Northolt Town Centre's Historic Walk

Home , Ealing, Greenford, London Borough of Ealing, Northala Fields, Northolt, Northolt Manor

Start at Northolt Underground station. Turn right 5 GRAND UNION CANAL 10 NORTHOLT VILLAGE GREEN Facing the Willow Cottages across the Green is out of the station and walk down the hill to the The Crown Inn.

This stretch of canal was opened in 1801 as part of the The centre of the old village is overlooked by the parish

racecourses. known well electric an and facilities catering extensive

were pedestrian crossing. Cross over Mandeville Road, II. War World during closed finally one last

The Paddington arm of the Grand Junction Canal, which became church. Northolt Village Green was designated a Conservation

recall estate the on names street The site. the on There £250,000. of budget construction total the

of turn right and you will see the Clock Tower in

route. the along boards informational century. nineteenth the throughout Road,

Ruislip part of the Grand Union Canal in 1929. This joins the main area in 1969. A stream meanders through the Green beside 15 THE CROWN INN

built was estate housing Racecourse the and 1946 half cost have to reputed were stands cantilevered front of you

of number a are There Park. the within is walk and Road Kensington between junction the

near route of the Grand Union Canal at Bulls Bridge, Southall. The the road. A number of historic buildings border the Green:

in Council Ealing by over taken was racecourse The famous The facilities. innovative of number

a An inn has stood in this position since the early eighteenth this of most and 1996 in Park Countryside parish, the of end south the at canal the

beside canal was important for the economic development of the the first group comprises Herbert’s Cottages, Well Cottage

1 depot. Ordnance Greenford nearby the for depot had It 1929. Sunday Whit on opened course

The CLOCK TOWER century and the original building has been added to and Greenford and Northolt the into incorporated was operated brickworks brickmaking; was Northolt area, in particular carrying hay and bricks into London. and Fern Cottage.

modified in the Victorian and Edwardian periods. It has been

storage a became course the and 1940 in stopped vehicles. 6,000 for parking was

Northolt in space open remaining the of Much into intrude to industry significant only

The Mandeville Road was built in the 1930s to link Northolt a popular refreshment point for walkers and cyclists over finally Racing 1937. in receivership into company there use car to trend the anticipating

However, village to the new Western Avenue, and at the same time the years.

the put costs control to failure a but 1930s, the in Harrow. South to line Piccadilly the on and Hill

1951. by 19,201 to dramatically canal. by brought be could

and the large rectangular pond of Moat Farm was filled in.

year a meetings 60 about holding success, a was Harrow-on-the- to Street Baker Park, Northolt to

increased had but 3047, to grown had it 1931 by London from available were manure of

supplies Where it joined the old Ealing Road a triangular open

racecourse The 1935. in installed were Barriers Marylebone Northolt, to Paddington from trains

564, only was 1901 in Northolt of population The Cheap market. London the for hay

growing space was created which became Mandeville Green.

Benjamin as known gates Starting 1928. in legal links: transport good the was course new a for

Ealing. of Borough London the of end western on concentrating century nineteenth the In The clock tower was erected to celebrate the accession

become had which betting tote for totalizator, venue a as Northolt of attractions the of One

the been has Northolt 1965 since and 1928 in century. twentieth the until area agricultural of King George VI in 1937.

Ealing of Borough the into incorporated was turn largely a be to continued Northolt 1904.

in This District. Urban Greenford of part became it railway the then and 1801 in canal the

of Turn left into Court Farm Road. On the right hand side

when 1894 until parish separate a was Northolt building the until isolated fairly remained it

thus is a passage way with a Northolt and Greenford RACECOURSE NORTHOLT

and London, of out roads main old the of any Countryside Park signboard. Follow the path, which

period. post-war the in building house council for on located not was Northolt Road. Ruislip Road, leads into Belvue Park.

centre major a was Northolt 1939. by space open Church Road, Ealing Lane, Eastcote – roads old

of amount large a still was there but building, the obscure to tends network road modern The

house of pace the to contributed also which

1930s, 2 BELVUE PARK Continue along the towpath, passing under the A40

in Avenue Western of construction the by two Road. Ruislip and

Road The old manor site and land surrounding it was purchased Western Avenue. On the south side of the bridge leave Continue along the east side of the Green to reach a

in divided was Northolt 1. War World after pace Kensington of junction the near End Goslings

and in 1928 by Ealing Borough from a developer who had the towpath and take the footpath to the left leading pair of semi-detached houses with an extension to the

gathered which development, suburban of process north the to End Wood located, is House

Public proposed to put a row of houses right over the moated site. towards Marnham Field. north side.

gradual a started 1907 in Northolt at station Hart White the where End, West itself, village

the The Council turned the land into Belvue Park.

Railway’s Western Great the of opening The – hamlets four of consisted Northolt Traditionally 16 THE OLD POST OFFICE AND VILLAGE SHOP A small wooden bridge provides access to the site of 6 MARNHAM FIELD Northolt Manor House. This building was once the village shop and post office

Marnham Field is named after the Marnham family of operated first by the Hinge family and then by the Ravens.

century. seventeenth the in appears first spelling modern The

Ages. Greenford who made charitable gifts of land for the benefit

hands. 10 to up horses for Middle the during documents in appear Southall, from distinct as Northall, of of the poor in the eighteenth century. The land was used in Between the shop and the corner of Court Farm Road is

3 MOATED MANOR SITE first half of the twentieth century as a rubbish tip and the another group of old cottages: Ivy Cottage, built about sport the controlled which Club, Turf Pony the with deal a negotiated He 11 spellings Various Northala. as known is area the when (1086) Book Domesday DEYNTE’S COTTAGE

The Manor of Northolt was given by William the Conqueror land became overgrown. It has been cleared and restored as 1820, Judges Cottages, and set back from the road, the

ladies. including audience, wide a to appeal would that facilities quality in recorded is village small A AD. 960 in recorded is which land, of neck The cottage, set back from the road and to the right of the

to Geoffrey de Mandeville after the Conquest in 1066. It was part of the Countryside Park, and many new trees have been Nook, which dates from 1850.

planted on the site. pathway into the church, was built in 1887 by the Shadwell good with venue racing pony modern a provide to was aim His Zealand. New northern or Northhealum, was name the of form earliest The house. Manor one of many manors he owned and he is unlikely to have

family, who were Lords of the Manor of Northolt between

spent much time in Northolt. It later passed to other families from entrepreneur an Read, A. William was project the behind force guiding The Northolt of site the on excavated were AD 700 about from graves Three 1827 and 1919. It replaced earlier cottages, one of which

with connections with the City of London. The Le Boteler From Marnham Field look across the A40 to the

had been occupied by Henry Deynte, a manor official in the Racecourse. Northolt of site the was station GWR the of north area The Campanile of the Aladdin building. period. Anglo-Saxon the in was Northolt at settlement known earliest The family were the first to build a stone manor house at Northolt fifteenth century. in 1231. The Manor reached the peak of its prosperity in

1346 when Simon Francis a city merchant rebuilt the house

Cross the road where a drive leads to the Northolt development and history –

Northolt on a larger scale with a great hall and other living quarters.

7 ALADDIN BUILDING Village Community Centre.

The interior was of high quality with decorative brickwork

Racecourse Northolt Route Walking Northolt and a floor of distinctive red and white patterned tiles. When the Western Avenue was built it was expected that it A moat was also dug and this survived as a feature in the would be lined with factories like the Great West Road. This

landscape long after the buildings had been pulled down. did not materialise and the Aladdin factory stands in isolated 12 NORTHOLT VILLAGE COMMUNITY CENTRE

17 man carved into the woodwork. This takes you through railway track runs through the grounds. THE OLD PLOUGH INN land once part of Smith’s Farm. Follow the path that The building dates from about 1850 and was the Plough 4 ST MARY’S CHURCH skirts the side of the housing estate, into Horse Shoe Cross over the road, and follow the path towards the Public House until the building of the new Plough Inn in Crescent. Follow this road to Kensington Road. Church. Turn left towards the Memorial Hall. Further information about London on foot A priest is recorded at Northolt in Domesday book and 1940. After that it was the public library until the 1960s WALK Y O U R B O R O U G H The Northala mounds are in front of you and farmhouse can be found at www.tfl.gov.uk there was some sort of Church by 1140. The present church and was then converted into flats. has some remnants of thirteenth century fabric but more of Smith’s Farm to your right.

Further information on walking routes in Ealing survives from the next century. The font was given by Nicholas 13 MEMORIAL HALL

brochure. this to contribution their for historians, local Hounsell, Frances and Peter thank to like would We Brembre, one of the Lords of the Manor in the fourteenth

can be found at www.ealing.gov.uk/walking, Northolt Town Centre’s century. The church originally consisted of the nave, and the 8 SMITH’S FARM There have been several buildings on this site, including a

chancel and bell tower were added in the sixteenth century. half-timbered building used as the poor house, which became call 020 8825 6802 or email The gallery was built at the beginning on the eighteenth Smith’s Farm was the last working farm in the area. redundant in the 1830s. The first National schoolhouse was [email protected] Historic Walk century. There are memorials, amongst others, to members The surviving nineteenth farmhouse recalls the days when built on the site about 1840 and this was replaced by the

of the Shadwell family who were Lords of the Manor in the there were many farms in the area and the economy was present building in 1868. The building became inadequate

Church. the towards

footpath nineteenth century. The Church had become rather dilapidated largely agricultural. Some of the land of Smith’s Farm was by the early twentieth century and a new Northolt Primary

the take and Road Ealing into right then left,

turn in recent years but has recently been nicely restored. sold off for the neighbouring housing estate. School was built in West End Lane in 1907. Since 1927 the crossing, pedestrian the at road the cross Road, Rowdell

Garden. Rest the of part as preserved been There are brick buttresses at the west end from the building has been the Memorial Hall, run by the Northolt War into right Turn A40. the under Road Kensington along

have but facilities, sanitary of want their for condemned eighteenth century designed to stabilise the building. Cross the road to the entrance to the Northala Fields Memorial Hall and Village Green Trust. towpath. the to on right turn and bridge the Cross walk and road the cross left, Turn Road. Kensington

and down run become had cottages Willow centuries. & Mounds. Canal. Union Grand the to leads This you. of front in entrance the to return and mounds the Leave

earlier in labourers agricultural by experienced conditions in footpath the take and road the Cross Road. Rowdell

living spartan the of reminder a is building modest This

towards hill the down path the follow and left Turn direction. anti-clockwise MOATED MANOR EXCAVATION

Park. Belvue to path the along return and door main

an in ascends path the note Please wheelchairs. and

14 COTTAGES WILLOW

9 NORTHALA FIELDS & MOUNDS Adjacent is the site of new Plough Inn now surrounded

the to Return green. village the towards down sloping

buggies for difficult be may surface gravel the but by wooden hoardings.

churchyard the over view a gives which church, the of

people, most for suitable gradient gentle a has path The Northala Fields is a new open space which opened in 2008.

NORTHOLT GREEN

end west the to walk and right turn church, the

Leave The four conical mounds were created from rubble from the

CROWN INN

cottages. storey Palace. Crystal and original Wembley Stadium and the new White City shopping

single of row a is Hall Memorial the of front in Just THE NEW PLOUGH INN Wharf Canary Eye, London the as far as area surrounding the centre, and help reduce visual and noise pollution from the 18

rebuilt.) be will it whether

of view panoramic 360-degree a providing platform viewing A40. A network of six interconnecting fishing lakes and other

clear not is it time present the (At demolished. been has and This imposing public house of red brick with a thatched roof

a is there where summit the to path spiral a has mound leisure areas are situated behind the mounds.The tallest

2009 in fire disastrous a suffered but 1940 in opened was was opened in 1940 but suffered a disastrous fire in 2009

tallest mounds.The the behind situated are areas leisure mound has a spiral path to the summit where there is a

roof thatched a with brick red of house public imposing This and has been demolished. (At the present time it is not clear

other and lakes fishing interconnecting six of network A

A40. viewing platform providing a 360-degree panoramic view of

whether it will be rebuilt.)

the from pollution noise and visual reduce help and centre, 18 the surrounding area as far as the London Eye, Canary Wharf INN PLOUGH NEW THE Just in front of the Memorial Hall is a row of single

shopping City White new the and Stadium Wembley original and Crystal Palace. storey cottages.

INN CROWN

rubble from created were mounds conical four The the from Leave the church, turn right and walk to the west end

GREEN NORTHOLT

2008. in opened which space open new a is Fields Northala of the church, which gives a view over the churchyard The path has a gentle gradient suitable for most people,

hoardings. wooden

by sloping down towards the village green. Return to the but the gravel surface may be difficult for buggies

MOUNDS & FIELDS NORTHALA

surrounded now Inn Plough new of site the is Adjacent main door and return along the path to Belvue Park. and wheelchairs. Please note the path ascends in an 14 WILLOW COTTAGES

MANOR EXCAVATION MOATED Turn left and follow the path down the hill towards anti-clockwise direction. This modest building is a reminder of the spartan living Rowdell Road. Cross the road and take the footpath in conditions experienced by agricultural labourers in earlier

front of you. This leads to the Grand Union Canal. Leave the mounds and return to the entrance in Mounds. & centuries. Willow cottages had become run down and

Cross the bridge and turn right on to the towpath. Kensington Road. Turn left, cross the road and walk building. the stabilise to designed century eighteenth Fields Northala the to entrance the to road the Cross Trust. Green Village and Hall Memorial condemned for their want of sanitary facilities, but have

along Kensington Road under the A40. Turn right into

the from end west the at buttresses brick are There War Northolt the by run Hall, Memorial the been has building been preserved as part of the Rest Garden.

Rowdell Road, cross the road at the pedestrian crossing, restored. nicely been recently has but years recent in

estate. housing neighbouring the for off sold

the 1927 Since 1907. in Lane End West in built was

School turn left, then right into Ealing Road and take the

dilapidated rather become had Church The century. nineteenth

was Farm Smith’s of land the of Some agricultural. largely

Primary Northolt new a and century twentieth early the

by footpath towards the Church. the in Manor the of Lords were who family Shadwell the of was economy the and area the in farms many were there inadequate became building The 1868. in building present

Walk Historic

[email protected]

members to others, amongst memorials, are There century. when days the recalls farmhouse nineteenth surviving The the by replaced was this and 1840 about site the on built

eighteenth the on beginning the at built was gallery The area. the in farm working last the was Farm Smith’s was schoolhouse National first The 1830s. the in redundant

email or 6802 8825 020 call

century. sixteenth the in added were tower bell and chancel became which house, poor the as used building

half-timbered Centre’s Town Northolt FARM SMITH’S

www.ealing.gov.uk/walking, at found be can the and nave, the of consisted originally church The century. a including site, this on buildings several been have There

fourteenth the in Manor the of Lords the of one

Brembre, We would like to thank Peter and Frances Hounsell, local historians, for their contribution to this brochure.

Ealing in routes walking on information Further HALL MEMORIAL 13

Nicholas by given was font The century. next the from survives

more but fabric century thirteenth of remnants some has

right. your to Farm Smith’s of

www.tfl.gov.uk at found be can

flats. into converted then was and

church present The 1140. by Church of sort some was there

farmhouse and you of front in are mounds Northala The

H G U O R O B R U O Y K L A W

the was it that After 1940. 1960s the until library public

and book Domesday in Northolt at recorded is priest A

foot on London about information Further

Road. Kensington to road this Follow Crescent. Hall. Memorial the towards left Turn Church.

in Inn Plough new the of building the until House Public

Shoe Horse into estate, housing the of side the skirts the towards path the follow and road, the over Cross 4 CHURCH MARY’S ST

Plough the was and 1850 about from dates building The

that path the Follow Farm. Smith’s of part once land

through you takes This woodwork. the into carved man grounds. the through runs track railway INN PLOUGH OLD THE

green a has which bridge wooden the by canal the Cross a and centre the in meets Club Railway Model Northolt

church. the reach to round path the Follow canal. the towards path left the follow and round Turn Centre. Community Village Northolt the now is house

trees. through visible is Church Parish adjoining The The through. fell scheme the but Northolt, in City Garden

Green. Mandeville Centre. Business Metropolitan the now is site this and a build to proposed who 1919 in developer housing a by

towards walking right turn and Road Ealing the Cross site. the on out laid II, War World during factory the behind land the occupied purchased was Farm The 1850. in farmstead century sixteenth

now is manor mediaeval the of plan ground The Museum. depot Ordnance An heaters. and lamps oil made factory The a of site the on house present the built Shadwells The

Park Gunnersbury to donated were finds the and 1970s the

well. artesian own its from water stored that tank a had

HOUSE) FARM (MANOR WALK Y O U R B O R O U G H WALK Y O U R B O R O U G H

and 1950 between excavated was site house manor The campanile the style, Italianate an in 1931 in Built splendour.

CENTRE COMMUNITY VILLAGE NORTHOLT

down. pulled been had buildings the after long landscape isolated in stands factory Aladdin the and materialise not did

was moat A the in feature a as survived this and dug also This Road. West Great the like factories with lined be would

tiles. patterned white and red distinctive of floor a and it that expected was it built was Avenue Western the When Northolt Walking Route Northolt Racecourse

brickwork decorative with quality high of was interior The

Centre. Community Village BUILDING ALADDIN

quarters. living other and hall great a with scale larger a

on Northolt – history and development

Northolt the to leads drive a where road the Cross

house the rebuilt merchant city a Francis Simon when 1346

in prosperity its of peak the reached Manor The 1231. in

century. fifteenth

Northolt at house manor stone a build to first the were

family The earliest known settlement at Northolt was in the Anglo-Saxon period. building. Aladdin the of Campanile The area north of the GWR station was the site of Northolt Racecourse.

the in official manor a Deynte, Henry by occupied been had

Boteler Le The London. of City the with connections with

the to A40 the across look Field Marnham From

which of one cottages, earlier replaced It 1919. and

1827 Three graves from about 700 AD were excavated on the site of Northolt The guiding force behind the project was William A. Read, an entrepreneur from

families other to passed later It Northolt. in time much spent

between Northolt of Manor the of Lords were who family,

have to unlikely is he and owned he manors many of

one Manor house. The earliest form of the name was Northhealum, or northern New Zealand. His aim was to provide a modern pony racing venue with good site. the on planted

Shadwell the by 1887 in built was church, the into pathway

was It 1066. in Conquest the after Mandeville de Geoffrey to

1850. from dates which Nook,

been have trees new many and Park, Countryside the of part

the of right the to and road the from back set cottage,

The neck of land, which is recorded in 960 AD. A small village is recorded in quality facilities that would appeal to a wide audience, including ladies.

Conqueror the William by given was Northolt of Manor The

the road, the from back set and Cottages, Judges 1820, as restored and cleared been has It overgrown. became land

COTTAGE DEYNTE’S

Domesday Book (1086) when the area is known as Northala. Various spellings 11 He negotiated a deal with the Pony Turf Club, which controlled the sport

about built Cottage, Ivy cottages: old of group another the and tip rubbish a as century twentieth the of half first

SITE MANOR MOATED 3

is Road Farm Court of corner the and shop the Between in used was land The century. eighteenth the in poor the of of Northall, as distinct from Southall, appear in documents during the Middle for horses up to 10 hands.

benefit the for land of gifts charitable made who

Greenford Ages. The modern spelling first appears in the seventeenth century.

Ravens. the by then and family Hinge the by first operated of family Marnham the after named is Field Marnham

office post and shop village the once was building This

House. Manor Northolt

FIELD MARNHAM

of site the to access provides bridge wooden small A

SHOP VILLAGE AND OFFICE POST OLD THE

16 Traditionally Northolt consisted of four hamlets – The opening of the Great Western Railway’s

Park. Belvue into land the turned Council

The the village itself, West End, where the White Hart station at Northolt in 1907 started a gradual

site. moated the over right houses of row a put to proposed

side. north

Field. Marnham towards Public House is located, Wood End to the north process of suburban development, which gathered

had who developer a from Borough Ealing by 1928 in

the to extension an with houses semi-detached of pair leading left the to footpath the take and towpath

the and Goslings End near the junction of Kensington pace after World War 1. Northolt was divided in

purchased was it surrounding land and site manor old The

a reach to Green the of side east the along Continue

leave bridge the of side south the On Avenue.

Western Road and Ruislip Road. two by the construction of Western Avenue in

the along Continue A40 the under passing towpath,

PARK BELVUE 2 1930s, which also contributed to the pace of house The modern road network tends to obscure the building, but there was still a large amount of

old roads – Eastcote Lane, Ealing Road, Church open space by 1939. Northolt was a major centre

Park. Belvue into leads Road, Ruislip Road. Northolt was not located on for council house building in the post-war period.

which path, the Follow signboard. Park Countryside any of the old main roads out of London, and

NORTHOLT RACECOURSE Greenford and Northolt a with way passage a is thus it remained fairly isolated until the building Northolt was a separate parish until 1894 when

side hand right the On Road. Farm Court into left

Turn of the canal in 1801 and then the railway it became part of Greenford Urban District. This in

in 1904. Northolt continued to be a largely turn was incorporated into the Borough of Ealing

1937. in VI George King of agricultural area until the twentieth century. in 1928 and since 1965 Northolt has been the One of the attractions of Northolt as a venue totalizator, for tote betting which had become

accession the celebrate to erected was tower clock

The In the nineteenth century concentrating on western end of the London Borough of Ealing. for a new course was the good transport links: legal in 1928. Starting gates known as Benjamin

Green. Mandeville became which created was

space growing hay for the London market. Cheap The population of Northolt in 1901 was only 564, trains from Paddington to Northolt, Marylebone Barriers were installed in 1935. The racecourse

open triangular a Road Ealing old the joined it

Where supplies of manure were available from London by 1931 it had grown to 3047, but had increased to Northolt Park, Baker Street to Harrow-on-the- was a success, holding about 60 meetings a year in. filled was Farm Moat of pond rectangular large

the and could be brought by canal. dramatically to 19,201 by 1951. Hill and on the Piccadilly line to South Harrow. in the 1930s, but a failure to control costs put the time same the at and Avenue, Western new the to village

years.

the However, anticipating the trend to car use there company into receivership in 1937. Racing finally Northolt link to 1930s the in built was Road Mandeville over cyclists and walkers for point refreshment popular

a The only significant industry to intrude into Much of the remaining open space in Northolt was parking for 6,000 vehicles. stopped in 1940 and the course became a storage been has It periods. Edwardian and Victorian the in modified

Cottage. Fern and London. into bricks and hay carrying particular in

area, Northolt was brickmaking; brickworks operated was incorporated into the Northolt and Greenford

TOWER CLOCK

and to added been has building original the and century The course opened on Whit Sunday 1929. It had depot for the nearby Greenford Ordnance depot. 1

Cottage Well Cottages, Herbert’s comprises group first the the of development economic the for important was

canal beside the canal at the south end of the parish, Countryside Park in 1996 and most of this

eighteenth early the since position this in stood has inn

An a number of innovative facilities. The famous The racecourse was taken over by Ealing Council in

Green: the border buildings historic of number A road. the The Southall. Bridge, Bulls at Canal Union Grand the of

route near the junction between Kensington Road and walk is within the Park. There are a number of

you of front cantilevered stands were reputed to have cost half 1946 and the Racecourse housing estate was built

INN CROWN THE

beside Green the through meanders stream A 1969. in area main the joins This 1929. in Canal Union Grand the of

part Ruislip Road, throughout the nineteenth century. informational boards along the route.

in Tower Clock the see will you and right turn of the total construction budget of £250,000. There on the site. The street names on the estate recall

Conservation a designated was Green Village Northolt church. became which Canal, Junction Grand the of arm

Paddington The last one finally closed during World War II.

Road, Mandeville over Cross crossing. pedestrian were extensive catering facilities and an electric well known racecourses. parish the by overlooked is village old the of centre The the of part as 1801 in opened was canal of stretch This

Inn. Crown The the to hill the down walk and station the of out

5 GREEN VILLAGE NORTHOLT 10 CANAL UNION GRAND

is Green the across Cottages Willow the Facing right Turn station. Underground Northolt at Start