ILFORD (GREAT ILFORD), an urban district of Essex, Eng land, on the Roding, 7 m. E.N.E. of London by rail. Pop. (19oI ) 131,046. A portion of Hainault Forest lies within the parish. The hospital of St. Mary and St. Thomas, founded in the 12th century as a leper hospital, now contains almshouses and a chapel. Claybury Hall is a mental hospital (1893) of the London County Council. There are large photographic material works and paper-mills. LITTLE ILFORD is a parish on the opposite (west) side of the Roding. The church of St. Mary retains Norman portions.