Wooden Shutters Hornchurch
Hornchurch grew up in the 1930s around quiet avenues of bay-fronted semis, with the old village on the hill by St Andrew's church and RAF Hornchurch's story close by. Wooden shutters suit these homes because so many of them were built around a front bay.
- Free survey
- Solid hardwood only
- Which? Trusted Trader installer
The 1930s bay, front and centre
The typical Hornchurch semi has a deep bay downstairs, often with a smaller one above. Hardwood shutters are made face by face for each bay, so the panels follow its angles or its curve instead of hanging across it. Tier on tier downstairs lets you fold the top open for daylight and keep the lower panels closed to the pavement.
Wooden shutters, painted or stained
Every shutter is solid hardwood, in Basswood, Ashwood or Paulownia, and never faux wood or MDF. A soft white finish brightens a lounge that only gets afternoon sun. A stain lets the grain show against an oak floor.
Wide windows and garden doors
Where a house has been extended at the back, full height panels with a mid rail suit wide windows, and tracked shutters slide clear of patio doors and bifolds so the doors still open fully.
Langtons: the interwar houses the council wants to keep
Havering Council's appraisal of the Langtons Conservation Area, in force since 27 April 2010, describes the 1930s houses of Cromer Road, Billet Lane and Emerson Drive as an important part of Hornchurch's growth into a suburb. It names crude replacement uPVC windows, especially in front bays, as one of the things that has worn the streets down, and praises one Cromer Road house for keeping its original Crittall-type windows in a curved bay. Nos. 101 to 131 Billet Lane are 1930s flats designed to look like pairs of semi-detached houses. Shutters add privacy and warmth from the inside, without touching the windows the appraisal hopes people will keep.
St Andrew's and the old High Street
The St Andrews Conservation Area, designated in 2010, is centred on the Grade I listed Parish Church of St Andrew on its hilltop, with the churchyard, Hornchurch Cemetery and The Dell around it. The council's appraisal picks out the interwar houses of Lodge Court and the High Street, and the timber-framed buildings at 189 to 201 High Street, as buildings of distinctive character. Older timber-framed rooms rarely have square openings, so each window is measured on its own at the survey.
RAF Hornchurch and Astra Close
The RAF Hornchurch Conservation Area was designated on 7 June 1989 for its links with the airfield's Spitfire squadrons. It covers Astra House, the former Officers' Mess, the Single Officers' Quarters around it in Astra Close, and the three pairs of semi-detached Warrant Officers' houses at 89 to 99 Wood Lane. Havering's management proposals call the replacement PVCu windows on parts of Astra Close unsympathetic. Internal shutters change nothing outside, which makes them an easy choice for homes like these.
If your home is listed
Conservation area rules are mainly about the outside of a building. Listing covers the inside as well, so if your Hornchurch home is listed, speak to Havering Council before anything is fixed to original windows or joinery, and mention it on the form so it can be talked through at your survey.
A quick guide
Which style for which Hornchurch window
| Your window | Usually works best |
|---|---|
| Front bay facing the street | Tier on tier or full height |
| Bedroom that gets early sun or street light | Solid panel |
| Kitchen or bathroom | Cafe style |
| Patio doors or bifolds | Tracked |
Photo gallery
Ideas for your windows
Questions Hornchurch homeowners ask
Do you fit shutters in Hornchurch?
Yes. Unhurried surveys and careful fitting are carried out across Hornchurch and the surrounding area, and the survey is free.
Are the shutters fitted in Hornchurch real wood?
Yes. Only solid hardwood, in Basswood, Ashwood or Paulownia. Never faux wood or MDF.
Do I need permission for shutters in a Hornchurch conservation area?
Not for a house that is not listed. The controls in the Langtons, St Andrews and RAF Hornchurch conservation areas are about the outside of buildings. Shutters are fitted inside the window, so the street view stays the same. If your home is listed, check with Havering Council first.
Can wooden shutters fit a curved 1930s bay?
Yes. Curved and angled bays are measured face by face at the survey and the frame is built to follow them, so the panels sit neatly on every face of the bay.
Are painted shutters still real wood?
Yes. Painted or stained, every shutter here is solid hardwood. The paint is a finish on the timber, not a sign of MDF or faux wood.
Nearby
Ready when you are
Book Your Free Home Survey
See solid hardwood shutters in your own light, with honest advice and a written quote. No pressure, and nothing to pay for the visit.
Book a free surveyThe free survey
Picture your rooms with shutters. Then see them.
Tell us a little about your windows. A specialist will arrange a visit, bring real hardwood samples to your home and leave you a written quote to consider in your own time.