Heritage Centre
Visiting the heritage centre and what to expect during your visit
At the Heritage Centre
We want you to enjoy your experience when visiting the heritage centre, so we have put together a brief outline on what you can expect to see during your visit.
- Free Parking
- Accessible (lower levels)
- Gift Shop
Themed Rooms
We have put together themed rooms to walk you though the past of RAF Hornchurch.
Our latest edition USAAF Room:
Hornchurch Spitfires escorted both Martin B26 Marauder’s as well as B-17 Flying Fortresses on daylight bombing raids as far as the Belgium coast. Learn about the tragic loss of twenty brave men when two B-17’s collided in mid-air over West Horndon in September 1943, and see how RAF Hornchurch played its role in ‘Operation Starkey’.
- Battle of Britain
- Local Heroes & WAAFs
- Home Front
- Officers Mess
- Suttons Farm/World War 1
- Post War 1946 -1962
- 1941 – 1945 World War 2
- USAAF
- Room of Remembrance
Café
If you feel in need of some light refreshments during your visit to the Heritage Centre, you will need to head for our Tea Room, which is open every weekend from 11.00 – 16.00.
We look forward to welcoming you along to serve a warm or cold beverage and a tasty snack!
The Tea Room is a popular watering hole for the many visitors who pass our door.
Our friendly staff will be happy to serve tea, coffee, and soft drinks, along with a range of cakes and pastries, sandwiches plain or toasted all at very reasonable prices. If the weather is fine, you are able to take advantage of our courtyard garden.
Education Suite
The RAF Hornchurch Heritage Centre now forms a very large part of Ted Exall’ s long lasting legacy, along with the Ted Exall Education suite, which was officially opened in his honour on 19th September 2021.
It was officially opened by his grown-up children Stephen, Maxine, and Grant, who all attended with their families. This really was a momentous day for all involved, because one of the biggest things Ted always made clear was that everyone no matter what age should be given the opportunity to learn about the history of Hornchurch airfield and the people that had once served there.
This is something that the Trust still Continues to do in our education programme, which is run for all schools, uniformed groups, and adults.