in 1877. There were two other tenants after Mr, Sands, Sir Montague Turner, who had previously lived at Bedfords and a Mrs. Marriott, who lived at the Priory from the early 1930s until 1945,
The gardens at the Priory were well known for their beauty and were opened to the public on several occasions in aid of charity. The Priory was also known to the local people as the 'Ghost House'; servants would never stay in the house because of strange noises heard at night, apparently doors would open and shut loudly at the dead of night when everybody was in bed and other strange things used to happen,
There was another legend current in the 1950s that the woods near the Priory were haunted by a 'white lady'.
The house was purchased by the London County Council with Dagnam Park, in 1947; and later demolished. Today, the name is perpetuated in Priory Road.
The sale catalogue of the Dagnam Park estates at Harold Hill sold in 1919, described the farmhouse of Gooshays as Georgian in style, and made out of the remains of an old manor house. Nothing is known about this earlier house; although Morant in his "History of Essex" published in l768, says, "Lord Edward Dudley built the house here, now mostly pulled down ". The remains of this earlier house, from which the farmhouse was built, must have been older than the late l7th century and more probably late medieval in date. The original Gooshays, in which William Mead the son-in-law of George Fox lived, may have been built by Avery Cornburgh, who was Lord of the Manor of Gooshays from about l468 to his death in l485.
The manor house was built of brick and in front of the house lay terraced gardens, at the bottom of which were two horse-shoe ponds, medieval in origin, and beyond them ran Payne's Brook. The house faced east towards Maylands Farm. All that remained of the house (other than the farm house) in 1800 was its foundations, the terraced gardens and the two fishponds. The foundations were so thick that the local people earlier in the 20th century used to say they were the remains of an old castle, whilst Mr. Robert Watt, of Hill Farm who lived at Gooshays as a young boy, thought a monastery had stood there in the Middle Ages, and the medieval fishponds were used by the monks to breed fish for their table. These folk stories are essentially correct for the house would be built not only as a home, but also as a place of defence, for if the foundations were thick and strong, so must have been the walls, even in the late 15th century houses were still being constructed as fortresses as well as homes.
Gooshays Farm house may have been built from a wing of this earlier mansion, for it faced east, whereas the farmhouse faced south. Gooshays was late Georgian in style, as it must have been built sometime after 1768, The house was surrounded by large elm trees and was approached from the Brentwood Road by a long tree-lined chase, (Gooshays Drive follows the course of this road). At the back of Gooshays, to the north was a fine timber and thatched barn, which was destroyed by fire in 1958. The London County Council acquired the house in 1947. The original intention was to preserve Gooshays and it was used as a Community centre, but vandalism and natural decay rendered the house unsafe, and it was demolished in 1961. However, two descriptions of Gooshays still exist. The first was published in the Essex Review in 1893.
"Goosies was the estate and residence of William...[and it was] the frequent resort of George Fox, (1624-1691), in the latter years of his life; it is situated about three miles from Romford on the London-Colchester Road...
An inspection of the front doorway reveals some fine old woodwork of a bygone day. The present 'Goosies' occupies part of the site of the old house, but few traces of its former state are discoverable. The chief room on the right is no doubt part of the original hall, for ascending by one step you pass by a high-arched doorway through an inside wall of great thickness; at the far end of the room are evidences of a grand inglenook now converted into a cupboard and a modern fireplace. Outside the house, mounds of earth of regular formation attest that at one time it had been a place of great size and strength. Stretching away at the back, large ruinous walls may possibly indicate the old gardens."
Another description was written by Mr. G.J. Clements, of the Romford Historical Society, after a visit made in October I960:
"The internal appearance of the house certainly bears out the suggestion that it was merely the offices of a larger mansion. Apart from a rather fine kitchen facing north, all the rooms are small. There is no proper hall, merely a central passageway. The main staircase is completely enclosed, access from the passage being through an arched doorway on the right hand side".
Near the start of the Gooshays chase, at the junction with Brentwood Road, was another farmhouse, which was New Hall.
New Hall is far older than it looks. The house was probably built in the early seventeenth century, between 1625 and l675; it is certainly not earlier than 1610 because it does not appear on the map of Havering-atte-Bower, which was issued circa 1610. As the name New Hall is medieval in derivation, the present house probably stands on the site of an earlier building.
New Hall has one distinctive architectural feature, which dates it effectively, and that is its twin span roofs. New Hall is really two houses or two single span buildings built together side by side. (Span in this sense means one room deep); the only external sign of this unusual construction is the two separate roofs. Another feature, this time internal, is that all the rooms are interconnected. New Hall is a product of the revolution in architectural design, which took place in England during the late l6th and early l7th century.
The house did contain a priest-hole; which was approached from a wooden spiral staircase (removed by the Mallisons) by stepping through a doorway, immediately beside the stairs, into a room in the wall. The priest hole was a deep niche in the wall, next to the doorway in which nobody could be seen from the doorway or the staircase. The room would appear empty to someone searching. This may have been built in the late 17th century, after the abdication of James II, when the persecution of Catholics was at its worst. The front door seems to have been altered during the l8th century for it is Georgian in style.
The house was acquired by the L.C.C. in 1947. It was then converted into a public house and renamed the 'Morris Dancer'.
Brick-Kiln or Hilldene Farm house
For photo and full description click here
This farmhouse was visited by Mr. G.J. Clements parent's, he wrote the following description (shortened version) from their recollections in 1961.;
"The farm house, of red brick and tile, was probably Georgian (circa 1720), There were two floors and attics. As the roof descended to ground level at the rear, all the principal rooms faced west. The front door opened upon a rather narrow passage with stairs concealed at the far end. The drawing room was to the left, and the dining rooms to the right of the passage. The kitchen, with a window facing south, was behind the dining room and the dairy behind that. On the first floor, the three main bedrooms were in line, and on the second were the two large attics. In 1947, the house was severely damaged by fire, which left the house a mere shell. It was finally demolished in 1950".
There were several other farmhouses on the estate. Harold Hill Farm House was a modern building, known as the 'Red House', which replaced an earlier house, converted into two farm cottages. This house may have dated back to the 17th century, then Payne's Farm.
Dagnam Park Farm house, lay just south of Cockerells Moat. The age of the house is not known, although farm buildings stood on the site as early as the late l6th century.
There were two other houses near Gallows Corner. The 'Warrens' which was probably Victorian and 'Harold Wood Hall'. Nothing is known about this house, but it was in existence in 1776, for it appears on a map of the area issued that year. The owner during the 19th century was a Mr. Pemberton. The house is still standing today.
Noak Hill - a brief history
For the purpose of this history, the area of Noak Hill has been extended to include all the land north of Noak Hill and Wrights Bridge Road to the boundary with Navestock. The boundary in the east is Brentwood, and to the west Pyrgo Park with Broxhill Road. Today this area is divided between Romford and Noak Hill. Also included in Noak Hill is a strip of Harold Hill, which runs down through Dagnam Park and Maylands, to the Brentwood Road.
Before 1937, when Romford was an Urban District Council, Noak Hill ward was much bigger than it is today. A large part of Harold Hill was included, the boundary between the Noak Hill and Harold Wood wards was Payne's Brook, which runs from the Brentwood Road along Paine's Brook Way on through Central Park. Part way along Chudleigh Rd the stream forked, the section that still exists ran on along Tees Drive and across the Noak Hill Rd to its source and was known as Carters Brook. Payne's Brook was culveted below Dorking Rd, North Hill Drive and eventually the length of Taunton Rd emerging at the junction of Taunton and the Noak Hill Rd. Noak Hill ward decreased in size when the Harold Hill Housing estate was built.
Noak Hill had always been a farming community. There were never any large landed estates, only small farms. Before 1814, over 60% of Noak Hill was common land - Noak Hill Common and Havering Plain. After the enclosures of the commons, and the creation of new farming land, the Neaves, during the first half of the 19th century, purchased all the farms at Noak Hill, except 'Wolves', now Widdrington Farm. The large amount of common land during the 17th and l8th centuries, with the Neave's land acquisition policy during the 19th century, probably were the reasons why not one large mansion was built at Noak Hill.
The history of Noak Hill really begins with the Norman Conquest, for nothing is known about the area before 1066, other than that a Roman settlement was established near the Bear, traces of which were discovered in 1814. (see pp.1)
After the Norman Conquest, the manor of Havering-atte-Bower, which included Noak Hill, became part of the king's demesne, Noak Hill was then known as Havering, as distinct from Romford or Hornchurch, the other centres of population. The place name Noak Hill was first used in 1490, although it was spelt Nook Hill, later Noke Hill in 1572 and 1610. The traditional meaning of the name Noak Hill is thought to have derived from the extensive woodlands in the area during mediaeval times, Noak, from the oak tree. But, there is another possible explanation; from about 1250 until 1450, a family called Le Noke held land in Noak Hill, and the place name may have been derived from their connection with the area.
Noak Hill, before the Conquest had always been extensively wooded. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the woodlands were slowly reduced in size through encroachment and deforestation, and three large areas of land were cleared for cultivation. The wood, which was known as Crocleph, later Havering Wood, was gradually confined to the east of Noak Hill, although it still occupied over 60% of the area. In the 15th and l6th centuries, Havering Wood was completely deforested; the land on which the wood formerly stood became public or common land, although it still comprised 60% of Noak Hill.
The three large areas of arable land that had been reclaimed, lay to the east, south and west of Havering Wood.
The western section lay between Pyrgo Park and the western border of Havering Wood and ran south, slowly spreading out in area until it finished against a northwestern spur of Harold's Wood.
The southern section lay north of and followed the course of the present Noak Hill Road, between the 'Mount' and Church Road. It varied in depth.
The eastern section was at Wrights Bridge. It roughly corresponded to the triangle of land between Chequers Road and Lower Noke Close, formerly the Wrights Bridge Road.
Ownership of these three sections, as well as Havering Wood, was vested solely in the Crown, being part of the demesne lands of the king. Although the area of land west of Havering Wood (later Noak Hill Common) stayed Crown land until l875, the other areas passed into private hands, possibly during the 15th and l6th centuries. During the middle ages, little is known about those who held land, but we do know that the land grants were made in the form of tenements not manors, although the Priory of Hornchurch held from 1167 some 40 acres of land, which they described as the Manor of Newbury. The Hornchurch Priory Documents, which gives brief details of grants, agreements, etc. also gives some names of tenement-holders, and names of those who were at first enfeoffed of, and later leased the manor of Newbury. The little information available about Noak Hill before 1500, specifically the ownership of land, is drawn from these documents.
During the 13th and l4th centuries, a number of families held tenements in the western and southern sections; they were the families of Le May, Arnwic and his descendents, 1240 to 1300; the name of his tenement was 'Blackcroft; Le Hoke, Alexander and Milo, etc., between circa 1210 to 1350; Baldwynne. William, etc., late 13th century; Le Heye, Richard de la, and Arnwic, de la, 13th century. Land was also held by the Le Noke family, from 1250 until l450. (see pp. 36)
The manor of Newbury was part of 25 librates of land granted to the Hospital of Montjoux Savoy, Southern France by Henry II, in 1158. They were also granted the religious tithes of the parish of Hornchurch, which covered the same area as the Manor of Havering-atte-Bower. Later, in 1391, the land and the living of Hornchurch was purchased by William Wyckham for his New College, Oxford, the Manor at Noak Hill was also included.
Before 1350, the manor was usually held in fief from the Master of Hornchurch Priory, but later was rented on a short-term lease by payment of an annual rent. In circa 1237, John Le Nieweman and in circa 1260, Alexander Le Hoke, were enfeoffed by the Master of Hornchurch Priory. At the end of the 13th century, the manor was leased to John Dullyng and Nicholas Longe in 1378 and 1385. Under the lease, the leaseholder was entitled to tithes of hay from tenements in Harold Hill and at Wrights Bridge. Newbury may have been a tithe farm in the latter middle ages. The leaseholder collected the tithes from the neighbouring area, and in return, he received a percentage of what he had collected.
The place name Wrights Bridge is derived from the family of John Le Wright who held a tenement of land there from 1332 to the late 15th century. In the Hornchurch Priory, documents, John Wrighte held land at Wrights Bridge circa 1380. The use of the name was first recorded in 1464. The tenements to the west of Havering Wood were amalgamated during the 15th century and two farms were created, Wolves and Joys Farms. Joys Farm was named after the first owner, John Joys, who was in possession of the farm in l497. Wolves lay south of Joys Farm; their boundaries in the east and west were in both cases Pyrgo Park and Havering Wood.
The manor of Newbury was leased in 1518, to Sir Brian Tuke, who held Pyrgo Park from Henry VIII. Some years later, the manor was exchanged with other land in Havering by the king and at his request, with New College, Oxford. The lands of Newbury were then added to Pyrgo Park. In l649, during the Commonwealth, the manor of Havering-atte- Bower, including Wolves and Joys Farms, were sold. The Parliamentary Survey, No. 13. describes not only the Royal Manor but also the two farms at Noak Hill. Joys Farm lay to the north, bordering on the Navestock boundary. Wolves lay directly south of Joys and it seemed to be the larger of the two farms The survey gives field names and a description of both farm houses which seem late mediaeval. The Wolves farmhouse, which had two stories, included a kitchen, parlour and a large hall with bedchambers on the upper floor. The hall was a large living room not an entrance hall, as it is today. In the l6th and l7th century, the parlour was the best bedroom in these small houses. The Crown tenants, in 1649, were Richard Searle at Wolves; Elizabeth Harvey at Joys. The names of tenants who held leases in the l6th century are also given; William Holloway held a lease of Wolves for 60 years from 1593 and John Wells of Joys for the same number of years from 1591. After the restoration, the Crown resumed ownership of the Royal Manor, and the two farms at Noak Hill.
From 1580 to 1644, the land at Wrights Bridge was owned by John Wright of Kelvedon Hatch, (the father of Doctor Laurence Wright of Dagnams). He may have built the mansion at Wrights Bridge in 1627, although it lay on the other side of the bridge in South Weald. After his death in l644, Wrights Bridge Mansion and the farmland was inherited by his son Doctor Laurence Wright of Dagnams. The mansion and land remained part of the Wrights' estates until the late l7th century when they were probably sold by Anne Wright (nee Rider) for no mention was made in her will dated 1726 of the Wrights Bridge Estates.
Very little is known of the farming land south of Noak Hill Common and Havering Plain. Most of the land of Spice Pits Farm lay in this area, to the north of the' Bear'. On the map of Havering-atte-Bower, the farmhouse of Spice Pits is marked. The rest of the land was owned by Robert Lyman. In addition, Blatches or Morses Farm, which dates from l6ll, may have been in this area,
In 1814, Noak Hill Common and Havering Plain were enclosed; together they comprised some 496 acres. The Crown received one-sixteenth part of the total enclosures; this land may have been added to 'Wolves' and 'Joys' farms. For some reason or other the Neaves did not purchase much Common land, only some 20 acres from Noak Hill Common; of course they possibly received land being neighbouring landowners - at Wrights Bridge. The largest part of the Common enclosures must have been purchased by other persons whose names are not known. In l824, a farm, North End Farm, which comprised 185 acres, was acquired by Sir Thomas Neave. This farm must have been created when the common land at Havering Plain was enclosed. Spice Pits Farm was probably enlarged by land from Noak Hill Common.
During the first half of the 19th century, the Neaves gradually gained control of nearly all the farming land at Noak Hill, except the two farms owned by the Crown. Sir Richard began the policy of acquiring land in 1788 when Great Wrights Bridge Mansion and 52 acres of land was purchased. In the same year he also purchased the blacksmith shop at Church Road, which was then described as a new messuage. Hill farm, the land of which lies east of Church Road on Havering Plain, was probably created from North-End Farm and Wrights Bridge Farm with other land from the Commons Enclosures of l8l4; today it is 300 acres in size. Spice Pits Farm was sold to Sir Richard Neave by a Mr. Rand in 1854. Several other smallholdings at Noak Hill were added to the Neave estates by Sir Thomas and Sir Richard Neave.
The history of Noak Hill is closely connected with the Neaves during the 19th century and, early 20th century. Practically all the villagers and other inhabitants of Noak Hill worked for the Neaves, either at the 'Mansion' of Dagnam Park or on the farms. Many of the houses in Church Road were both built and owned by the Neaves. The Church of St. Thomas in Church Road was built by Sir Thomas Neave, who also gave the fine stained glass window. There is a tradition that Sir Thomas erected the church at the request of his wife, because she felt the church in South Weald was too far away for her servants and the villagers to attend on a Sunday. The Neave family vault is also at St.Thomas.
Sir Thomas Neave came into possession of The Bear Inn by purchase from Mr. P.M. Chitty, in l820.
The 'Bear' was probably built in the late l7th century. In 1715, the name was changed from 'The Goat House' to the 'Bear'; it was then part of the Manor of Gooshays, The names of some of the tenants in the l8th century are known, they were Daniel Tenney, Thomas Unwin, Nathaniel Castle and George Saggers. In 1754, on the sale of Gooshays to William Sheldon, the 'Bear' was sold to John Weyland; the Public House was sold in turn to Thomas Bailey in 1805, and he sold it to Mr. Chitty in l8l5. In l820, the tenant was John Batcher.
During the late 17th and the l8th century, there were two other licensed premises at Noak Hill. They were the 'Angel' at Wrights Bridge and the 'Crown' to the north of Havering Plain. The 'Angel', which originally in the 17th century was a private house, known as Little Wrights Bridge, built in 1588 by John Wright, It was turned into a 'pub' in 1707 and named the 'Angel'. The 'Angel' was acquired by Sir Thomas Neave in l8l8, who converted the 'pub' into two farm cottages. They are still standing today and are known as the 'Angel' cottages.
The Royal Manor of Havering-atte-Bower and the two farms 'Wolves' and 'Joys' were both sold in the early 19th century. The Crown tenant in l8ll was a Mr. Abdy of Albyns, Rainham, and he in turn that year sub-let to the Curate of Havering Church, the Rev. John Wiseman. It is probable that Mr, Abdy purchased the two farms, when they were sold in 1875. The two farms seemed to have been amalgamated and then became known as 'Joys' farm. In the Ordnance Survey map of 1860, Joye farm is shown. It continued under this name until the late l870s or 1880s, when it was renamed Widdrington Farm, as it is known today. In the 1890s, a Mr. Smith the farmer then, was either the tenant or owner. In the early years of this century, the uncle of Robert Watt, of Hill Farm, owned Widdrington Farm. Today, Mr. Christopher Peek is the owner.
Hill and Spice Pits Farms were both included in the sale of the Dagnam Park Estates in 1919. The major tenants at Hill Farm were Mr. R. Watt and his sons, who held the farm on a yearly tenancy, paying £323 per year. The Watts had been at the farm since 1908. They became the owners in 1919. One of the sons, Mr. Robert Watt still owns Hill farm today. (R Watt since deceased). Spice Pits Farm was sold in 1919 to Matthew Watt. The farmland was leased jointly by Mr. M. Watts and Mr. W. Knight who together paid an annual rent of £96. Today the farm is owned by Mr. Robert Watt. The Bear was also sold by the Neaves in 1919. The purchasers may have been Charrington Brewery. After the Second World War, Mr. & Mrs. Gibson, bought the pub from Charringtons. They altered and renovated the building and introduced a children's zoo which at one time even included a rather sad looking bear. After the death of Ron Gibson the pub was bought by a brewery chain. It has since sustained further "improvements".
Today, Noak Hill is not a farming community, its character has changed. The village is no longer miles from the nearest town, for the town has arrived on its doorstep in the shape of Harold Hill Housing estate. The natives of the old rural village no longer rely on the Neaves for employment for the ‘Squire' and his Mansion have long gone and so have many of the old families who lived at Noak Hill for generations. They have been replaced by the middle classes, at the Mount and the large houses along Noak Hill Road.