RM3 Area and 'The Hill' - Rose Dawson Property

RM3 the Area and ‘The Hill’ 

 The postcode RM3 covers both Harold Hill and Harold Wood.

 Currently there are 19,373 properties in the area. There are new developments going on so this is an ever increasing number. Having lived in the area for many years I have watched it grow and change but despite a lot of building in the area, we still have some of the most beautiful countryside. 
 Parks are also plentiful here but the most popular area has to be ‘The Manor’. This is located in the ‘Dagnams’ area with many entrances from different streets. I usually go in from Whitchurch Road as there is an entrance at the beginning of the road, but there are plenty of other access gates. The manor is full of wildlife, with a beautiful pond area and also the old manor house. A popular area for dog walkers, but also many of the locals go to feed the wildlife and particularly the deer. Such beautiful creatures and there are many, coming from Bedfords Park area into the Manor. They actually walk the streets in the vicinity. It a common site to see whole herds of them on the green areas. Some wander into central park too. They are everywhere. Amazing to watch through the seasons. There is a local Deer watch group who do their best to keep the deer safe as they do tend to wander into roads! There is a very talented local photographer, Wendy Impett who regularly shares her images of the local deer and wildlife on social media. She lives very close to the The Manor. She also sells calendars and stocking fillers with her images on them. If you would like to see her work check out her social media page on fb:
Photo courtesy of Wendy Impett.

 Another place of interest is Central Park and ‘MyPlace’. MyPlace is a fairly new addition to the area and offers community space where young people can meet up in a safe location to spend time with their friends. The centre also hosts meetings and events and is located adjacent to Central Park and close to the Shopping precinct at Hilldene Avenue. There is a large play area in Central Park and also a Skating Park. In the Farringdon Avenue entrance to Central Park you have the huge Gym/Swimming baths complex. The swimming pool was there for years but it has now been improved and expanded with many other facilities including the Gym. Hilldene Avenue is where the largest shopping precinct is located and is pretty much in the very centre of Harold Hill. 
 Bus routes run there from all over the ‘Hill’ so it is a popular shopping mall. There are lots of little shops including 3 supermarkets, restaurants, café’s, small, cosmopolitan food stores catering for different food cultures, banks, general stores, butchers, bakers, shoe repair, launderette, beauty salons and many others. 
 There are other smaller precincts dotted around the ‘Hill’ so most people are within walking distance for basic shopping needs. 
 There are also excellent bus routes that run very regular services to both Harold Wood and Romford Station, making it easy access to commute into London. From some parts of the ‘Hill’ it is only 5-10 minute walk to Harold Wood Station, it depends which side you live. 

 During the summer there is usually a Fair that arrives in Central Park for a week or two during the ‘Harold Hill Festival’. I remember going there back in the 70’s and its usually held every year around July. There is a claim to fame, Ian Dury referenced Harold Hill in ‘This Is What We Find’: Home improvement expert Harold Hill from Harold Hill Of do it yourself dexterity and double glazing skill Came home to find another gentleman's kippers in the grill so he sanded off his winkle with his Black & Decker Drill — Ian Dury The song set all three of its verses in real places; the others were Turnham Green and Lambeth Walk. In his double CD Retrospective Reasons To be Cheerful produced by Repertoire Records, Dury stated that he never wrote another verse as good as Harold Hill's verse. (info courtesy of Wikipedia). 
 The ‘Five Star’ gym on Gooshays Drive is a popular venue for young people and there is also a community centre a bit further down that has halls for hire and holds clubs for young people. Adjacent to this is the community health centre where there are multiple doctors and health professionals including NHS dentist. On the Briar Road side of the ‘Hill’ is the Betty Stratton centre, another community place on Bossworth Fields. 
 They run many events here for the local people and also have a pre-school centre for children under school age. There’s always plenty going on in this centre. If you are thinking of moving to the area I would recommend you take a drive around and look at all the beautiful open spaces we have. 

 There are schools for all ages in the area and Drapers Academy in Settle Road, has a good rating and was actually visited by the Queen in 2012! For those who already live here, this is a great community that pulls together in times of crisis. We found out during the Pandemic of 2020/21 just how great this area is. Many were helping to deliver shopping to those who couldn’t leave their homes during the lockdowns. Café’s delivered cooked roast dinners and meals to elderly people and the general feeling of just helping each other was so abundantly clear, something that maybe none of us realised until this dreadful time came upon us all. Since the lifting of restrictions, people are still helping each other and its brought a real sense of togetherness to the area. 

 For anyone interested there is a written historical account of Harold Hill on Wikipedia that gives quite a good insight into the creation of Harold Hill after the Second World War. 
Please click here to read more information! 

 I hope this short blog is informative, I will post local events going on around the ‘Hill’ in future blogs about the area. It is a great place to live and bring up a family.

 Go explore it………………….