Ilford, Essex
| Ilford | |
|---|---|
 Redbridge Town Hall on Ilford High Road |
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 Ilford
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| Ilford shown within Greater London | |
| Population | 168,168 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | TQ445865 |
| • Charing Cross | 9.1 mi (14.6 km) WSW |
| London borough | |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ILFORD |
| Postcode district | IG1-IG6 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| UK Parliament | |
| London Assembly | |
Ilford is a large cosmopolitan town in East London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Redbridge. It is located 9.1 miles (14.6 km) north-east of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan.
Ilford forms a significant commercial and retail centre surrounded by extensive residential development. It was historically a small rural settlement in the county of Essex and its strategic position on the River Roding and the London to Colchester road caused it to develop as a coaching town. The arrival of the railway in 1839 eventually accelerated that growth and as part of the suburban growth of London in the 20th century, Ilford significantly expanded and increased in population, becoming a municipal borough in 1926. Since 1965 it has formed part of Greater London, but it is still considered by some to be in Essex because of the postal county., despite the Royal Mail no longer using official postal counties.
Ilford is part of the IG postcode area, though areas to the west of Ilford Hill and the A406 are part of E postcode area instead. The population of Ilford, comprising the Clementswood, Loxford, Goodmayes, Newbury, Mayfield, Seven Kings, Barkingside, Clayhall, Redbridge,Green Street, Fullwell, Fairlop, Cranbrook and Valentines wards, was 168,168 in the 2011 census.
Ilford was historically known as Great Ilford to differentiate it from nearby Little Ilford, in the London Borough of Newham. The name is first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Ilefort and means "ford over the Hyle"; an old name for the River Roding that means "trickling stream". Little Ilford shares the origin.
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