Former Gasworks at Crow Lane Romford

Oxford Archaeology was commissioned by Montagu Evans LLP on behalf of National
Grid to create an Historic Building Record of the former gasworks at Crow Lane,
Romford, London Borough of Havering. The site had been developed from the early
1880s as a new site to allow the expansion of the Romford Gas and Coke Company
and there was further expansion during the 20th century through the acquisition of
adjacent parcels of land. In common with other gasworks across the country the site
was overhauled in the later 20th century after the decision to phase out producing coal
gas in favour of natural gas but four gasholders survived into the 20th century.
These holders subsequently became redundant and have recently been dismantled.
An archive record was created prior to (and during) the dismantling of the last three
holders as part of a national programme of recording these distinctive structures
which have formed familiar landmarks in towns and cities throughout much of the
19th and 20th centuries.
The three gasholders recorded are each 20th-century structures and typical for this
period of gasholder design. They are each above ground, spiral-guided holders
without standards. Holder No.4 was constructed in c.1925 while holders 7 and 9 were
constructed in c.1960-61. There were some differences in the construction of all the
holders, particularly in the trussed structures that support the shallow-domed crowns.
The work has provided for posterity an archive record of these distinctive structures
and it will allow comparison with other sites