HAVERING-atte-BOWER, a parish in the liberty
of HAVERING-atte-BOWER, county of ESSEX, 3 miles (N.)
from Romford, containing 352 inhabitants. The living
is a perpetual curacy, in the peculiar jurisdiction of the
court for the liberty, endowed with £400 private benefaction,
and £ 600 royal bounty. John Heaton, Esq. was
patron in 1784. The church is dedicated to St. John
the Evangelist. A free school is endowed with £10 per
annum, but the house is dilapidated, there being no trustees.
This place was originally held in ancient demesne
by the Saxon kings, and was the favourite residence of
Edward the Confessor, who built a palace here, of which
there are still some vestiges. The name is derived from
a ring given to the Confessor by a pilgrim, according to
a legendary tale, the particulars of which are recorded
in basso relievo on a screen which separates the chapel
of Edward from the altar in Westminster abbey. The
liberty comprises also the parishes of Hornchurch and
Romford.