Upminster is a
suburban town in east
London, England, and part of the
London Borough of Havering. Located east-northeast of
Charing Cross, it is one of the locally important district centres identified in the
London Plan, and comprises a number of shopping streets and a large residential area. It was
historically, a rural village in
Essex and formed an ancient parish. Although peripheral to London, the town has good transport links; it was first connected to central London by rail in 1885 and has a
terminal station on the
London Underground network. The economic history of Upminster is characterised by a shift from farming to garden suburb. As part of the suburban growth of London in the 20th century, Upminster significantly expanded and increased in population, becoming part of
Hornchurch Urban District in 1934, and has formed part of
Greater London since 1965.