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DIRECTIONS AND HISTORICAL NOTES FOR
BEATING THE BOUNDARY OF THE OLD PARISH OF HANWELL
MONDAY 7th MAY 2001
The Fox, at the turn of the century, was still used as the meeting place for
The local hunt — hence its name. The gent’s and ladies are still labeled
"Foxes" and "Vixens". Follow the towpath, south, towards
Osterley Lock. After % mile there is a large patch of brambles. Where this
finishes is a grassy part at the back and to the left near a tree you will
find the first BOUNDARY STONE Continue along the towpath to Osterley Lock.
The loop" in the river at the bottom of the weir is the old course of
the Brent. The river was drastically straightened (see old map of Hanwell)
when it became the canal. On this loop" is the site of the original
GALLOWS BRIDGE mentioned later. Continue down the towpath towards the motorway
and tube line. Just before the motorway bridge There is a path to the left
after The loop" of The Brent rejoins the canal leading up Through the
trees. Turn left onto the pathway.
The tube line is the southern boundary of the parish. THE GALLOWS where
highwaymen and thieves were hanged stood between Boston Manor Station and the
motorway and would have been clearly visible from the river. Further down the
canal is the "new" Gallows Bridge (built to allow the horses that
towed the barges to cross the canal). Continue along the path until Southdown
Avenue. Turn right and left into left into Wellmeadow Road and Turn right onto
Boston Road. Cross the road at The pelican crossing by the station. Turn left
and then first right into Cawdor Crescent.
THE GOSPEL OAK stood where Boston Manor Station now stands. ft is believed
that when the parish of St Mary’s Church extended right down to Brentford,
church services were held at the half-way point to save those from the south
having to walk all the way to the church. Its decayed trunk was removed in
1929. Continue round Cawdor Crescent, turning right into Clitherow Avenue
which crosses Hazlemere Avenue.
Hazlemere Avenue used to be known as Thieves Lane and was used by the
villagers of little Ealing to take produce to, or go to work at the large
estates at Osterley and Syon. Crossing Boston Lane they walked along Curd
Lane, past the gallow on their left, and across the Brent over Gallows Bridge
(which we walked close towards earlier). Returning after dark, they were
frequently attacked — hence the name "Thieves Lane" Continue along
Clitherow Avenue, until you reach Erlsmere Gardens..
This was part of CLITHEROWS FARM owned in 1814 by James Clitherow. The
Clitherow Family of Boston Manor House were merchant bankers. They entertained
William IV and Queen Adelaide for dinner at Boston Manor House in 1834. At
Erlesmere Gardens turn right and first left into Balmoral Gardens.
Balmoral Gardens — the northern boundary of a small Roman Encampment
probably from the 1st Roman invasion in 54 BC. A left and a right
at The end of Balmoral Gardens brings us to Midhurst Road. Turning left we
join Leighton Road. Almost opposite and slightly left is The second BOUNDARY
STONE Take a right into Seward Road.
Seward Road. Thomas Seward had a farm here until 1912. Continue along Seward
Road, at Oaklands Road is the thini BOUNDARY STONE, found slightly to The east
on the north side. Continue up Grosvenor Road. A fourth BOUNDARY STONE can be
found to the left in the Hatfield Road. Turn right at The Uxbridge Road.
Uxbridge Road Probably existed as a track as early as Medieval times
(1000-1400 AD) but must have been a reasonable road by the 14th
century when bridges at Middle Ford (Brent Bridge) are recorded as being in
need of repair. As London grew, there was a great demand for food for the
rapidly increasing population, and for wool to feed the growing export trade.
Thus this road, form London to Oxford, became more important, running parallel
to the main London Road which ran through Brentford and out to the west
through Hampton Court. The route now takes an excursion outside The boundary
in order to cross the railway at Jacob’s Ladder. Cross the Uxbridge Road at
The far side of the lights and walk up Eccelston Road and right into Endsleigh
Road At the end turn right and immediately left to go over Jacob’s Ladder.
Walk across Drayton Green and turn left down Drayton Bridge Road, cross the
road at the zebra crossing and walk over the railway bridge.
Further down Drayton Bridge Road is the site of the present Drayton Manor
High School where Park House once stood. The estate covered the whole of the
land northwards, over Cuckoo Hill and down to the Ruislip Road. In the early
1800’s it was owned by Sir Archibald MacDonald, Chief Baron of the
Exchequer. Benjamin Sharpe bought it in 1848 and it passed to his son, Sir
Montague Sharpe in 1883. It was pulled down about 1912. Take the walkway on
the right after the bridge into Copley Close.
Copley Close. Sir John Copley, Lord Lyndhurst born 1772, Chancellor of the
Exchequer 1830 —4, lived in Hanwell. As we walk along Copley Close we pass
Bordars Road.
If you were to walk along Bordars Road and look up Cuckoo Avenue you can see
what is left of the CENTRAL LONDON DISTRICT SCHOOL (Cuckoo Schools) The school
was opened in the mid 19th century (1856) to take children from the
workhouses of central London and Southwark. The 1,000 children who were
settled there, together with members of staff doubled the population of
Hanwell overnight. Apart from the reception block, which still remains as a
Community Centre, it was pulled down in 1933 to make way for the council to
build an estate —the Cuckoo Estate. The most famous of the Cuckoo Schools’
children was Charlie Chaplin.
Mill Hill Field stood further west of the school and was named because of
the WINDMILL. built there by the Abbot of Westminster (Richard de Crokesley)
about 1250. It was pulled down in 1330, but the name remained for hundreds of
years. Leaving Copley Close by the path to Ruislip Road East, turn right and
cross Ruisllp Road East cross at the zebra crossing. Before the river take a
rough path under the bridge arch. Where the bridge crosses the river is the
northeast corner of the Parish. The path follows close to the road until you
are opposite Green ford Avenue.
At this point over the river stood STICKLETON BRIDGE built, ft is believed,
to enable people from Greenford and Perivale to bring their corn across the
Brent to be ground into flour at the mill on Cuckoo Hill. In 1339 there was a
petition made to the King’s Court to make the Abbot repair the bndge because
the former rector of Perivale and two parishioners had been swept away and
drowned. It was moved to its present site in 1652 and is now known as
Greenford Bridge.
Looking up Greenford Avenue the road nses to Cuckoo Hill at the top. In the
6~ century, this was the site of a BATTLEFIELD. The battle was between the
Romano-British and an invading band of West Saxons. As a result, what is now
Grove Avenue became known as Bloody Croft. The Domesday Book shows the hill
being covered by woodland, which provided feeding for 50 pigs (i.e. acorns
etc.) During the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1 (1558-1603) the woods were cut
down and deared for the growing of wheat — to be sold in London. Head down
to the river and follow it as closely as possibly until Green ford Bridge. The
pathway runs on the Hanwell side of the river. Cross the bridge and rejoin the
pathway along side the river.
The River Brent has never been a navigable river but through history it has
created a difficult to cross boundary. Rising in Mill Hill, North London, it
flows close to the North Circular Road through Perivale and Hanwell before
flowing into the Thames at Brentford. It has been straightened considerably to
reduce the chance of flooding such as that which covered the streets of
Perivale in 1901. Continue along the river and you can see how the river has
been strengthened to make an island. At the first bridge cross the river. Half
way over the bridge marks the old boundary. Keep to the path on the left going
through the golf course. Follow the path until you reach the small brook and
you will find the sixth BOUNDARY STONE to your left. Follow the river closely
as possible and eventually you will come to Bowles Bridge.
Bowles Bridge (or Boles or Bulls) is thought to be named after John Bowles
who owned Dormers Wells Manor) now Dormers Wells) in the reign of Elizabeth 1.
The Romans may have previously used this crossing. A Roman inscribed stone was
found in the garden of "The Hemitage" nearby. Crossing Bowles
Bridge, turn immediately right into the Bunny Park.
St Mary’s Church is now visible — site of the ORIGINAL SETTLEMENT OF
HANWELL VILLAGE. The first record of the church is in the 12th
century, although there may have been a church there quite a while before
then. It was re-built in 1782 but became too small and the present church was
built in 1841 by the famous architect Sir George Gilbert Scott.
Churchfields was one of the three great fields which were cultivated in
rotation in medieval times. It was eventually purchased by the council and
opened as a public park in 1898— "to preserve the hillside and river
valley around the church, free of buildings".
The building next to the church is Rectory Cottage (built in 1805) and was
the site of the FIRST SCHOOL IN HANWELL — built by the Hobbayne Trust in
1781 to teach poor children reading and writing. By the side was the Ale House
which was run by the Churchwardens and to which they repaired after the church
services. The school was blown down in a gale a few years after it was built.
A new schoolhouse was constructed but, in 1805 this was struck by lightning
and burned down. The Hobbayne Trustees then built a new school in Half Acre
Road. Now follow the river to the viaduct.
Bunny Park — formerly Brent Lodge. The house was built about 1782 when the
Hanwell Park sold some of its land (at the same time it sold what now is Brent
Valley Golf Course, for the building of another large house - The Grove). The
last owner was Sir Montague Sharpe and after his death, the house fell into
disrepair and was pulled down in 1931 when the council bought it as a public
park. Turn tight part way up the hill passing underneath the viaduct.
Wharncliffe Viaduct Isambard Kingdom Brunel designed and supervised the
erection of the viaduct. As engineer for the Great Western Railway he
constructed the 120 miles from London to Bristol. Work on the Viaduct began in
1836 and trains were running from Paddington to Maidenhead by June 1838. The
railway used the broad gauge of 7 feet % inch but was later converted to
Stevensons "carnage width" 4 feet 8 S4 inches. The viaduct gets its
name from Lord Wharncliffe who steered the GWR Bill through the House of
Lords. His coat of Arms can be seen from the Brent Meadow site. In the 1870’s
the viaduct was widened to take 4 lines. Queen Victoria, when On her regular
visits to Windsor, would have her train stop on the viaduct in order that she
could see the magnificent view of the Brent Valley and St Mary’s Church.
Cross the river and follow the path through Brent Meadow.
On the opposite side of the river is Half Acre Road — one of the original
strips of land belonging to William Hobbayne. The village cage (for prisoners)
and stocks which were erected in 1788 stood on the eastern corner of the
Junction with Oxford (Uxbridge) Road, opposite the Hobbayne School and poor
houses. On the other side of the main road, a village pump was erected in 1815
to supplement water drawn from the well where St Anne’s School now stands.
The cage and stocks were pulled down in 1844 and the stones used to build the
west wall of the Parish Church.
Brent Bridge — known as the Middle Ford (the others are Greenford and
Brentford). The first mention of the bridge was in 1396 when it was in need of
repair. It was repaired or re-built early in the 16th century in
stone but in 1675 it was again recorded as being built in brick. In 1762 the
turnpike trustees re-built and widened it and from 1815 it became the
responsibility of the County. In 1906 it was widened again and re-faced with
stone. There was already a toll (money gate) there in the 15th
century and, in 1714 it became turnpiked. Brent Meadow by the side was famous
for its watercress beds.
The Viaduct Pub formerly The Coach and Horses was originally built in the
early 1700’s. It provided overnight shelter for travelers who did not wish
to cross the wild highlands which lay beyond for they were notorious for
highwaymen. The building of this inn created quite a change in the little
village of Hanwell, for it introduced the need for ostlers, chambermaids,
waitresses etc, etc, and a blacksmith’s forge was opened on the corner of
Lower Boston Road opposite. In 1880 street lighting was introduced in an
attempt to frustrate the footpads who lay in wait for people leaving the pub
at closing time. Pass under the Uxbridge Road and continue along the river
until you come to a sharp left hand bend.
Billet’s Hart opposite — now allotments. This land belongs to Hobbayne
Trust and used to be common meadow. Cattle coming from the west used to cross
the Brent at a shallow point here, and continue up Green Lane (hence the name
— a green lane being a cattle track). In this way they avoided paying the
toll over the Brent Bridge. The picnic tables are situated on the old boundary
on infill used when the river was straightened. A little further along the
river joins the canal.
The Grand Union Canal Work was commenced in 1793 by the Grand Junction Canal
Company to link Brentford (and the Thames) to Braunston hence Birmingham. The
Hanwell "flights" of locks was completed in 1796 and has been
designated an ancient monument. It takes approximately I to 4 hours to clear
the flights during which time 60,000 gallons of water are lost. There was
considerable objection to the idea of the canal — that it would become
"green mantled pools of stinking water". The problem came but it
wasn’t "green". By the 1890’s the population had increased from
800 (1801) to 6000. The River Brent became an open sewer where not even water
rats could live. Where the canal meets the river Brent turn left and after
passing the Lock take the exit from the canal and make your way to The Fox
Public House to collect your certificate.
YOU HAVE NOW BEATEN THE BOUNDARY OF THE OLD PARISH OF HANWELL
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