Chiswick
Encyclopedia
Chiswick is a large suburb of west London
, England and part of the London Borough of Hounslow
. It is located on a meander of the River Thames
, 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Charing Cross
and is one of 35 major centres identified in the London Plan
. It was historically an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex
, with an agrarian and fishing economy. Having good communications with London from an early time the area became a popular country retreat, and as part of the suburban growth of London in the late 19th and early 20th centuries the population of Chiswick significantly expanded. With neighbouring Brentford
, it became a municipal borough
in 1932 and has formed part of Greater London
since 1965.
origin meaning "Cheese Farm" and originates from the riverside meadows and farms that are thought to have supported an annual cheese fair on Dukes Meadows up until the 18th century. Chiswick was first recorded c.
1000 as Ceswican.
, Little Sutton and Turnham Green
. By the early nineteenth century the fishing industry in and around Chiswick was declining as the growth of industry and the invention of the flush toilet were causing pollution in the river. Fish began to die out and the river became unsuitable as a spawning ground. Locks upstream also made the river impassable by migratory fish such as salmon and shad.
Fuller, Smith & Turner P.L.C. and its predecessor companies have been brewing beer on its Chiswick site for over 350 years. The original brewery was in the gardens of Bedford House in Chiswick Mall, and these premises later expanded to the present site nearby. The company brews real ales
and owns public houses.
From the 18th century onwards the High Road became built up with inns and large houses. Today the High Road is a busy shopping street with many cafes, restaurants and several 19th century public houses.
In 1864, John Isaac Thornycroft
, founder of the John I. Thornycroft & Company
shipbuilding company, established a yard at Church Wharf at the west end of Chiswick Mall. The works closed in 1908.
In 1822, the Royal Horticultural Society
leased 33 acres (13.4 ha) of land in the area between the now Sutton Court Road and Duke’s Avenue. This site was used for its fruit tree collection and its first school of horticulture, and housed its first flower shows. The area was reduced to 10 acres (4 ha) in the 1870s, and the lease was terminated when the Society’s garden at Wisley
, Surrey, was set up in 1904. Some of the original pear trees still grow in the gardens of houses built on the site.
Chiswick had two well-known theatres in the 20th century. The Chiswick Empire (1912 to 1959) was at 414 Chiswick High Road. It had 2,140 seats, and staged music hall
entertainment, plays
, review, opera
, ballet
and an annual Christmas pantomime
. The Q Theatre (1924 to 1959) was a small theatre opposite Kew Bridge station. It staged the first works of Terence Rattigan
and William Douglas-Home
and many of its plays went on to the West End. Today, the Tabard Theatre (1985 to date) on Bath Road, is known for new writing and experimental work.
Dukes Meadows stands on land formerly owned by the Duke of Devonshire
. In the 1920s, it was purchased by the local council, who developed it as a recreational centre. A promenade and bandstand were built, and the meadows are still used for sport with a rugby club, football pitches, hockey club, several rowing clubs and a golf club. In recent years a local conservation charity, the Dukes Meadows Trust has undertaken extensive restoration work, which saw a long term project of a children's water play area opened in August 2006.
Chiswick is the birthplace of the modern domestic violence refuge movement, with the first shelter established by Erin Pizzey
in 1971.
During World War II
, Chiswick suffered a number of bombing raids. W.P. Roe’s book pages 80 to 90 notes areas of damage due to 50 bombing raids in late 1940 to early 1941, and another 5 in 1944. Both incendiary and high explosive bombs were used, and there was also damage from falling anti-aircraft shells that had not exploded as intended. From June 1944, V-1 flying bomb
s started to fall; Mr. Roe lists 14 of these. The first V-2 Rocket
to hit London fell on Chiswick in September 1944, killing three people and causing extensive damage to surrounding trees and buildings. There is a memorial where the rocket fell on Staveley Road (see image on right). There is also a War Memorial at the east end of Turnham Green
.
hundred of Middlesex
. In 1878 the parish gained a triangle of land in the east which had formed a detached part of Ealing
. From 1894 to 1927 the parish formed the Chiswick Urban District
. In 1927 it was abolished and its former area was merged with that of Brentford Urban District
to form Brentford and Chiswick Urban District
. The amalgamated district became a municipal borough in 1932. The borough of Brentford and Chiswick was abolished in 1965 and its former area was transferred to Greater London
to form part of the London Borough of Hounslow
. With these changes, Chiswick Town Hall
is no longer the local government centre, but is still used for some council services. There was a Brentford and Chiswick
Parliament constituency from 1918 to 1974.
The population of Chiswick grew almost tenfold during the 19th century, and the built environment is a mixture of Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian.
Chiswick House
was designed by the Third Earl of Burlington
, and built for him, in 1726–9 as an extension to an earlier Jacobean
house (subsequently demolished in 1788); it is considered to be among the finest surviving examples of Palladian architecture
in Britain, with superb collections of paintings and furniture. Its surrounding grounds constitute one of the most important historical gardens in England and Wales, and mark a significant step on the road to the picturesque
aesthetic in garden design.
St. Nicholas church has a 15th century tower, although the remainder of the church was rebuilt by J.L. Pearson in 1882–4. Monuments in the churchyard mark the burial sites of the 18th century English artist William Hogarth
—whose house is now a museum known as Hogarth's House
—and William Kent
, the architect and landscape designer; the churchyard also houses a mausoleum (for Philip James de Loutherbourg
) designed by John Soane
. One of Oliver Cromwell's daughters, Mary, lived and died in Chiswick and is buried in the churchyard. Enduring legend has it that the body of Oliver Cromwell was also interred with her. On a later note, Private Frederick Hitch VC, hero of Rorke's Drift
, is also buried there.
St. Michael on Elmwood Road, of 1908-9, was designed by W.D. Caroe
. Chiswick is also home to a Russian Orthodox Cathedral, built in 1998. (See photo at Gunnersbury
.) Less visually prominent than these because of its position amid other building is the Sanderson Factory, now known as Voysey House and situated in Barley Mow Passage, designed by the architect C.F. Voysey and completed in 1902. Its original purpose was a wallpaper printing works, but it is now used as office space. It is a Grade II* listed building.
Suburban building began in Gunnersbury
in the 1860s and in Bedford Park
, on the borders of Chiswick and Acton, in 1875: the latter, designed largely by Richard Norman Shaw
, was described by Nikolaus Pevsner
as the first place "where the relaxed, informal mood of a market town or village was adopted for a complete speculatively built suburb". Some of the most beautiful period mansion blocks in the area, such as Heathfield Court and Arlington Mansions are located around Turnham Green
- the site of the Battle of Turnham Green in 1642. Other suburbs of Chiswick include Grove Park (south of the A4, close to Chiswick Station) and Strand on the Green
, a fishing hamlet until the late 18th century.
There are several historic public house
s in Chiswick. Three are in Strand-on-the-Green
, fronting on to the river path. The Tabard on Bath Road near Turnham Green station is known for its William Morris
interior. A large part of Chiswick falls within the conservation area
s within the London Borough of Hounslow.
In 1896, "Bedford Park
, Chiswick" was advertised, which at that time was partly in Acton Urban District
.
is Mary Macleod
of the Conservative Party
, elected at the May 2010 general election. Ann Keen
of the Labour Party
was the MP from the 1997 general election
. For elections to the London Assembly
Chiswick is located in the South West constituency
, represented since 2000 by Tony Arbour
, of the Conservative Party. For elections to Hounslow London Borough Council, Chiswick is represented by three electoral wards: Turnham Green, Chiswick Homefields and Chiswick Riverside. Each ward elects three councillors, who serve four-year terms. For 2010-14, all nine councillors are Conservatives
.
, 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Charing Cross
. The district is built up towards the north with more open space in the south, including the grounds of Chiswick House
and Dukes Meadows
. The river forms the southern boundary with Kew
, North Sheen
, Mortlake
, Barnes and Castelnau in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
. In the east Goldhawk Road
and British Grove form a border with Hammersmith
in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
. To the north are Bedford Park
and South Acton
in the London Borough of Ealing
, with a boundary partially delineated by the District line
. To the west, within Hounslow, are the districts of Gunnersbury
and Brentford
. Chiswick is included in the W4 postcode district of the London post town
, which additionally includes Bedford Park, mostly within the London Borough of Ealing. Climate data for Chiswick is taken from the nearest weather station at Greenwich
:
Great West Road and Hammersmith
, office developments and warehouse conversions to offices began from the 1960s. The first, in 1961 was 414 Chiswick High Road, that was built on the site of the old Empire Cinema, then in 1964 to 1966 the 18 storey headquarters for IBM
were built above Gunnersbury. Designed to accommodate 1500 people, it remained their headquarters until 1992, where after extensive alterations it became the home of the British Standards Institution, now known as the BSI Group
in 1994. In 2010 the property was purchased by Canmoor and renamed Chiswick Tower. It is undergoing refurbishment and the space vacated by BSI Group
is being let by Frost Meadowcroft
. Chiswick is also home to the Griffin Brewery, where Fuller, Smith & Turner brew their prize-winning ales.
(A406), South Circular Road
(A205) and the M4 motorway
, the latter providing a direct connection to Heathrow Airport
and the M25 motorway
. The Great West Road (A4) runs eastwards into central London via the Hogarth Roundabout
where it meets the Great Chertsey Road
(A316) which runs south-west, eventually joining the M3 motorway
.
The southern border of Chiswick runs along the River Thames, which is crossed in this area by Barnes Railway and Foot Bridge, Chiswick Bridge
, Kew Railway Bridge and Kew Bridge
. River services between Westminster Pier and Hampton Court depart from Kew Gardens Pier
just across Kew Bridge.
Including buses that stop at Kew Bridge
and Chiswick High Road, and/or Kew Bridge railway station
, Chiswick is served by eleven bus routes (27
, 65
, 94
, 190, 237
, 267
, 272, 391
, 440, E3
and H91
) and two all-night services (N9 and N11). Three services run 24 hours a day (27
, 94
, 65
).
Until its closure in 1989, London Transport
had a Central Works and Training School (for bus crews) located in Chiswick High Road, opposite Gunnersbury
Underground Station. The Training School incorporated a bus "Skid-Pan".
The District line
crosses Chiswick, the London Underground stations are (east-west): Stamford Brook
, Turnham Green
, Chiswick Park
and Gunnersbury. Turnham Green is an interchange with the Piccadilly line
, but only before 0650 and after 2230, when Piccadilly line trains stop at the station.
The nearest National Rail stations are Chiswick
and Kew Bridge
. South West Trains operates a regular service to London Waterloo via Clapham Junction.
The North London line
crosses Chiswick (north-south); the nearest London Overground station
is Gunnersbury
On Chiswick Common is the Rocks Lane Multi Sports Centre, where there are tennis, five-a-side football and netball courts available to hire to the public.
The Chiswick reach of the Thames is heavily used for competitive and recreational rowing
, and Chiswick itself is home to several clubs. The University of London Boat Club
is based in its boathouse off Hartington Road (the boathouse also houses the clubs of many of the University's constituent colleges and teaching hospitals). ULBC is, periodically, one of the most successful university clubs in the UK, with multiple wins at Henley Royal Regatta
. Recent members include Tim Foster
, Gold medallist at the Sydney Olympics and Frances Houghton
, World Champion in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Mortlake Anglian & Alpha Rowing Club and Quintin Boat Club are situated between Chiswick Quay Marina and Chiswick Bridge. The foreshore facing these clubs is also used as the landing place for Boat Race crews.
Tideway Scullers School is immediately downriver of Chiswick Bridge. The Club's current members include single sculling World Champion Mahé Drysdale
and Great Britain single sculler Alan Campbell
. The upriver end of the Championship Course
from Mortlake
to Putney
is adjacent to the Tideway Scullers School boathouse. The Boat Race
is contested on the Championship Course on a flood tide (in other words from Putney to Mortlake) with Duke's Meadows a popular view-point for the closing stages of the race. The finishing post is just downstream of Chiswick Bridge. Other important races such as the Head of the River Race
race the reverse course, on an ebb tide.
Although the garage closed in 2000 and has now become a block of flats, Chiswick was once home to the Chequered Flag garage and its associated motor racing team. Situated on Chiswick High Road, the garage and car showroom was noted for its privateering rally team
driving a Lancia Stratos
with drivers such as Tony Pond
and Russell Brookes
. Much earlier, the team had raced Formula Junior
cars, and numbered Jim Clark
amongst its early drivers.
See also the List of people from the London Borough of Hounslow
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England and part of the London Borough of Hounslow
London Borough of Hounslow
-Political composition:Since the borough was formed it has been controlled by the Labour Party on all but two occasions. In 1968 the Conservatives formed a majority for the first and last time to date until they lost control to Labour in 1971. Labour subsequently lost control of the council in the...
. It is located on a meander of the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
, 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Charing Cross
Charing Cross
Charing Cross denotes the junction of Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square in central London, England. It is named after the now demolished Eleanor cross that stood there, in what was once the hamlet of Charing. The site of the cross is now occupied by an equestrian...
and is one of 35 major centres identified in the London Plan
London Plan
The London Plan is a planning document written by the Mayor of London, England in the United Kingdom and published by the Greater London Authority. The plan was first published in final form on 10 February 2004 and has since been amended. The current version was published in February 2008...
. It was historically an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, with an agrarian and fishing economy. Having good communications with London from an early time the area became a popular country retreat, and as part of the suburban growth of London in the late 19th and early 20th centuries the population of Chiswick significantly expanded. With neighbouring Brentford
Brentford
Brentford is a suburban town in west London, England, and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located at the confluence of the River Thames and the River Brent, west-southwest of Charing Cross. Its former ceremonial county was Middlesex.-Toponymy:...
, it became a municipal borough
Municipal Borough of Brentford and Chiswick
Brentford and Chiswick was a local government district of Middlesex, England from 1927 to 1965.It was created an urban district in 1927 by a merger of the former area of the Brentford Urban District and the Chiswick Urban District. It gained the status of municipal borough in 1932...
in 1932 and has formed part of Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
since 1965.
History
| 1881 | 15,975 |
|---|---|
| 1891 | 21,963 |
| 1901 | 29,809 |
| 1911 | 38,697 |
| 1921 | 40,938 |
| 1931 | 42,246 |
| 1941 | war # |
| 1951 | 41,207 |
| # no census was held due to war | |
| source: UK census | |
Toponymy
The name "Chiswick" is of Old EnglishOld English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
origin meaning "Cheese Farm" and originates from the riverside meadows and farms that are thought to have supported an annual cheese fair on Dukes Meadows up until the 18th century. Chiswick was first recorded c.
Circa
Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
1000 as Ceswican.
Economic development
Chiswick grew up as a fishing village around St. Nicholas church on Church Street. The parish also included Strand-on-the-GreenStrand-on-the-Green
Strand-on-the-Green is an area of Chiswick in west London.-Location and description:Strand-on-the-Green is located immediately to the east of Kew Bridge, along the north bank of the river Thames...
, Little Sutton and Turnham Green
Turnham Green
Turnham Green is a public park situated on Chiswick High Road, Chiswick, London. It is separated in two by a small road. Christ Church stands on the eastern half of the green. A war memorial stands on the eastern corner...
. By the early nineteenth century the fishing industry in and around Chiswick was declining as the growth of industry and the invention of the flush toilet were causing pollution in the river. Fish began to die out and the river became unsuitable as a spawning ground. Locks upstream also made the river impassable by migratory fish such as salmon and shad.
Fuller, Smith & Turner P.L.C. and its predecessor companies have been brewing beer on its Chiswick site for over 350 years. The original brewery was in the gardens of Bedford House in Chiswick Mall, and these premises later expanded to the present site nearby. The company brews real ales
Cask ale
Cask ale or cask-conditioned beer is the term for unfiltered and unpasteurised beer which is conditioned and served from a cask without additional nitrogen or carbon dioxide pressure...
and owns public houses.
From the 18th century onwards the High Road became built up with inns and large houses. Today the High Road is a busy shopping street with many cafes, restaurants and several 19th century public houses.
In 1864, John Isaac Thornycroft
John Isaac Thornycroft
Sir John Isaac Thornycroft was a British shipbuilder, the founder of the Thornycroft shipbuilding company and member of the Thornycroft family.-Biography:He was born in 1843 to Mary Francis and Thomas Thornycroft....
, founder of the John I. Thornycroft & Company
John I. Thornycroft & Company
John I. Thornycroft & Company Limited, usually known simply as Thornycroft was a British shipbuilding firm started by John Isaac Thornycroft in the 19th century.-History:...
shipbuilding company, established a yard at Church Wharf at the west end of Chiswick Mall. The works closed in 1908.
In 1822, the Royal Horticultural Society
Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society was founded in 1804 in London, England as the Horticultural Society of London, and gained its present name in a Royal Charter granted in 1861 by Prince Albert...
leased 33 acres (13.4 ha) of land in the area between the now Sutton Court Road and Duke’s Avenue. This site was used for its fruit tree collection and its first school of horticulture, and housed its first flower shows. The area was reduced to 10 acres (4 ha) in the 1870s, and the lease was terminated when the Society’s garden at Wisley
RHS Garden, Wisley
The Royal Horticultural Society's garden at Wisley in the English county of Surrey south of London, is one four public gardens run by the Society, the others being Harlow Carr, Hyde Hall and Rosemoor...
, Surrey, was set up in 1904. Some of the original pear trees still grow in the gardens of houses built on the site.
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
entertainment, plays
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
, review, opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
, ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
and an annual Christmas pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
. The Q Theatre (1924 to 1959) was a small theatre opposite Kew Bridge station. It staged the first works of Terence Rattigan
Terence Rattigan
Sir Terence Mervyn Rattigan CBE was one of England's most popular 20th-century dramatists. His plays are generally set in an upper-middle-class background...
and William Douglas-Home
William Douglas-Home
William Douglas Home was court-martialled in World War II for his refusal to obey orders as a British army officer and later became a successful British dramatist.-Early life:...
and many of its plays went on to the West End. Today, the Tabard Theatre (1985 to date) on Bath Road, is known for new writing and experimental work.
Dukes Meadows stands on land formerly owned by the Duke of Devonshire
Duke of Devonshire
Duke of Devonshire is a title in the peerage of England held by members of the Cavendish family. This branch of the Cavendish family has been one of the richest and most influential aristocratic families in England since the 16th century, and have been rivalled in political influence perhaps only...
. In the 1920s, it was purchased by the local council, who developed it as a recreational centre. A promenade and bandstand were built, and the meadows are still used for sport with a rugby club, football pitches, hockey club, several rowing clubs and a golf club. In recent years a local conservation charity, the Dukes Meadows Trust has undertaken extensive restoration work, which saw a long term project of a children's water play area opened in August 2006.
Chiswick is the birthplace of the modern domestic violence refuge movement, with the first shelter established by Erin Pizzey
Erin Pizzey
Erin Patria Margaret Pizzey is a British family care activist and a best-selling novelist. She became internationally famous for having started one of the first Women's refuges in the modern world, Chiswick Women's Aid, in 1971, the organisation known today as Refuge...
in 1971.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Chiswick suffered a number of bombing raids. W.P. Roe’s book pages 80 to 90 notes areas of damage due to 50 bombing raids in late 1940 to early 1941, and another 5 in 1944. Both incendiary and high explosive bombs were used, and there was also damage from falling anti-aircraft shells that had not exploded as intended. From June 1944, V-1 flying bomb
V-1 flying bomb
The V-1 flying bomb, also known as the Buzz Bomb or Doodlebug, was an early pulse-jet-powered predecessor of the cruise missile....
s started to fall; Mr. Roe lists 14 of these. The first V-2 Rocket
V-2 rocket
The V-2 rocket , technical name Aggregat-4 , was a ballistic missile that was developed at the beginning of the Second World War in Germany, specifically targeted at London and later Antwerp. The liquid-propellant rocket was the world's first long-range combat-ballistic missile and first known...
to hit London fell on Chiswick in September 1944, killing three people and causing extensive damage to surrounding trees and buildings. There is a memorial where the rocket fell on Staveley Road (see image on right). There is also a War Memorial at the east end of Turnham Green
Turnham Green
Turnham Green is a public park situated on Chiswick High Road, Chiswick, London. It is separated in two by a small road. Christ Church stands on the eastern half of the green. A war memorial stands on the eastern corner...
.
Local government
Chiswick St Nicholas was an ancient, and later civil, parish in the OssulstoneOssulstone
Ossulstone was an ancient hundred in the south east of the county of Middlesex, England. Its area has been entirely absorbed by the growth of London; and now corresponds to the part of Inner London that is north of the River Thames and, from Outer London, parts of the London boroughs of Barnet,...
hundred of Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
. In 1878 the parish gained a triangle of land in the east which had formed a detached part of Ealing
Ealing
Ealing is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village...
. From 1894 to 1927 the parish formed the Chiswick Urban District
Chiswick Urban District
Chiswick was a local government district in the county of Middlesex, England from 1858 to 1927. It was part of the London postal district and the Metropolitan Police District....
. In 1927 it was abolished and its former area was merged with that of Brentford Urban District
Brentford Urban District
Brentford was a local government district in the county of Middlesex, England from 1874 to 1927.Brentford Local Government District was created in 1874 under the Local Government Act 1858 and covered the civil parish of New Brentford and the chapelry of Old Brentford in the parish of Ealing...
to form Brentford and Chiswick Urban District
Municipal Borough of Brentford and Chiswick
Brentford and Chiswick was a local government district of Middlesex, England from 1927 to 1965.It was created an urban district in 1927 by a merger of the former area of the Brentford Urban District and the Chiswick Urban District. It gained the status of municipal borough in 1932...
. The amalgamated district became a municipal borough in 1932. The borough of Brentford and Chiswick was abolished in 1965 and its former area was transferred to Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
to form part of the London Borough of Hounslow
London Borough of Hounslow
-Political composition:Since the borough was formed it has been controlled by the Labour Party on all but two occasions. In 1968 the Conservatives formed a majority for the first and last time to date until they lost control to Labour in 1971. Labour subsequently lost control of the council in the...
. With these changes, Chiswick Town Hall
Chiswick Town Hall
Chiswick Town Hall stands on Heathfield Terrace, Chiswick, London, facing Turnham Green.-History:The land for the present town hall was purchased in 1874 for the parish churchwardens and overseers, and the Vestry Hall was built for their use. In 1896, the property was transferred to the then-new...
is no longer the local government centre, but is still used for some council services. There was a Brentford and Chiswick
Brentford and Chiswick (UK Parliament constituency)
Brentford and Chiswick was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Brentford and Chiswick districts of west London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
Parliament constituency from 1918 to 1974.
Urban development
Chiswick House
Chiswick House
Chiswick House is a Palladian villa in Burlington Lane, Chiswick, in the London Borough of Hounslow in England. Set in , the house was completed in 1729 during the reign of George II and designed by Lord Burlington. William Kent , who took a leading role in designing the gardens, created one of the...
was designed by the Third Earl of Burlington
Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington
Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington and 4th Earl of Cork PC , born in Yorkshire, England, was the son of Charles Boyle, 2nd Earl of Burlington and 3rd Earl of Cork...
, and built for him, in 1726–9 as an extension to an earlier Jacobean
Jacobean architecture
The Jacobean style is the second phase of Renaissance architecture in England, following the Elizabethan style. It is named after King James I of England, with whose reign it is associated.-Characteristics:...
house (subsequently demolished in 1788); it is considered to be among the finest surviving examples of Palladian architecture
Palladian architecture
Palladian architecture is a European style of architecture derived from the designs of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio . The term "Palladian" normally refers to buildings in a style inspired by Palladio's own work; that which is recognised as Palladian architecture today is an evolution of...
in Britain, with superb collections of paintings and furniture. Its surrounding grounds constitute one of the most important historical gardens in England and Wales, and mark a significant step on the road to the picturesque
Picturesque
Picturesque is an aesthetic ideal introduced into English cultural debate in 1782 by William Gilpin in Observations on the River Wye, and Several Parts of South Wales, etc. Relative Chiefly to Picturesque Beauty; made in the Summer of the Year 1770, a practical book which instructed England's...
aesthetic in garden design.
St. Nicholas church has a 15th century tower, although the remainder of the church was rebuilt by J.L. Pearson in 1882–4. Monuments in the churchyard mark the burial sites of the 18th century English artist William Hogarth
William Hogarth
William Hogarth was an English painter, printmaker, pictorial satirist, social critic and editorial cartoonist who has been credited with pioneering western sequential art. His work ranged from realistic portraiture to comic strip-like series of pictures called "modern moral subjects"...
—whose house is now a museum known as Hogarth's House
Hogarth's House
Hogarth's House is the former country home of the 18th century English artist William Hogarth in Chiswick. The House now belongs to the London Borough of Hounslow and is open to visitors free of charge...
—and William Kent
William Kent
William Kent , born in Bridlington, Yorkshire, was an eminent English architect, landscape architect and furniture designer of the early 18th century.He was baptised as William Cant.-Education:...
, the architect and landscape designer; the churchyard also houses a mausoleum (for Philip James de Loutherbourg
Philip James de Loutherbourg
Philip James de Loutherbourg, also seen as Philippe-Jacques and Philipp Jakob and with the appellation the Younger was an English artist of German origin who became known for his elaborate set designs for London theatres.-Early life:He was born in Strasbourg, where his father, the representative...
) designed by John Soane
John Soane
Sir John Soane, RA was an English architect who specialised in the Neo-Classical style. His architectural works are distinguished by their clean lines, massing of simple form, decisive detailing, careful proportions and skilful use of light sources...
. One of Oliver Cromwell's daughters, Mary, lived and died in Chiswick and is buried in the churchyard. Enduring legend has it that the body of Oliver Cromwell was also interred with her. On a later note, Private Frederick Hitch VC, hero of Rorke's Drift
Rorke's Drift
The Battle of Rorke's Drift, also known as the Defence of Rorke's Drift, was a battle in the Anglo-Zulu War. The defence of the mission station of Rorke's Drift, under the command of Lieutenant John Chard of the Royal Engineers, immediately followed the British Army's defeat at the Battle of...
, is also buried there.
St. Michael on Elmwood Road, of 1908-9, was designed by W.D. Caroe
W.D. Caroe
William Douglas Caroe was a British architect, particularly of churches. His sons were the architect A.D.R. Caroe, and Sir Olaf Caroe...
. Chiswick is also home to a Russian Orthodox Cathedral, built in 1998. (See photo at Gunnersbury
Gunnersbury
Gunnersbury is a place in the London Borough of Hounslow, with its northern edge in the London Borough of Ealing, west London. It has an area of less than half a square kilometre and is within the west area of the Chiswick W4 postal district of London....
.) Less visually prominent than these because of its position amid other building is the Sanderson Factory, now known as Voysey House and situated in Barley Mow Passage, designed by the architect C.F. Voysey and completed in 1902. Its original purpose was a wallpaper printing works, but it is now used as office space. It is a Grade II* listed building.
Suburban building began in Gunnersbury
Gunnersbury
Gunnersbury is a place in the London Borough of Hounslow, with its northern edge in the London Borough of Ealing, west London. It has an area of less than half a square kilometre and is within the west area of the Chiswick W4 postal district of London....
in the 1860s and in Bedford Park
Bedford Park, London
Bedford Park is a suburban development in west London, England. It forms a conservation area that is mostly within the London Borough of Ealing, with a small part to the east within the London Borough of Hounslow. The nearest underground station is Turnham Green .-History:It can be justly described...
, on the borders of Chiswick and Acton, in 1875: the latter, designed largely by Richard Norman Shaw
Richard Norman Shaw
Richard Norman Shaw RA , was an influential Scottish architect from the 1870s to the 1900s, known for his country houses and for commercial buildings.-Life:...
, was described by Nikolaus Pevsner
Nikolaus Pevsner
Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, FBA was a German-born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture...
as the first place "where the relaxed, informal mood of a market town or village was adopted for a complete speculatively built suburb". Some of the most beautiful period mansion blocks in the area, such as Heathfield Court and Arlington Mansions are located around Turnham Green
Turnham Green
Turnham Green is a public park situated on Chiswick High Road, Chiswick, London. It is separated in two by a small road. Christ Church stands on the eastern half of the green. A war memorial stands on the eastern corner...
- the site of the Battle of Turnham Green in 1642. Other suburbs of Chiswick include Grove Park (south of the A4, close to Chiswick Station) and Strand on the Green
Strand-on-the-Green
Strand-on-the-Green is an area of Chiswick in west London.-Location and description:Strand-on-the-Green is located immediately to the east of Kew Bridge, along the north bank of the river Thames...
, a fishing hamlet until the late 18th century.
There are several historic public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
s in Chiswick. Three are in Strand-on-the-Green
Strand-on-the-Green
Strand-on-the-Green is an area of Chiswick in west London.-Location and description:Strand-on-the-Green is located immediately to the east of Kew Bridge, along the north bank of the river Thames...
, fronting on to the river path. The Tabard on Bath Road near Turnham Green station is known for its William Morris
William Morris
William Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
interior. A large part of Chiswick falls within the conservation area
Conservation area
A conservation areas is a tract of land that has been awarded protected status in order to ensure that natural features, cultural heritage or biota are safeguarded...
s within the London Borough of Hounslow.
In 1896, "Bedford Park
Bedford Park, London
Bedford Park is a suburban development in west London, England. It forms a conservation area that is mostly within the London Borough of Ealing, with a small part to the east within the London Borough of Hounslow. The nearest underground station is Turnham Green .-History:It can be justly described...
, Chiswick" was advertised, which at that time was partly in Acton Urban District
Municipal Borough of Acton
Acton was a local government district in Middlesex, England from 1865 to 1965.In 1865 the Local Government Act 1858 was adopted by the parish of Acton, and a twelve-member local board of health was formed to govern the area. The Local Government Act 1894 constituted the area an urban district, and...
.
Governance
Chiswick forms part of the Brentford and Isleworth Parliament constituency. The MPMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
is Mary Macleod
Mary Macleod
Mary Macleod is a British Conservative Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Brentford and Isleworth since the 2010 general election....
of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, elected at the May 2010 general election. Ann Keen
Ann Keen
Ann Lloyd Keen is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Brentford and Isleworth from 1997, until she was defeated by Conservative candidate Mary Macleod in 2010.-Early life:...
of the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
was the MP from the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
. For elections to the London Assembly
London Assembly
The London Assembly is an elected body, part of the Greater London Authority, that scrutinises the activities of the Mayor of London and has the power, with a two-thirds majority, to amend the mayor's annual budget. The assembly was established in 2000 and is headquartered at City Hall on the south...
Chiswick is located in the South West constituency
South West (London Assembly constituency)
South West is a constituency represented in the London Assembly. It has been represented, since its creation in 2000, by Tony Arbour, a Conservative from Richmond upon Thames....
, represented since 2000 by Tony Arbour
Tony Arbour
Anthony Francis Arbour JP , commonly known as Tony Arbour, is a British Conservative Party politician, a Richmond councillor and member of the London Assembly representing South West London....
, of the Conservative Party. For elections to Hounslow London Borough Council, Chiswick is represented by three electoral wards: Turnham Green, Chiswick Homefields and Chiswick Riverside. Each ward elects three councillors, who serve four-year terms. For 2010-14, all nine councillors are Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
.
Geography
Chiswick is located on a meander of the River ThamesRiver Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
, 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Charing Cross
Charing Cross
Charing Cross denotes the junction of Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square in central London, England. It is named after the now demolished Eleanor cross that stood there, in what was once the hamlet of Charing. The site of the cross is now occupied by an equestrian...
. The district is built up towards the north with more open space in the south, including the grounds of Chiswick House
Chiswick House
Chiswick House is a Palladian villa in Burlington Lane, Chiswick, in the London Borough of Hounslow in England. Set in , the house was completed in 1729 during the reign of George II and designed by Lord Burlington. William Kent , who took a leading role in designing the gardens, created one of the...
and Dukes Meadows
Dukes Meadows
Dukes Meadows is a riverside park in Chiswick, London. The land was purchased from the Duke of Devonshire in 1923. A seaside-type promenade and a bandstand were built alongside the riverfront and opened by the Duke of York in 1926. In 1998 a group of local people formed the Dukes Meadows Trust to...
. The river forms the southern boundary with Kew
Kew
Kew is a place in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in South West London. Kew is best known for being the location of the Royal Botanic Gardens, now a World Heritage Site, which includes Kew Palace...
, North Sheen
North Sheen
North Sheen, an area of London, England in the former Municipal Borough of Richmond ,was incorporated into Kew in 1965 when the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames was created....
, Mortlake
Mortlake
Mortlake is a district of London, England and part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is on the south bank of the River Thames between Kew and Barnes with East Sheen inland to the south. Mortlake was part of Surrey until 1965.-History:...
, Barnes and Castelnau in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is a London borough in South West London, UK, which forms part of Outer London. It is unique because it is the only London borough situated both north and south of the River Thames.-Settlement:...
. In the east Goldhawk Road
Goldhawk Road tube station
Goldhawk Road station is a London Underground station located in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, on the south side of Goldhawk Road, about 250m west of Shepherd's Bush Green...
and British Grove form a border with Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham is a London borough in West London, and forms part of Inner London. Traversed by the east-west main roads of the A4 Great West Road and the A40 Westway, many international corporations have offices in the borough....
. To the north are Bedford Park
Bedford Park, London
Bedford Park is a suburban development in west London, England. It forms a conservation area that is mostly within the London Borough of Ealing, with a small part to the east within the London Borough of Hounslow. The nearest underground station is Turnham Green .-History:It can be justly described...
and South Acton
South Acton, London
South Acton is a place in the town of Acton, West London, situated west of Charing Cross. At the time of the 2001 census, Acton, comprising the wards of East Acton, Acton Central, South Acton and Southfield, had a population of 53,689 people....
in the London Borough of Ealing
London Borough of Ealing
The London Borough of Ealing is a borough in west London.-Location:The London Borough of Ealing borders the London Borough of Hillingdon to the west, the London Borough of Harrow and the London Borough of Brent to the north, the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham to the east and the London...
, with a boundary partially delineated by the District line
District Line
The District line is a line of the London Underground, coloured green on the Tube map. It is a "sub-surface" line, running through the central area in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels. It is the busiest of the sub-surface lines. Out of the 60 stations served, 25 are underground...
. To the west, within Hounslow, are the districts of Gunnersbury
Gunnersbury
Gunnersbury is a place in the London Borough of Hounslow, with its northern edge in the London Borough of Ealing, west London. It has an area of less than half a square kilometre and is within the west area of the Chiswick W4 postal district of London....
and Brentford
Brentford
Brentford is a suburban town in west London, England, and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located at the confluence of the River Thames and the River Brent, west-southwest of Charing Cross. Its former ceremonial county was Middlesex.-Toponymy:...
. Chiswick is included in the W4 postcode district of the London post town
London postal district
The London postal district is the area in England, currently of , to which mail addressed to the LONDON post town is delivered. The area was initially devised in 1856 and throughout its history has been subject to periodic reorganisation, contraction and division into increasingly smaller postal...
, which additionally includes Bedford Park, mostly within the London Borough of Ealing. Climate data for Chiswick is taken from the nearest weather station at Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
:
Economy
Chiswick High Road contains a mix of retail, restaurants, food outlets and expanding office and hotel space. The wide streets encourage cafes and restaurants to provide pavement seating. Being situated between the offices at the Golden MileGolden Mile (Brentford)
The Golden Mile is the name given to a stretch of the Great West Road north of Brentford running west from the western boundary of Chiswick in London, United Kingdom.It was so called due to the concentration of industry along this short stretch of road...
Great West Road and Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
, office developments and warehouse conversions to offices began from the 1960s. The first, in 1961 was 414 Chiswick High Road, that was built on the site of the old Empire Cinema, then in 1964 to 1966 the 18 storey headquarters for IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
were built above Gunnersbury. Designed to accommodate 1500 people, it remained their headquarters until 1992, where after extensive alterations it became the home of the British Standards Institution, now known as the BSI Group
BSI Group
BSI Group, also known in its home market as the British Standards Institution , is a multinational business services provider whose principal activity is the production of standards and the supply of standards-related services.- History :...
in 1994. In 2010 the property was purchased by Canmoor and renamed Chiswick Tower. It is undergoing refurbishment and the space vacated by BSI Group
BSI Group
BSI Group, also known in its home market as the British Standards Institution , is a multinational business services provider whose principal activity is the production of standards and the supply of standards-related services.- History :...
is being let by Frost Meadowcroft
Frost Meadowcroft
Frost Meadowcroft is a professional services company specialising in commercial property consultancy. Its offices are at 22 St Peter's Square former offices of Island Records and at 181 Kensington High Street...
. Chiswick is also home to the Griffin Brewery, where Fuller, Smith & Turner brew their prize-winning ales.
Transport
Chiswick is situated at the start of the North Circular RoadA406 road
The A406 or the North Circular Road is a road which crosses North London, UK, linking West and East London. It, together with the South Circular Road, forms a ring road through the inner part of Outer London...
(A406), South Circular Road
A205 road
The A205 or South Circular Road is a direct route which crosses South London, UK, running from Woolwich in the east to the junction of the A406 , the M4 and the A4 at Gunnersbury in the west....
(A205) and the M4 motorway
M4 motorway
The M4 motorway links London with South Wales. It is part of the unsigned European route E30. Other major places directly accessible from M4 junctions are Reading, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea...
, the latter providing a direct connection to Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
and the M25 motorway
M25 motorway
The M25 motorway, or London Orbital, is a orbital motorway that almost encircles Greater London, England, in the United Kingdom. The motorway was first mooted early in the 20th century. A few sections, based on the now abandoned London Ringways plan, were constructed in the early 1970s and it ...
. The Great West Road (A4) runs eastwards into central London via the Hogarth Roundabout
Hogarth Roundabout
The Hogarth Roundabout is one of London's best known road junctions. It is situated at the junction of the A316 Great Chertsey Road and the A4 Great West Road.The Hogarth Roundabout is named after William Hogarth who lived in nearby Hogarth's House...
where it meets the Great Chertsey Road
A316 road
The A316, also known in parts as the Great Chertsey Road, is a major road in England, which runs from the A315 at Chiswick to the M3 motorway....
(A316) which runs south-west, eventually joining the M3 motorway
M3 motorway
The M3 motorway runs in England for approximately from Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, to Southampton, Hampshire and forms an unsigned section European route E05. It is dual three lanes as far as Junction 8 near Basingstoke and then dual two lane until Junction 9 near Winchester and then dual three...
.
The southern border of Chiswick runs along the River Thames, which is crossed in this area by Barnes Railway and Foot Bridge, Chiswick Bridge
Chiswick Bridge
Chiswick Bridge is a reinforced concrete deck arch bridge over the River Thames in West London. One of three bridges opened in 1933 as part of an ambitious scheme to relieve traffic congestion west of London, it carries the A316 road between Chiswick on the north bank of the Thames and Mortlake on...
, Kew Railway Bridge and Kew Bridge
Kew Bridge
Kew Bridge is a bridge in London over the River Thames. The present bridge was designed by John Wolfe-Barry and opened in 1903 by King Edward VII. The bridge was givenGrade II listed structure protection in 1983.- Location :...
. River services between Westminster Pier and Hampton Court depart from Kew Gardens Pier
Kew Gardens Pier
Kew Gardens Pier is a pier on the River Thames, in London, United Kingdom. It is situated close to Kew Gardens and Kew Bridge.-Services:The pier is served by boats operated by Westminster Passenger Services Association, under licence from London River Services. Services operate to Westminster Pier...
just across Kew Bridge.
Including buses that stop at Kew Bridge
Kew Bridge
Kew Bridge is a bridge in London over the River Thames. The present bridge was designed by John Wolfe-Barry and opened in 1903 by King Edward VII. The bridge was givenGrade II listed structure protection in 1983.- Location :...
and Chiswick High Road, and/or Kew Bridge railway station
Kew Bridge railway station
Kew Bridge railway station is in the London Borough of Hounslow, in west London, and is in Travelcard Zone 3. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South West Trains....
, Chiswick is served by eleven bus routes (27
London Buses route 27
London Buses route 27 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London. The service is currently contracted to London United.-History:...
, 65
London Buses route 65
London Buses route 65 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to London United.-History:...
, 94
London Buses route 94
London Buses route 94 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to London United.-History:...
, 190, 237
London Buses route 237
London Buses route 237 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. This route is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, 267
London Buses route 267
London Buses route 267 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to London United.-History:...
, 272, 391
London Buses route 391
London Buses route 391 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to London United.-History:...
, 440, E3
London Buses route E3
London Buses route E3 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to First Centrewest.-History:...
and H91
London Buses route H91
London Buses route H91 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to London United.-History:...
) and two all-night services (N9 and N11). Three services run 24 hours a day (27
London Buses route 27
London Buses route 27 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London. The service is currently contracted to London United.-History:...
, 94
London Buses route 94
London Buses route 94 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to London United.-History:...
, 65
London Buses route 65
London Buses route 65 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to London United.-History:...
).
Until its closure in 1989, London Transport
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
had a Central Works and Training School (for bus crews) located in Chiswick High Road, opposite Gunnersbury
Gunnersbury
Gunnersbury is a place in the London Borough of Hounslow, with its northern edge in the London Borough of Ealing, west London. It has an area of less than half a square kilometre and is within the west area of the Chiswick W4 postal district of London....
Underground Station. The Training School incorporated a bus "Skid-Pan".
The District line
District Line
The District line is a line of the London Underground, coloured green on the Tube map. It is a "sub-surface" line, running through the central area in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels. It is the busiest of the sub-surface lines. Out of the 60 stations served, 25 are underground...
crosses Chiswick, the London Underground stations are (east-west): Stamford Brook
Stamford Brook tube station
Stamford Brook is a London Underground station on the eastern edge of Chiswick in west London. The station is served by the District Line and is between Ravenscourt Park and Turnham Green stations. The main entrance is located on Goldhawk Road with a secondary entrance on Prebend Gardens. It is in...
, Turnham Green
Turnham Green tube station
Turnham Green is a London Underground station in Chiswick in west London. The station is located on Turnham Green Terrace, but the actual green is much closer to Chiswick Park station. The station is served by the District and Piccadilly Lines although Piccadilly Line trains normally only stop at...
, Chiswick Park
Chiswick Park tube station
Chiswick Park is a London Underground station in Chiswick in west London. The station is served by the District Line and is between Turnham Green and Acton Town stations...
and Gunnersbury. Turnham Green is an interchange with the Piccadilly line
Piccadilly Line
The Piccadilly line is a line of the London Underground, coloured dark blue on the Tube map. It is the fifth busiest line on the Underground network judged by the number of passengers transported per year. It is mainly a deep-level line, running from the north to the west of London via Zone 1, with...
, but only before 0650 and after 2230, when Piccadilly line trains stop at the station.
The nearest National Rail stations are Chiswick
Chiswick railway station
Chiswick railway station serves the Chiswick area in the London Borough of Hounslow, in west London, and is in Travelcard Zone 3. The station, and all trains serving it, is operated by South West Trains. Chiswick station is located approximately 15 minutes walk away from Gunnersbury station and...
and Kew Bridge
Kew Bridge railway station
Kew Bridge railway station is in the London Borough of Hounslow, in west London, and is in Travelcard Zone 3. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South West Trains....
. South West Trains operates a regular service to London Waterloo via Clapham Junction.
The North London line
North London Line
The North London Line is a railway line which passes through the inner suburbs of north London, England. Its route is a rough semicircle from the south west to the north east, avoiding central London. The line is owned and maintained by Network Rail...
crosses Chiswick (north-south); the nearest London Overground station
London Overground
London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
is Gunnersbury
Sports
Chiswick has a number of local rugby union teams including, Chiswick RFC, formerly Old Meadonians RFC. They currently play in London 2 North West (Level seven), six leagues below the Guinness Premiership. It plays on a Saturday at Dukes Meadows.On Chiswick Common is the Rocks Lane Multi Sports Centre, where there are tennis, five-a-side football and netball courts available to hire to the public.
The Chiswick reach of the Thames is heavily used for competitive and recreational rowing
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
, and Chiswick itself is home to several clubs. The University of London Boat Club
University of London Boat Club
University of London Boat Club is the rowing club for the University of London, covering all the university's constituent Colleges . The club has its boat house on the River Thames in Chiswick, London, United Kingdom...
is based in its boathouse off Hartington Road (the boathouse also houses the clubs of many of the University's constituent colleges and teaching hospitals). ULBC is, periodically, one of the most successful university clubs in the UK, with multiple wins at Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...
. Recent members include Tim Foster
Tim Foster
Timothy "Tim" James Carrington Foster MBE is a British rower. He began rowing at Bedford Modern School and competed in the Junior World Rowing Championships in 1987 and 1988. In the latter he competed in a pair with a Matthew Pinsent. He became the first British rower to win gold medals at two...
, Gold medallist at the Sydney Olympics and Frances Houghton
Frances Houghton
Frances Julia P. Houghton is an English female rower, noteworthy for winning Silver Medals in the Quadruple Sculls at both the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games....
, World Champion in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Mortlake Anglian & Alpha Rowing Club and Quintin Boat Club are situated between Chiswick Quay Marina and Chiswick Bridge. The foreshore facing these clubs is also used as the landing place for Boat Race crews.
Tideway Scullers School is immediately downriver of Chiswick Bridge. The Club's current members include single sculling World Champion Mahé Drysdale
Mahe Drysdale
Alexander Mahé Owens Drysdale, MNZM ) is a New Zealand rower and five-time World Champion single sculler. The name Mahé came from the largest island in the Seychelles....
and Great Britain single sculler Alan Campbell
Alan Campbell (sculler)
Alan Campbell is a British scullerCampbell started rowing for his school, Coleraine Academical Institution for Boys, in Northern Ireland before moving to London and joining the Tideway Scullers School....
. The upriver end of the Championship Course
The Championship Course
The stretch of the River Thames between Mortlake and Putney in London, England is a well-established course for rowing races, most famously the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. It is often referred to as The Championship Course...
from Mortlake
Mortlake
Mortlake is a district of London, England and part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is on the south bank of the River Thames between Kew and Barnes with East Sheen inland to the south. Mortlake was part of Surrey until 1965.-History:...
to Putney
Putney
Putney is a district in south-west London, England, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
is adjacent to the Tideway Scullers School boathouse. The Boat Race
The Boat Race
The event generally known as "The Boat Race" is a rowing race in England between the Oxford University Boat Club and the Cambridge University Boat Club, rowed between competing eights each spring on the River Thames in London. It takes place generally on the last Saturday of March or the first...
is contested on the Championship Course on a flood tide (in other words from Putney to Mortlake) with Duke's Meadows a popular view-point for the closing stages of the race. The finishing post is just downstream of Chiswick Bridge. Other important races such as the Head of the River Race
Head of the River Race
The Head of the River Race is a processional rowing race held annually on the River Thames in London, England, on the 4.25 mile Championship Course from Mortlake to Putney.-History:...
race the reverse course, on an ebb tide.
Although the garage closed in 2000 and has now become a block of flats, Chiswick was once home to the Chequered Flag garage and its associated motor racing team. Situated on Chiswick High Road, the garage and car showroom was noted for its privateering rally team
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
driving a Lancia Stratos
Lancia Stratos HF
The Lancia Stratos HF, widely and more simply known as Lancia Stratos, is a car made by Italian car manufacturer Lancia. The HF stands for High Fidelity...
with drivers such as Tony Pond
Tony Pond
Tony Pond was a well-known British rally driver.-Career:His first outings in a rally car were on the then regular Saturday night road rallies in the home counties around London, driving a Mini Cooper S...
and Russell Brookes
Russell Brookes
Russell Brookes is an English former rally driver. He won the British Rally Championship with a Ford Escort RS1800 in 1977 and with an Opel Manta 400 in 1985. In 1978, he won the Rally New Zealand, a round of the FIA Cup for Drivers, the predecessor to the World Championship for Drivers...
. Much earlier, the team had raced Formula Junior
Formula Junior
Formula Junior is an open wheel formula racing class first adopted in October 1958 by the CSI . The class was intended to provide an entry level class where you could use inexpensive mechanical components from ordinary automobiles...
cars, and numbered Jim Clark
Jim Clark
James "Jim" Clark, Jr OBE was a British Formula One racing driver from Scotland, who won two World Championships, in 1963 and 1965....
amongst its early drivers.
Notable people
- Statistician M. S. BartlettM. S. BartlettMaurice Stevenson Bartlett FRS was an English statistician who made particular contributions to the analysis of data with spatial and temporal patterns...
(1910-2002) was born in Chiswick
- Athlete and politician Sebastian Coe was born in Chiswick
- Drummer and singer Phil CollinsPhil CollinsPhilip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
was born in Chiswick
- Maritime artist Montague DawsonMontague DawsonMontague Dawson RMSA, FRSA was a British painter who was renowned as a maritime artist. His most famous paintings depict sailing ships, usually clippers or warships of the 18th and 19th centuries....
(1895-1973) was born in Chiswick
- Musician John EntwistleJohn EntwistleJohn Alec Entwistle was an English bass guitarist, songwriter, singer, horn player, and film and record producer who was best known as the bass player for the rock band The Who. His aggressive lead sound influenced many rock bass players...
(1944-2002), bassistBassistA bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
with rockRock musicRock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band The WhoThe WhoThe Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
, was born in Chiswick
- Author E. M. ForsterE. M. ForsterEdward Morgan Forster OM, CH was an English novelist, short story writer, essayist and librettist. He is known best for his ironic and well-plotted novels examining class difference and hypocrisy in early 20th-century British society...
lived at 9 Arlington Park Mansions in Chiswick from 1939 until at least 1961; a blue plaqueBlue plaqueA blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person or event, serving as a historical marker....
at the property commemorates this
- Actor Hugh GrantHugh GrantHugh John Mungo Grant is an English actor and film producer. He has received a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA, and an Honorary César. His films have earned more than $2.4 billion from 25 theatrical releases worldwide. Grant achieved international stardom after appearing in Richard Curtis's...
grew up in Chiswick, living next to Arlington Park Mansions on Sutton Lane
- Illustrator and anarchist Clifford HarperClifford HarperClifford Harper is an illustrator and militant anarchist. He was born in Chiswick, West London on the 13th of July 1949. His father was a postman and his mother a cook. Expelled from school at 13 and placed on 2 years probation at 14, he then worked in a series of "menial jobs" before 'turning on,...
was born in Chiswick
- Artist William HogarthWilliam HogarthWilliam Hogarth was an English painter, printmaker, pictorial satirist, social critic and editorial cartoonist who has been credited with pioneering western sequential art. His work ranged from realistic portraiture to comic strip-like series of pictures called "modern moral subjects"...
(1697-1764) lived in Chiswick, and is buried in St. Nicholas's Churchyard, Chiswick Mall; Hogarth's HouseHogarth's HouseHogarth's House is the former country home of the 18th century English artist William Hogarth in Chiswick. The House now belongs to the London Borough of Hounslow and is open to visitors free of charge...
is now a museum; it abuts one of London's best known road junctions – the Hogarth RoundaboutHogarth RoundaboutThe Hogarth Roundabout is one of London's best known road junctions. It is situated at the junction of the A316 Great Chertsey Road and the A4 Great West Road.The Hogarth Roundabout is named after William Hogarth who lived in nearby Hogarth's House...
- Actor Charles Holland (1733-1769), who played under David GarrickDavid GarrickDavid Garrick was an English actor, playwright, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of theatrical practice throughout the 18th century and was a pupil and friend of Dr Samuel Johnson...
, was born in Chiswick
- Zoologist and broadcaster Aubrey ManningAubrey ManningProfessor Aubrey William George Manning OBE FRSE FIBiol is a distinguished English zoologist and broadcaster.-Life:...
was born in Chiswick
- Actress Helen MirrenHelen MirrenDame Helen Mirren, DBE is an English actor. She has won an Academy Award for Best Actress, four SAG Awards, four BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, four Emmy Awards, and two Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Awards.-Early life and family:...
was born in Chiswick
- Musician Andy Paresi, drummer on MorrisseyMorrisseySteven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
's albums Viva HateViva HateViva Hate is Morrissey's debut solo album, released on 14 March 1988 by HMV Records. The album was considered a very strong foray into Morrissey's solo career, as he utilised his traditional lyrical style and retained the basic sound that The Smiths had developed by the time they broke up. It...
, Kill UncleKill UncleKill Uncle is Morrissey's second solo album, released on 4 March 1991 by EMI and HMV Records...
and Bona DragBona Drag- 2010 re-release :The 2010 re-release features the following additional tracks:* "Happy Lovers at Last United" * "Lifeguard on Duty"...
, was born in Chiswick
- Photographer Derek RidgersDerek RidgersDerek Ridgers , is an established and well-known English photographer with a career spanning over thirty years. Most famous for his work among the milieu of music, film and club/street culture - photographing everyone from James Brown to The Spice Girls, from Clint Eastwood to Johnny Depp - as well...
, who has worked with notable musicians including The ClashThe ClashThe Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
, The Damned and MorrisseyMorrisseySteven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
, was born in Chiswick
- Comedian Mel SmithMel SmithMelvin Kenneth "Mel" Smith is an English comedian, writer, film director, producer, and actor. He is most famous for his work on the sketch comedy shows Not the Nine O'Clock News and Alas Smith and Jones along with his comedy partner Griff Rhys Jones.- Early life :Smith's father, Kenneth, was born...
, best known for Not the Nine O'Clock NewsNot the Nine O'Clock NewsNot the Nine O'Clock News is a television comedy sketch show which was broadcast on BBC 2 from 1979 to 1982.Originally shown as a comedy "alternative" to the BBC Nine O'Clock News on BBC 1, it featured satirical sketches on current news stories and popular culture, as well as parody songs, comedy...
and Alas Smith and JonesAlas Smith and JonesAlas Smith and Jones is a British comedy sketch television series featuring Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones. It was broadcast on the BBC from 1984 to 1998...
, was born in Chiswick
- Engineer John Edward ThornycroftJohn Edward ThornycroftSir John Edward Thornycroft KBE was a British mechanical and civil engineer.Thornycroft was born in Chiswick in 1872 and was the eldest son of Sir John Isaac Thornycroft, the founder of the Thornycroft shipbuilding company. He was educated at St Paul’s School in London before receiving engineering...
(1872-1960) was born in Chiswick
- Musician Pete TownshendPete TownshendPeter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
, guitarist and songwriter of rockRock musicRock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band The WhoThe WhoThe Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
, was born in Chiswick
- Marine geologist and geophysicist Frederick Vine was born in Chiswick
- Singer Kim WildeKim WildeKim Wilde is an English pop singer, author and television presenter who burst onto the music scene in 1981 with the number 2 UK Singles Chart new wave classic "Kids in America". In 1987 she had a major hit in the United States when her version of The Supremes' classic "You Keep Me Hangin' On"...
, of "Kids in AmericaKids in America (song)"Kids in America" is a New Wave song by British singer Kim Wilde, released in the United Kingdom as her debut single in January 1981, and in the US in 1982. It has famously been covered by many artists from different genres.-Background:...
" fame, was born in Chiswick
See also the List of people from the London Borough of Hounslow
In popular culture
- The BBC TV series My Family is set in Chiswick.
- In the BBC TV series Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
the Tenth Doctor's companion Donna NobleDonna NobleDonna Noble is a fictional character played by Catherine Tate in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. A secretary from Chiswick, London, she is a companion of the Tenth Doctor, appearing in one scene at the end of the final episode of the 2006 series,...
and her family reside in Chiswick.
External links
- Chiswick history website
- Chiswick: Growth, A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 7: Acton, Chiswick, Ealing and Brentford, West Twyford, Willesden, (1982)