Here I am at Upminster, starting my exploration of the District Line. At 16.5 miles from Charing Cross it is the furthest East of the underground stations.There are 60 stations, on this the Green line on the tube map.I have already visited 19, which are the ones mainly shared with the Circle Line. This diagram (from Wikipedia) shows all the stations on the line and the letters below the station refer to the other lines that station serves.
The line is 40 miles long and serves more stations than any other line on the Underground network. The line is used by an average of 210,000,000 passengers every year.
The trains do not have separate carriages. This was taken early on a Saturday morning. It would look very different if it was a Monday morning.
When I arrived at the station I was surprised that it didn't have the usual roundel sign on display with the name of the station. The only one I could find was this one outside the station which had the word underground rather than Upminster.
The station was larger than I expected with 6 platforms. It is managed by National Rail with trains going to London's Fenchurch Street and Liverpool Street and in the other direction to the seaside town of Southend and Shoeburyness; overground trains go to Romford; whilst District line underground trains go to Richmond, Wimbledon or Ealing Broadway.
It didn't look particularly attractive from the outside.
I crossed the bridge over the railway lines and walked north along Hall Lane expecting to see a fairly rural area.
I walked past a miniature golf course and was surprised to see that no-one was playing on it, despite it being a Saturday.
It looked a beautiful course.
Next to the Upminster Golf Club is a tithe barn. This 500 year old barn is now a museum housing a collection of domestic and agricultural artifacts ranging from Romans to the present day. It is only open a couple of times a month and unfortunately today wasn't one of them.
The barn was originally part of Hall farm of the nearby Upminster Hall. The manor of Upminster hall was given to the Abbey of Waltham around 1060. The barn was built by the Abbey in 1450. The date was confirmed by 'Dendrochronology' on the main timbers. The barn is listed as an ancient monument.
I then returned back along Hall Lane to have a look at the main high street. With a Marks and Spencers and a Waitrose, I realised this was a bigger more up market town than I expected, but it was still the kind of place where cars stopped to let you cross the road.
I noticed this sign outside the Trinity United Reformed Church. I took the opportunity of some refreshments and a chance to chat to the locals about their town. I was introduced to some members of the church who were keen to tell me about the most interesting places to visit. One gentleman opened the church so that I could have a look at the stained window which was dedicated to
Sir Peter Griggs (1849-1920) by his widow. He was a Member of Parliament but was also responsible for the lay out of Upminster. He bought land and proposed the building of a town based on 'an American plan'.
A busy junction in the middle of the High Street.
On the corner of Hall Lane and St Mary's Lane is St Laurence's church. In 653 AD, St Cedd, a monk from Lindisfarne, was sent to Essex as a missionary. Over the next ten years Cedd established a number of minsters, one of which was Upminster. The church tower is the oldest part of the present church building, the lower parts dating from about 1200, when the original timber church was rebuilt in stone.
The baptismal font dates from the 15th century.
This stained glass window dates from at least 1630. Looking closely at the window you can see butterflies and birds. Because of the lack of any religious themes it is thought the window may have come from a different building such as a manor house.
Beautifully carved pews
A new community hall.
Clockhouse gardens is a small park on the site of the former gardens and stables of New Place which was built in 1775. In 1909 New Place was bought by Sir Peter Griggs who played a major role in the development of the town. In 1924 New Place manor was demolished apart from the clockhouse, the old stable block from 1936-63. The Clockhouse was used as council offices from 1924-34 and then as a branch of Hornchurch library. The clockhouse now provides sheltered accommodation.
The park was created after the war.
Families of goslings enjoy the surroundings.
Wooden figures, animals and seats provide an area of play for children.
I returned to Hall Lane and more shops. this book shop was bombed in the war and although it changed premises it didn't close and has remained in business since 1937
In the Summer the park is home to Upminster Cricket Cub.
I had been told to visit the Parkway before I left. It was further out than I would normally go but as there is no other station nearby, I thought I would have a look.
It was very picturesque. The bridge has recently been restored causing much controversy within the town due to the cost.
The reason for the controversy is that the bridge goes nowhere and serves no purpose other than being able to stand on it and look at the water beneath!
I enjoyed my day exploring the first station on the District Line, just another 40 to go!
You'll be passing through my former home town of East Ham. It will be interesting to see how that has changed.
ReplyDeletewow the inside of that train is so posh, we don't have anything like that here.
ReplyDeleteI bridge to nowhere seems like a bit of a metaphor at present!
ReplyDeleteAnother nice post.
Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
Well done. Starting a new line. UpMinster has some nice green spaces and old history too.
ReplyDeleteThe interior of the train looks different to other tube carriages I saw, or perhaps because they were always full of passengers, I didn't really see them properly.
ReplyDeleteI think it was a wonderful thing to spend money restoring a bridge to nowhere. No everything needs to have an important function and how nice to just stand on the bridge and stare into the water, never mind that it is an attractive structure.
Upminster seems to have plenty of open space.
Please return to Upminster to take photos of the windmill when the restoration is complete.
Upminster is a delight, especially having the train all to yourself, oh joy of joys!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the next 40 - Happy Wanderings!
Wren x
Yay, you are back underground (a bit closer to home than the last one you wrote about over on your other blog)! I enjoyed this tour immensely ...the little barn, the church, the windmill and where it is being repaired, lovely little green spaces and water .... but my favorite thing of all was how you stopped at the church for their social and immediately got acquainted with the locals who put you on to all their favorite places. So good!
ReplyDeleteThat was a great day …
ReplyDeleteLove the stained glass windows.
All the best Jan
The churches particularly draw my eye!
ReplyDeleteVery nice ride and tour. In the US an "old" barn might be 100 years old. The thought of a barn which was built before Columbus "sailed the ocean blue" is mind-boggling!
ReplyDeleteSuch deep and thorough study of the area by you. And so interesting that you are able to dig out the history of many of the buildings.
ReplyDeleteYou capture some nice snaps. Both churches look like great places to visit. The barn/museum is interesting as well. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete