Hillingdon

Last updated • 5 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Hillingdon
Hillingdon Court Park - Aimee Atkinson.jpg
Hillingdon Court Park
Greater London UK location map 2.svg
Red pog.svg
Hillingdon
Location within Greater London
OS grid reference TQ071827
  Charing Cross 14.2 mi (22.9 km)  E
London borough
Ceremonial county Greater London
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town UXBRIDGE
Postcode district UB8, UB10
Dialling code 020
01895
Police Metropolitan
Fire London
Ambulance London
UK Parliament
London Assembly
List of places
UK
England
London
51°31′58″N0°27′18″W / 51.5329°N 0.4550°W / 51.5329; -0.4550

Hillingdon is an area of Uxbridge within the London Borough of Hillingdon, centred 14.2 miles (22.8 km) west of Charing Cross. It was an ancient parish in Middlesex that included the market town of Uxbridge. During the 1920s the civil parish bore a rapid, planned increase in population and housing, and was absorbed by Uxbridge Urban District in 1929. [1] It has formed part of Greater London since 1965. [2]

Contents

Much of Hillingdon has lasting, albeit minor, administrative effect as the current Hillingdon East ward for electing councillors to Hillingdon London Borough Council. In November 2010, the ward had a recorded population of 12,403. [3]

History

Toponymy

The name Hillingdon appears in the Domesday Book (1086) as Hillendone, possibly meaning "hill of a man named Hille". [4] The name could also mean 'hill of a woman named Hilda'. [5]

Local government

Hillingdon was an ancient parish, and had within it the chapelry of Uxbridge, which became a separate civil parish in 1866. When a local board of health was created for Uxbridge, the western part of Hillingdon parish was included within it. [6] Under the Local Government Act 1894, Hillingdon parish was divided in two along the boundary of the board of health district. Hillingdon West became, with Uxbridge, part of the Uxbridge Urban District. Hillingdon East, now governed by the Hillingdon East Parish Council, became part of the Uxbridge Rural District. Uxbridge Rural District and the parish council were abolished in 1928, with the Hillingdon East parish being added to the Uxbridge Urban District. Both Hillingdon East and Hillingdon West parishes were abolished in 1938 and added to Uxbridge parish. In 1965, under the London Government Act 1963, Hillingdon became the name of the westernmost borough of Greater London.

Urban development

The A40 (Western Avenue) was rerouted in the early 1990s to run slightly north of its original route, thereby allowing traffic to flow without interruption at the junction of Hillingdon Circus. Hillingdon tube station was required to be demolished in order for the new road to be constructed, and a new station was opened further south along the line in 1994, winning the Underground Station of the Year award for that year. [7]

Parliamentary constituency

Hillingdon is a traditional Conservative stronghold lying within the Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency, represented from 2015 until 2023 by Boris Johnson. Before that, John Randall MP had represented the constituency since 1997, following the death of fellow Conservative Sir Michael Shersby.

Education

Primary schools in Hillingdon include Oak Farm Juniors, St Bernadette's Roman Catholic Primary School, St Helen's College, Hillingdon Primary and Ryefield Primary.[ citation needed ]

Secondary schools, ACS Hillingdon, Bishopshalt School, Oak Wood School, Vyners School and Swakeleys School for Girls.

Moorcroft School in Colham Green is a special school, run by the Eden Academy Trust. [8] It was formerly located at Moorcroft Park on Harlington Road, the old Moorcroft House hospital site. [9]

Transport

Hillingdon tube station is served by the Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines of the London Underground.

West Ruislip tube station is served by the Central line of the London Underground.


The Oxford Tube and Oxford X90 services between Oxford and central London also serve Hillingdon.

Bus route U2 serves Hillingdon, operating between Uxbridge station and Brunel University. [10]

Bus route A10 connects Uxbridge to Heathrow Central Bus Station. [11]

Landmarks

Church of St John the Baptist

The Church of St John the Baptist Church of St John the Baptist, Hillingdon Hill.JPG
The Church of St John the Baptist

The church of St John the Baptist stands at the top of Hillingdon Hill, at its junction with Royal Lane. It was built in 1629, replacing an earlier building deemed to have become unsafe. [12] In 1846, the architect George Gilbert Scott (father of George Gilbert Scott Junior) was asked to design an extension, as the increasing population meant the church was becoming too cramped. This extension was completed between 1847 and 1848 by the Fassnidge builders from Uxbridge. [12]

On 8 November 1940, a bomb fell on the south side of the church, damaging many of the windows on the south and east sides of the church. The windows were repaired after the war. [13] The barrel roof of the chancel was renovated in 1953 to commemorate the coronation of Elizabeth II. In 1964, a vestry was built on the north-eastern side of the church. [14] There is a notable brass on the north wall of the south aisle dedicated to John, 8th Baron Strange of Knokin and his wife Jacquetta (1509). [15] [16] The nearest station to the church is Uxbridge which is at the distance of 1.73 km. [17]

Hillingdon Court

Hillingdon Court was built in 1858 by Sir Charles Mills as his family home, after he had bought separate adjacent properties in Vine Lane. Both[ which? ] buildings were demolished and the plots combined to allow the construction of the new property. The mansion remained in the family's ownership until Charles Mills, 2nd Baron Hillingdon died in 1919. Part of the estate was bought by the local authority, while the mansion was bought by the Roman Catholic Order of the Sacred Heart and became a nursing home in 1920. After the Second World War, the mansion became a girls' school, and in 1978 it was bought by ACS International Schools to become ACS Hillingdon. Under the ownership of ACS International Schools, the mansion has been extended and converted in parts to meet the needs of a school. The area of land bought by the local authority remains today as Hillingdon Court Park.

Notable people

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harefield</span> Human settlement in England

Harefield is a village in the London Borough of Hillingdon, England, 17 miles (27 km) northwest of Charing Cross near Greater London's boundary with Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the north. The population at the 2011 Census was 7,399. Harefield is the westernmost settlement in Greater London, and lies outside the capital's contiguous built-up area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ickenham</span> Human settlement in England

Ickenham is an area in Greater London, forming the northern part of Uxbridge and within the London Borough of Hillingdon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northwood, London</span> Area in the London Borough of Hillingdon

Northwood is an area in the London Borough of Hillingdon, North West London, located 14.5 miles (23.3 km) north-west of Charing Cross. Northwood was part of the ancient parish of Ruislip, Middlesex. The area was situated on the historic Middlesex boundary with Hertfordshire, and since being incorporated into Greater London in 1965, has been on the Greater London boundary with that county.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruislip</span> Area of west London, England

Ruislip is a suburb in the London Borough of Hillingdon in West London. Prior to 1965 it was in Middlesex. Ruislip lies 13.8 miles (22.2 km) west-north-west of Charing Cross, London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uxbridge</span> Town in the west of Greater London, England

Uxbridge is a suburban town in west London and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon. Situated 15.4 miles (24.8 km) west-northwest of Charing Cross, it is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. Uxbridge formed part of the parish of Hillingdon in the county of Middlesex, and was a significant local commercial centre from an early time. As part of the suburban growth of London in the 20th century it expanded and increased in population, becoming a municipal borough in 1955, and has formed part of Greater London since 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Borough of Hillingdon</span> London borough in United Kingdom

The London Borough of Hillingdon is the largest and westernmost borough in West London, England. It was formed in 1965 from the districts of Hayes and Harlington, Ruislip-Northwood, Uxbridge, and Yiewsley and West Drayton in the ceremonial county of Middlesex. Today, Hillingdon is home to Heathrow Airport and Brunel University, and is the second largest of the 32 London boroughs by area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uxbridge tube station</span> London Underground station

Uxbridge is a London Underground station in Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon, West London. The station is the terminus of the Uxbridge branches of both the Metropolitan line and the Piccadilly line. The next station towards London is Hillingdon. The station is 15.5 miles (25 km) west of Charing Cross and is in Travelcard Zone 6. The closest station on the Chiltern Line and Central line is West Ruislip, accessible by the U1 and U10 buses. The closest station on the Elizabeth line is West Drayton, accessible by the U1, U3, U5 and 222 buses. Uxbridge was formerly the terminus of a branch of the District line which ran from Ealing Common; the Piccadilly line took over in 1933.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Ruislip</span> Human settlement in England

South Ruislip is an area of west London in the London Borough of Hillingdon, south-east of Ruislip, south of Eastcote, north-west of Northolt, and west of South Harrow. A 2017 estimation put the population of South Ruislip ward as 13,150 residents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastcote</span> Area of west London, England

Eastcote is a suburban area in the London Borough of Hillingdon, in west London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uxbridge (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885–2010

Uxbridge was a seat returning one Member of Parliament (MP) of the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 1885 to 2010. Its MPs elected were: Conservative Party candidates for 107 years and Labour Party candidates for 18 years. The closing 40 years of the seat's history saw Conservative victory — in 1997 on a very marginal majority in relative terms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Municipal Borough of Uxbridge</span>

Uxbridge was a local government district in north west Middlesex, England, from 1849 to 1965, seated in the town of Uxbridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruislip-Northwood Urban District</span> Former urban district in Middlesex, UK

Ruislip-Northwood was an urban district in west Middlesex, England, from 1904 to 1965. From its inception Ruislip-Northwood fell within the Metropolitan Police District and from 1933 it was part of the London Passenger Transport Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uxbridge Rural District</span>

Uxbridge Rural District was, from 1894 to 1929, a local government district in Middlesex, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yiewsley and West Drayton Urban District</span>

Yiewsley and West Drayton was a local government district in Middlesex, England from 1929 to 1965. Its area became the south-west of the London Borough of Hillingdon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruislip Manor</span> Human settlement in England

Ruislip Manor is an area of Ruislip in the London Borough of Hillingdon in West London. It is located approximately 13 miles (20.9 km) west north west of Charing Cross.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bishopshalt School</span> Academy in Hillingdon, Greater London, England

Bishopshalt School is a secondary school and sixth form with academy status based in the London Borough of Hillingdon. It has specialisations in music and the performing arts. Between 2013 and 2014, the school was used for scenes in the BBC sitcom Big School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Highgrove House, Eastcote</span> Country house in Eastcote, London

Highgrove House, also known as High Grove House or High Grove, is a Grade II listed mansion in the suburban area of Eastcote, within the London Borough of Hillingdon. Originally built in 1750 by the Reverend John Lidgould, the house was rebuilt in 1881 by Sir Hugh Hume-Campbell following a catastrophic fire. Along with Haydon Hall and Eastcote House, Highgrove was one of the three main houses of Eastcote and eventually became a residential hostel for homeless families, run by the local council from the 1960s until 2007. An area of the estate was sold to the local council in 1935 by the then-owner Eleanor Warrender to become what is now Warrender Park. In 1975, the house was granted Grade II listed status on account of its special architectural character.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hillingdon Court</span> Building in Greater London, England

Hillingdon Court is a Grade II listed mansion in Hillingdon, within the London Borough of Hillingdon. Originally built in 1858 as the family home of the Mills family, the mansion has formed part of the ACS Hillingdon International School since 1978. Much of the remaining grounds came under public ownership in 1928 and have become public parkland and housing.

References

Citations
  1. Great Britain Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, Hillingdon East CP  ( historic map )  population  ( area ). Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  2. Young, K.; Garside, P. (1982). Metropolitan London: Politics and Urban Change 1837–1981 . Edward Arnold. ISBN   9780713163315.
  3. "A focus on Hillingdon East" (PDF). London Borough of Hillingdon. April 2011. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 June 2012. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
  4. Pearce 2007 , p. 7
  5. "Key to English Place-names".
  6. "Hillingdon, including Uxbridge: Local government".
  7. Coombs, Dan (13 June 2011). "Tube station among Hillingdon buildings to get protection". Uxbridge Gazette. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
  8. "Moorcroft School".
  9. "Moorcroft House". Lost Hospitals of London.
  10. "Buses from Uxbridge" (PDF). Transport for London. 6 November 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 April 2012.
  11. "A10 bus route". Transport for London. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  12. 1 2 Pearce 2007 , p. 16
  13. Pearce 2007 , p. 20
  14. Pearce 2007 , p. 17
  15. Weinreb, Ben; Hibbert, Christopher (1992). The London Encyclopaedia (reprint ed.). Macmillan. p. 744.
  16. Townend, Peter, ed. (1963). Burke's Peerage (103rd ed.). Burke's Peerage Limited. p. 2326.
  17. "The Church of St John the Baptist". 12 June 2020.
Works cited
Further reading