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Inventory Site Record

Churchfields Recreation Ground (Ealing)

Brief Description

Churchfields Recreation Ground was former glebe lands for St Mary's Church Hanwell. The land was owned by Sir Montagu Sharpe of Brent Lodge when it was purchased in 1898 by the local council for public open space. In 1902 the purchase of the Rector's Glebe next to the recreation ground completed the open space and by then fencing and path repair had been carried out, seating provided and two 'handsome fountains' erected. Close to the centre of the recreation ground is a War Memorial erected by the Boy Scouts in 1919. The site has views towards the Wharncliffe Viaduct, built by Brunel in 1836/7. A line of mature trees marks its northern boundary with Church Road and an avenue of mature horse chestnut trees crosses the ground along the diagonal path from the parish church.

Practical Information
Site location:
Church Road, Hanwell
Postcode:
W7
What 3 Words:
slurs.hangs.ruby
Type of site:
Public Park
Borough:
Ealing
Open to public?
Yes
Opening times:
unrestricted
Special conditions:
Facilities:
Playground, tennis courts, sports pitches. Car park
Events:
Public transport:
Rail: Hanwell. Tube: Ealing Broadway (Central, District) then bus, Northfields (Piccadilly) then bus. Bus: E1, E3, 83, 92, 195, 207, 282, 427, 607.
Research updated:
01/10/2010
Last minor changes:
19/07/2023

Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news. www.ealing.gov.uk/services/environment/parks_and_open_spaces

Full Site Description

Hanwell was an independent manor at the time of the Domesday Survey, the village growing up around the church of St Mary Hanwell (q.v.). By 1838 the Great Western Railway had reached Hanwell and the population was growing. Churchfields was former glebe lands for St Mary's Church Hanwell (q.v.), and was owned by Sir Montagu Sharpe of Brent Lodge when it was purchased in 1898 by the local council for public open space. Two Glebe stones are shown on early OS maps. Hanwell UDC had been established in 1895, and was later absorbed into Ealing Borough Council in 1926. In 1902 the purchase of the Rector's Glebe next to the recreation ground completed the open space and by then fencing and path repair had been carried out, seating provided and two 'handsome fountains' erected through the generosity of Mr S A Cumming. The site has views towards the Wharncliffe Viaduct, built by Brunel in 1836/7. A line of mature trees marks its northern boundary with Church Road and an avenue of mature horse chestnut trees crosses the ground along the diagonal path from the church in the north west corner, a path that pre-dated the public recreation ground and is shown on the OS map of 1860.

Close to the centre of the recreation ground a War Memorial was erected by the Boy Scouts in 1919, the only public war memorial in Hanwell. 1914 and 1934 OS maps show a bandstand just south of the main path near the centre of the park, with drinking fountains and a toilet at the south east corner, but the bandstand has since disappeared.

In 1976 Churchfields Recreation Ground and Brent Lodge Park (q.v.) became part of the Brent River Park following proposals by the Brent River and Canal Society, which was established in 1973 to set up a linear park and improve the Brent Valley river corridor. Brent River Park covers 400 hectares along its 7km length, and includes formal parks such as Brent Lodge Park, Churchfields Recreation Ground, Pitshanger and Elthorne Parks (q.q.v.) and open space, golf courses, sports grounds, allotments and privately owned land. Brent River Park received £400,000 in 2009 under the Mayor of London's Priority Parks scheme, which was matched by £487,000 from Ealing Council. Improvement projects are underway in the various parks and open spaces that come under Brent River Park, including in Churchfields where heritage stones railings and new fitness equipment are to be completed by the end of 2010.

Sources consulted:

LB Ealing Conservation Area Appraisal (April 1999); Middlesex County Times 4/1/1902; Peter Hounsell, 'Ealing and Hanwell Past' (Historical Publications, 1991)

Further Information (Planning and Conservation)
Grid ref:
TQ149806 (514950,180600)
Size in hectares:
8.4
Site ownership:
LB Ealing
Site management:
Leisure & Parks Service
Date(s):
1898
Designer(s):
Listed structures:
None
On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens:

No
Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965:

No
Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931:

No

Local Authority Data

The information below is taken from the relevant Local Authority's planning legislation, which was correct at the time of research but may have been amended in the interim. Please check with the Local Authority for latest planning information.

On Local List:
No
In Conservation Area:
Yes
Conservation Area name:
Churchfields
Tree Preservation Order:
Not known
Nature Conservation Area:
No
Green Belt:
No
Metropolitan Open Land:
Yes
Special Policy Area:
Yes - Archaelogical Interest Area
Other LA designation:
Within Brent River Park Boundary

Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.