The largest ever Bronze Age hoard that has been discovered in London happened in Havering.

The hoard consists of 453 late Bronze-age (900 to 800 BCE) artefacts found at a site overlooking the River Thames in Rainham, London, in 2018. It was unusual in being buried in four separate locations; most bronze-age hoards previously excavated have been concentrated in a single location. The hoard weighed 45 kilograms (99 lb) in total and included swords, socketed axe heads, spear heads, knives, daggers, woodwork tools, metalworking tools, ingots, and other items. Apart from a small number of bracelets, one of which was determined to have come from north-western France, there was relatively little jewellery. Some of the axes are from continental Europe and the copper ingots are possibly from the Alps. Almost all of the weapons found had been broken or damaged.

Several theories have been proposed as to the origin of the hoard. Some researchers propose that it is a religious offering, others suggest that it was a site where bronze materials were collected for recycling by a metal worker. Another proposal is that it was the temporary stash of a travelling metal worker, who did not wish to carry heavy goods with him. It may also represent a large-scale abandonment of bronze tools at a time when they were being replaced by iron versions or else an attempt by a powerful individual to control the trade in bronze. It is not known why the hoard was not recovered in the Bronze Age.