Ickenham
Encyclopedia
Ickenham is a suburban area centred on an old village in Greater London
, part of the London Borough of Hillingdon
.
While no major historical events have taken place in Ickenham, settlements dating back to the Roman occupation of Britain have been discovered during archaeological surveys, and the area appears in the Domesday Book
(1086). Buildings from the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries remain standing and have been restored in recent years.
The village was originally split into four manors, which became two: Ickenham and Swakeleys. The old manorial home of Swakeleys, 17th century Jacobean
mansion Swakeleys House
, still exists for corporate use. Ickenham's manorial home, Manor Farm, now forms part of Long Lane Farm. A military station, RAF West Ruislip
, was opened in 1917. Its final use was for the Navy Exchange of the U.S. Naval Activities, United Kingdom
command between 1975 and 2006.
According to the 1901 Census
, Ickenham at that time had a population of 329, which by the 2001 Census
had reached 9,933, although census figures show a marked population decline during the 1960s and 1970s. By 2008, the population had reached 10,133. When Ickenham obtained a railway station on the Metropolitan Railway's line between Harrow and Uxbridge
, it brought with it a rail link to London. A great deal of residential development commenced in the village and it gradually became part of the London commuter belt
. Ickenham expanded with the sale and development of much of the Swakeleys estate in 1922 and became part of what was later termed "Metro-land
".
three times under the name "Ticheham". Translated from Latin
, the second entry reads:
The Domesday Book describes the land as being predominantly flat and composed of London clay
with the exception of alluvium
along the banks of the River Pinn
. Of the few archaeological surveys of Ickenham carried out, one in 1994 by the Museum of London
found a system of Roman
fields, dating back to the 1st and 2nd centuries along with pottery fragments. Research suggests that the area may have been abandoned for a period following the departure of the Romans from Britain around AD 410.
, though Herses subsequently became part of the manor of Swalcliff. These manors were eventually merged to form the main manors of Ickenham and Swakeleys. The original lord of the manor of Ickenham was Geoffrey de Mandeville
, from whom it passed to William de Brock and then, in 1334, to John Charlton whose son John owned Swakeleys from 1350. By the mid-14th century, Ickenham was owned by the Shorediche family who retained possession until 1819.
The Crosier family, major landowners in north-west Middlesex, moved to Ickenham in the 16th century. They established their manorial home as Sherwyns, and owned Home Farm and Sears house in 1624. After the Shorediche family, Milton Farm was bought by William Crosier in 1685. Edward Hilliard become the direct descendent of the final member of the Crosier family, John Crosier. Under the Hilliards, Milton Farm was sold to become part of the Swakeleys estate in 1816, and Hill Farm become Northolt Aerodrome
in 1916. The Shorediche family built their manor house on a track off Long Lane. Originally called Ickenham Hall, it was let out to farmers in 1818 and renamed Manor Farm, at which point the Crosier family renamed their manorial home from Sherwyns to Ickenham Hall
.
Swakeleys manor, subordinate to Ickenham, was named after Robert Swalcliffe, who owned the manor with his wife Joan in the 14th century. He appears in records as Robert de Swalclyve and Robert de Wykeham, reflecting his ownership of Swakeleys and Wickham Park in Oxfordshire
. In 1347, he owed £40 to a money lender, Roger Rikeman, which he was unable to pay, and so his land in Ickenham was passed by Rikeman in 1350 to John de Charlton.
A descendent of John de Charlton, the first Sir Thomas de Charlton, died in 1448 whereupon Swakeleys passed to his son, also named Sir Thomas, who became Speaker of the House of Commons and Member of Parliament
for Middlesex. He died in 1465, at which point his son Sir Richard became owner of the manor. Sir Richard was killed fighting on the side of Richard III
during the Battle of Bosworth Field
in 1485. The victor of the battle, Henry VII
, named him in his Act of Attainder, though he granted Sir Richard's wife Elizabeth a life interest in the manor. However, Sir Thomas Bourchier was subsequently granted the manor of Swakeleys and Covelhall (Cowley). Upon Sir Thomas' death in 1510, the manor passed to Sir John Peeche as his executor. Sir John had no children, so Swakeleys passed to the Earl of Devon
, Henry Courteney
in 1521. The Earl granted a licence to control Swakeleys to Sir William Fitzwilliam in 1531, who was acting as trustee for Ralph Pexall.
The lords of the manor of Swakeleys resided at Swakeleys House
, though the house that stands today was not the first on the site. The original dated to around the 1300s and was probably constructed of wattle and timber. It was subject to extensive remedial work, much lamented at the time, while under the ownership of John Bingley. Bingley later sold the estate to Sir Edmund Wright, a future Lord Mayor of London
, in 1629, and the current house was built of brick in 1638.
A church at Ickenham is not mentioned in the Domesday Book
and it is likely that residents travelled to nearby Harefield
for services. The original nave
and chancel
of St Giles' church
have been dated to 1335, while the nave was extended west in 1959. The bell turret was built in the 15th century, and a brick aisle added in 1575.
'The Pump' is a significant local landmark. Donated to the village by Charlotte Gell, this water pump stands close to the village pond at the intersection of Swakeleys Road and Long Lane. After Gell's death in 1863, under the provisions of her will a water pump was sunk for the benefit for the community in 1866. The village pond next to the pump was dug at the same time as the 144 feet (43.9 m) well for the pump was sunk to accommodate waste from the construction. An older pond on the other side of the village was filled in with the excavated earth from the new one. In 1857 Gell had also donated some of her land near St Giles's Church for five almshouse
s to be built for longstanding servants of the Gell household or Ickenham residents who were members of the Church of England
. No more than three people were allowed to live in the houses at one time. The cottages remain and are maintained by the local church. Next to the pump stands the Coach & Horses public house, first licensed for the sale of alcohol in 1759 but of 16th-century origin. The house was used for manorial courts throughout the 19th century until the last was held in 1878.
opened a small halt on their line between Harrow and Uxbridge
. The railway company had been reluctant to open a station in the area owing to a perceived lack of demand, and so a compromise was reached with the construction of the halt. The new stop brought with it travellers from London seeking a day out in rural surroundings. Nearby villagers sold flowers from their gardens and served teas to the visitors. The parish council later requested shelters for passengers on the platforms, which were built in December 1905, followed by a booking hut in 1910. The original platforms, too short to align with all train carriages, were extended in 1922. Ickenham Halt was rebuilt as a station in the 1970s.
The marathon
event of the 1908 Summer Olympics
in London passed through Ickenham and Uxbridge on its way to the White City Stadium
.
As a result of the railway, more commuters gradually moved to Ickenham and travelled to work in London. On 5 July 1922, 1382 acres (559.3 ha) of the Swakeleys estate was auctioned for development, thereby significantly reducing its size. Roads laid out for the new development were Warren Road, Swakeleys Drive, Court Road, Milton Road, Ivy House Road, The Avenue, and Thornhill Road (originally named Park Road). Other land bordering the River Pinn
was designated as public open land. Shops were built around Swakeleys Road, while houses were constructed along its length. The road was widened to become a dual carriageway
in 1937. Milton Farm, one of the farms on the former Swakeleys estate, was demolished in 1939. The farm's pond and listed barn were cleared to make way for housing in what became Milton Road and Milton Court, though marketed as "Ickenham Garden City".
A military station, operated by the Royal Air Force and later the United States Navy
, was opened on part of Home Farm close to the parish boundary with Ruislip in 1917, later becoming known as RAF West Ruislip
. The site was used originally for the British No. 4 Maintenance Unit, together with the RAF Records division. It became involved in the repair of aircraft equipment and later in the servicing of American vehicles from RAF South Ruislip
. Between 1955 and 1975 the United States Air Force
was based at the Ruislip station, before the U.S. Naval Activities, United Kingdom
command leased the site from the Ministry of Defence
for the American Naval Exchange.
The original village school was built on Ickenham High Road in 1866, although by 1920 it had become overcrowded. Older children were moved to the village hall in 1928, under the name Ickenham Temporary Council School. In 1929 the village school closed and its infant pupils also moved to the village hall. The road was widened in 1934, necessitating demolition of the school building along with the original Fox & Geese public house.
The village pump remained in use until December 1914, while the handle was removed in 1921 by the local council for safe keeping but was never returned. The pump was restored in 2004 in partnership with a local building company, and a similar handle was fitted during the works.
Breakspear Primary School was built in 1937, followed in 1952 by Glebe Primary on the other side of the railway line. The Roman Catholic secondary school Douay Martyrs
was built in 1962 and later expanded onto the former site of Swakeleys School nearby. Swakeleys School had opened in 1929 for older children from the village school. In 1952 the boys moved to the newly opened Abbotsfield School for Boys and Swakeleys became a girls' secondary modern school. The girls' school moved from Ickenham to share the site of Abbotsfield in Hillingdon
in 1973. Vyners School
opened as a grammar school
on 12 January 1960 and later became a comprehensive
. Delays in building work meant the first intake of pupils were taught at St Mary's Grammar School in Northwood Hills
from 9 September 1959.
The village hall, designed by Clifton Davy, was built on part of Church Farm in 1926. The hall was opened by Princess Victoria. As well as becoming the temporary village school, the hall also became a restaurant during the Second World War
and went on to be used as a bank and a polling station
. A police telephone box was constructed next to the Pump in February 1936, and became operational on 4 May 1936. Church Farm opposite St Giles' church was demolished after the Second World War
and replaced with shops, while new roads were built in the area. By 1951 the population of Ickenham had reached 7,107; this had risen to 10,370 by 1961, and 11,214 by 1971. The ford over the River Pinn
on Swakeleys Drive, nicknamed "The Splash", was replaced in 1957 by a road bridge.
Middlesex County Council
bought Ickenham Hall
and its grounds in 1948 in order to convert it into a youth centre. In 1968 a theatre was built behind the hall, later named the Compass Theatre
by the Theatre Director John Sherratt. A new building connecting the two was built in 1976.
During the Second World War
Swakeleys House was requisitioned by the military and a searchlight battery established in the grounds. The house was Grade I listed in 1956, and the head gardener's cottage on the junction of Swakeleys Road and The Avenue was Grade II listed in 1959.
The village library opened in 1962 on the site of the 16th century cottage and tea garden, The Orchard. Uxbridge Borough Council
installed a three-sided clock commemorating the 1953 coronation
of Elizabeth II in the library's tower, having been persuaded not to add it to the eight-sided village pump.
In the 1980s, St Giles' church celebrated its 650th anniversary and formed a covenant with the neighbouring United Reformed Church. The United Reformed Church moved to its current building in 1936, after the previous chapel building proved too small for the growing congregation. It is now used by a local company as a wood and scrap metal yard. Nearby, many buildings on the RAF station were demolished to make way for a new housing estate named Brackenbury Village. The US Navy eventually left in 2006 and the base was permanently closed. The site was cleared in 2007 and is currently undergoing redevelopment as residential housing under the "Ickenham Park" name.
until 1925, when this was absorbed into the Municipal Borough of Uxbridge
. This remained until 1965, when the borough was included in the newly established London Borough of Hillingdon
. Within the borough of Hillingdon, Ickenham has its own ward, with Conservative Councillors John Hensley, Raymond Puddifoot and David Simmons representing it.
Ickenham was within the Uxbridge constituency
until boundary changes at the 2010 general election meant it became part of the new Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner constituency
, represented by Nick Hurd MP
.
The local library was closed for a complete refurbishment in 2009 and reopened in March 2010.
The Ickenham and District Society of Model Engineers was formed in September 1948 and originally met in the old ARP
huts, before moving to Ickenham Hall. On 14 May 1949, the society held their first exhibition of miniature locomotives in a field off Swakeleys Road. A new society clubhouse opened on 18 June 1955 on a site near the Coach & Horses public house where it remains. The miniature railway is open to the public on the first Saturday of each month.
Ickenham's residents' association was established in 1924, and it plays an active role within the community; in recent years the association has been involved in preventing developments by Tesco
and Ikea
, which in the association's view would have adversely affected the town.
is served by the Metropolitan
and Piccadilly
lines.
West Ruislip station
(opened as Ruislip & Ickenham) is on the border of Ruislip
and Ickenham and is served by the Central line
and Chiltern Main Line
.
The London Buses
routes U1 and U10 serve Ickenham.
B467 (Swakeleys Road) and B466 (Long Lane) intersect in the centre of Ickenham. They link the Ickenham area with Harefield
, Hillingdon
and Ruislip
.
, just east of Copthall Road West. Although usually dry in the summer months, the moat surrounding the location of a manor house can still be seen. Excavations of the site between 1966 and 1969 found pottery and an oven dating back to the 14th or 15th century. It is believed the manor house at the centre of the moat was "Pynchester", a building owned by the Hastings family in the 16th century.
The moat is a point of interest on the Celandine Route, a 12 miles (19.3 km) walk along the River Pinn
from Pinner
to the Grand Union Canal
at Cowley
.
for 25 years. Since the expiry of the lease in 2009, the house has been open to the public for one day a year as part of Open House London
.
See also the List of people from Hillingdon.
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...
, part of the London Borough of Hillingdon
London Borough of Hillingdon
The London Borough of Hillingdon is the westernmost borough in Greater London, England. The borough's population was recorded as 243,006 in the 2001 Census. The borough incorporates the former districts of Ruislip-Northwood, Uxbridge, Hayes and Harlington and Yiewsley and West Drayton in the...
.
While no major historical events have taken place in Ickenham, settlements dating back to the Roman occupation of Britain have been discovered during archaeological surveys, and the area appears in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
(1086). Buildings from the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries remain standing and have been restored in recent years.
The village was originally split into four manors, which became two: Ickenham and Swakeleys. The old manorial home of Swakeleys, 17th century 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:...
mansion Swakeleys House
Swakeleys House
Swakeleys House is a Grade I listed 17th-century Jacobean mansion in Ickenham, London Borough of Hillingdon, built in 1638 for the future Lord Mayor of London, Sir Edmund Wright. Originally the home of the lords of the manor of Swakeleys, writer Samuel Pepys later visited the house twice...
, still exists for corporate use. Ickenham's manorial home, Manor Farm, now forms part of Long Lane Farm. A military station, RAF West Ruislip
RAF West Ruislip
RAF West Ruislip was a Ministry of Defence site, located in Ickenham within the London Borough of Hillingdon. The base was originally built as a depot for the Royal Air Force , split by what is now the Chiltern Main Line...
, was opened in 1917. Its final use was for the Navy Exchange of the U.S. Naval Activities, United Kingdom
U.S. Naval Activities, United Kingdom
Commander, U.S. Naval Activities, United Kingdom was an echelon three command subordinate to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe until 2007. As the regional area coordinator for the United Kingdom and Northern Europe, COMNAVACTUK also exercised authority over the following...
command between 1975 and 2006.
According to the 1901 Census
United Kingdom Census 1901
A nationwide census was conducted in England and Wales on 31 March 1901. It contains records for 32 million people and 6 million houses, It covers the whole of England and Wales, with the exception of parts of Deal in Kent. Separate censuses were held in Scotland and Ireland...
, Ickenham at that time had a population of 329, which by the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
had reached 9,933, although census figures show a marked population decline during the 1960s and 1970s. By 2008, the population had reached 10,133. When Ickenham obtained a railway station on the Metropolitan Railway's line between Harrow and Uxbridge
Uxbridge
Uxbridge is a large town located in north west London, England and is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon. It forms part of the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is located west-northwest of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres...
, it brought with it a rail link to London. A great deal of residential development commenced in the village and it gradually became part of the London commuter belt
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
. Ickenham expanded with the sale and development of much of the Swakeleys estate in 1922 and became part of what was later termed "Metro-land
Metro-land
Metro-land is a name given to the suburban areas that were built to the north west of London in the counties of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Middlesex in the early part of the 20th century, and were served by the Metropolitan Railway, an independent company until absorbed by the London...
".
Toponymy
Ickenham appears in the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
three times under the name "Ticheham". Translated from Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, the second entry reads:
The Domesday Book describes the land as being predominantly flat and composed of London clay
London Clay
The London Clay Formation is a marine geological formation of Ypresian age which crops out in the southeast of England. The London Clay is well known for the fossils it contains. The fossils from the Lower Eocene indicate a moderately warm climate, the flora being tropical or subtropical...
with the exception of alluvium
Alluvium
Alluvium is loose, unconsolidated soil or sediments, eroded, deposited, and reshaped by water in some form in a non-marine setting. Alluvium is typically made up of a variety of materials, including fine particles of silt and clay and larger particles of sand and gravel...
along the banks of the River Pinn
River Pinn
The River Pinn is a river in West London which originates around Pinner and flows into the Frays River, which is a branch of the River Colne.-Route:...
. Of the few archaeological surveys of Ickenham carried out, one in 1994 by the Museum of London
Museum of London
The Museum of London documents the history of London from the Prehistoric to the present day. The museum is located close to the Barbican Centre, as part of the striking Barbican complex of buildings created in the 1960s and 70s as an innovative approach to re-development within a bomb damaged...
found a system of Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
fields, dating back to the 1st and 2nd centuries along with pottery fragments. Research suggests that the area may have been abandoned for a period following the departure of the Romans from Britain around AD 410.
Early developments
Ickenham was originally divided into the four manors of Ickenham, Tykenham, Swalcliff (Swakeleys) and Herses (Hercies). Tykenham and Herses were within the parish of HillingdonHillingdon
Hillingdon is a suburban area within the London Borough of Hillingdon, situated 14.2 miles west of Charing Cross.Much of Hillingdon is represented as the Hillingdon East ward within the local authority, Hillingdon Council...
, though Herses subsequently became part of the manor of Swalcliff. These manors were eventually merged to form the main manors of Ickenham and Swakeleys. The original lord of the manor of Ickenham was Geoffrey de Mandeville
Geoffrey de Mandeville (11th century)
Geoffrey de Mandeville may have been Constable of the Tower of London. His surname comes from the town of Manneville or Magna Villa near Valognes in Manche on the Cotentin Peninsula...
, from whom it passed to William de Brock and then, in 1334, to John Charlton whose son John owned Swakeleys from 1350. By the mid-14th century, Ickenham was owned by the Shorediche family who retained possession until 1819.
The Crosier family, major landowners in north-west Middlesex, moved to Ickenham in the 16th century. They established their manorial home as Sherwyns, and owned Home Farm and Sears house in 1624. After the Shorediche family, Milton Farm was bought by William Crosier in 1685. Edward Hilliard become the direct descendent of the final member of the Crosier family, John Crosier. Under the Hilliards, Milton Farm was sold to become part of the Swakeleys estate in 1816, and Hill Farm become Northolt Aerodrome
RAF Northolt
RAF Northolt is a Royal Air Force station situated in South Ruislip, east by northeast of Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon, West London. Approximately north of London Heathrow Airport, the station also handles a large number of private civil flights...
in 1916. The Shorediche family built their manor house on a track off Long Lane. Originally called Ickenham Hall, it was let out to farmers in 1818 and renamed Manor Farm, at which point the Crosier family renamed their manorial home from Sherwyns to Ickenham Hall
Ickenham Hall
Ickenham Hall is a Grade II Listed Georgian mansion, located in the grounds of the Compass Theatre, Glebe Avenue, Ickenham, and provides office space and hire-able rooms to local organisations....
.
Swakeleys manor, subordinate to Ickenham, was named after Robert Swalcliffe, who owned the manor with his wife Joan in the 14th century. He appears in records as Robert de Swalclyve and Robert de Wykeham, reflecting his ownership of Swakeleys and Wickham Park in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. In 1347, he owed £40 to a money lender, Roger Rikeman, which he was unable to pay, and so his land in Ickenham was passed by Rikeman in 1350 to John de Charlton.
A descendent of John de Charlton, the first Sir Thomas de Charlton, died in 1448 whereupon Swakeleys passed to his son, also named Sir Thomas, who became Speaker of the House of Commons and Member of Parliament
Member 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,...
for Middlesex. He died in 1465, at which point his son Sir Richard became owner of the manor. Sir Richard was killed fighting on the side of Richard III
Richard III of England
Richard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
during the Battle of Bosworth Field
Battle of Bosworth Field
The Battle of Bosworth Field was the penultimate battle of the Wars of the Roses, the civil war between the House of Lancaster and the House of York that raged across England in the latter half of the 15th century. Fought on 22 August 1485, the battle was won by the Lancastrians...
in 1485. The victor of the battle, Henry VII
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
, named him in his Act of Attainder, though he granted Sir Richard's wife Elizabeth a life interest in the manor. However, Sir Thomas Bourchier was subsequently granted the manor of Swakeleys and Covelhall (Cowley). Upon Sir Thomas' death in 1510, the manor passed to Sir John Peeche as his executor. Sir John had no children, so Swakeleys passed to the Earl of Devon
Earl of Devon
The title of Earl of Devon was created several times in the Peerage of England, and was possessed first by the de Redvers family, and later by the Courtenays...
, Henry Courteney
Henry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of Exeter
Henry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of Exeter, KG, PC was the eldest son of William Courtenay, 1st Earl of Devon and Catherine of York, and grandson of King Edward IV of England.He was an older brother of Margaret Courtenay...
in 1521. The Earl granted a licence to control Swakeleys to Sir William Fitzwilliam in 1531, who was acting as trustee for Ralph Pexall.
The lords of the manor of Swakeleys resided at Swakeleys House
Swakeleys House
Swakeleys House is a Grade I listed 17th-century Jacobean mansion in Ickenham, London Borough of Hillingdon, built in 1638 for the future Lord Mayor of London, Sir Edmund Wright. Originally the home of the lords of the manor of Swakeleys, writer Samuel Pepys later visited the house twice...
, though the house that stands today was not the first on the site. The original dated to around the 1300s and was probably constructed of wattle and timber. It was subject to extensive remedial work, much lamented at the time, while under the ownership of John Bingley. Bingley later sold the estate to Sir Edmund Wright, a future Lord Mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
, in 1629, and the current house was built of brick in 1638.
A church at Ickenham is not mentioned in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
and it is likely that residents travelled to nearby Harefield
Harefield
Harefield is a village in the London Borough of Hillingdon in northwest London, England. It is situated on top of a hill, northwest of Charing Cross, near the Greater London boundary with Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the north...
for services. The original nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
of St Giles' church
St Giles' Church, Ickenham
St. Giles' Church is a church in Ickenham, within the London Borough of Hillingdon in England.The church is located in the centre of Ickenham, at the intersection of Swakeleys Road and Long Lane....
have been dated to 1335, while the nave was extended west in 1959. The bell turret was built in the 15th century, and a brick aisle added in 1575.
'The Pump' is a significant local landmark. Donated to the village by Charlotte Gell, this water pump stands close to the village pond at the intersection of Swakeleys Road and Long Lane. After Gell's death in 1863, under the provisions of her will a water pump was sunk for the benefit for the community in 1866. The village pond next to the pump was dug at the same time as the 144 feet (43.9 m) well for the pump was sunk to accommodate waste from the construction. An older pond on the other side of the village was filled in with the excavated earth from the new one. In 1857 Gell had also donated some of her land near St Giles's Church for five almshouse
Almshouse
Almshouses are charitable housing provided to enable people to live in a particular community...
s to be built for longstanding servants of the Gell household or Ickenham residents who were members of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
. No more than three people were allowed to live in the houses at one time. The cottages remain and are maintained by the local church. Next to the pump stands the Coach & Horses public house, first licensed for the sale of alcohol in 1759 but of 16th-century origin. The house was used for manorial courts throughout the 19th century until the last was held in 1878.
Urban development
On 25 September 1905, following lobbying by Ickenham Parish Council, the Metropolitan RailwayMetropolitan railway
Metropolitan Railway can refer to:* Metropolitan line, part of the London Underground* Metropolitan Railway, the first underground railway to be built in London...
opened a small halt on their line between Harrow and Uxbridge
Uxbridge
Uxbridge is a large town located in north west London, England and is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon. It forms part of the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is located west-northwest of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres...
. The railway company had been reluctant to open a station in the area owing to a perceived lack of demand, and so a compromise was reached with the construction of the halt. The new stop brought with it travellers from London seeking a day out in rural surroundings. Nearby villagers sold flowers from their gardens and served teas to the visitors. The parish council later requested shelters for passengers on the platforms, which were built in December 1905, followed by a booking hut in 1910. The original platforms, too short to align with all train carriages, were extended in 1922. Ickenham Halt was rebuilt as a station in the 1970s.
The marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
event of the 1908 Summer Olympics
1908 Summer Olympics
The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London, England, United Kingdom. These games were originally scheduled to be held in Rome. At the time they were the fifth modern Olympic games...
in London passed through Ickenham and Uxbridge on its way to the White City Stadium
White City Stadium
White City Stadium was built in White City, London, for the 1908 Summer Olympics, often seen as the precursor to the modern seater stadium and noted for hosting the finish of the first modern distance marathon. It also hosted speedway and a match at the 1966 World Cup, before the stadium was...
.
As a result of the railway, more commuters gradually moved to Ickenham and travelled to work in London. On 5 July 1922, 1382 acres (559.3 ha) of the Swakeleys estate was auctioned for development, thereby significantly reducing its size. Roads laid out for the new development were Warren Road, Swakeleys Drive, Court Road, Milton Road, Ivy House Road, The Avenue, and Thornhill Road (originally named Park Road). Other land bordering the River Pinn
River Pinn
The River Pinn is a river in West London which originates around Pinner and flows into the Frays River, which is a branch of the River Colne.-Route:...
was designated as public open land. Shops were built around Swakeleys Road, while houses were constructed along its length. The road was widened to become a dual carriageway
Dual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
in 1937. Milton Farm, one of the farms on the former Swakeleys estate, was demolished in 1939. The farm's pond and listed barn were cleared to make way for housing in what became Milton Road and Milton Court, though marketed as "Ickenham Garden City".
A military station, operated by the Royal Air Force and later the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, was opened on part of Home Farm close to the parish boundary with Ruislip in 1917, later becoming known as RAF West Ruislip
RAF West Ruislip
RAF West Ruislip was a Ministry of Defence site, located in Ickenham within the London Borough of Hillingdon. The base was originally built as a depot for the Royal Air Force , split by what is now the Chiltern Main Line...
. The site was used originally for the British No. 4 Maintenance Unit, together with the RAF Records division. It became involved in the repair of aircraft equipment and later in the servicing of American vehicles from RAF South Ruislip
RAF South Ruislip
RAF South Ruislip was a non-flying Air Force station located in South Ruislip near London, England.The station opened in 1949 and was used by the United States Air Force as an administrative station to coordinate Third Air Force and 7th Air Division activities in Great Britain with the British...
. Between 1955 and 1975 the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
was based at the Ruislip station, before the U.S. Naval Activities, United Kingdom
U.S. Naval Activities, United Kingdom
Commander, U.S. Naval Activities, United Kingdom was an echelon three command subordinate to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe until 2007. As the regional area coordinator for the United Kingdom and Northern Europe, COMNAVACTUK also exercised authority over the following...
command leased the site from the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
for the American Naval Exchange.
The original village school was built on Ickenham High Road in 1866, although by 1920 it had become overcrowded. Older children were moved to the village hall in 1928, under the name Ickenham Temporary Council School. In 1929 the village school closed and its infant pupils also moved to the village hall. The road was widened in 1934, necessitating demolition of the school building along with the original Fox & Geese public house.
The village pump remained in use until December 1914, while the handle was removed in 1921 by the local council for safe keeping but was never returned. The pump was restored in 2004 in partnership with a local building company, and a similar handle was fitted during the works.
Breakspear Primary School was built in 1937, followed in 1952 by Glebe Primary on the other side of the railway line. The Roman Catholic secondary school Douay Martyrs
The Douay Martyrs School
The Douay Martyrs RC School is a Roman Catholic school for 11-18 year olds, based in Ickenham within the London Borough of Hillingdon. It is a voluntary aided mixed comprehensive secondary school which serves around 1500 pupils from a wide range of social backgrounds. The school is designated as...
was built in 1962 and later expanded onto the former site of Swakeleys School nearby. Swakeleys School had opened in 1929 for older children from the village school. In 1952 the boys moved to the newly opened Abbotsfield School for Boys and Swakeleys became a girls' secondary modern school. The girls' school moved from Ickenham to share the site of Abbotsfield in Hillingdon
Hillingdon
Hillingdon is a suburban area within the London Borough of Hillingdon, situated 14.2 miles west of Charing Cross.Much of Hillingdon is represented as the Hillingdon East ward within the local authority, Hillingdon Council...
in 1973. Vyners School
Vyners School
Vyners School is a secondary comprehensive school and specialist mathematics & computing college in Ickenham within the London Borough of Hillingdon.The current Head teacher is Susan Gould, who took over on 1 September 2007.- History :...
opened as a grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
on 12 January 1960 and later became a comprehensive
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
. Delays in building work meant the first intake of pupils were taught at St Mary's Grammar School in Northwood Hills
Northwood Hills
Northwood Hills is a suburban town within the London Borough of Hillingdon in west London.The nearest places are Hatch End, Northwood, Pinner, Ruislip, South Oxhey, Eastbury and Eastcote....
from 9 September 1959.
The village hall, designed by Clifton Davy, was built on part of Church Farm in 1926. The hall was opened by Princess Victoria. As well as becoming the temporary village school, the hall also became a restaurant during the Second World War
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...
and went on to be used as a bank and a polling station
Polling station
A polling place or polling station is where voters cast their ballots in elections.Since elections generally take place over a one- or two-day span on a periodic basis, often annual or longer, polling places are often located in facilities used for other purposes, such as schools, churches, sports...
. A police telephone box was constructed next to the Pump in February 1936, and became operational on 4 May 1936. Church Farm opposite St Giles' church was demolished after the Second World War
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...
and replaced with shops, while new roads were built in the area. By 1951 the population of Ickenham had reached 7,107; this had risen to 10,370 by 1961, and 11,214 by 1971. The ford over the River Pinn
River Pinn
The River Pinn is a river in West London which originates around Pinner and flows into the Frays River, which is a branch of the River Colne.-Route:...
on Swakeleys Drive, nicknamed "The Splash", was replaced in 1957 by a road bridge.
Middlesex County Council
Middlesex County Council
Middlesex County Council was the principal local government body in the administrative county of Middlesex from 1889 to 1965.The county council was created by the Local Government Act 1888, which also removed the most populous part of the county to constitute the County of London...
bought Ickenham Hall
Ickenham Hall
Ickenham Hall is a Grade II Listed Georgian mansion, located in the grounds of the Compass Theatre, Glebe Avenue, Ickenham, and provides office space and hire-able rooms to local organisations....
and its grounds in 1948 in order to convert it into a youth centre. In 1968 a theatre was built behind the hall, later named the Compass Theatre
Compass Theatre
The Compass Theatre is a 158 seat theatre in Ickenham, in, and owned by, the London Borough of Hillingdon.Middlesex County Council bought Ickenham Hall and its grounds in 1948 in order to convert it into a youth centre. In 1968 a theatre was built behind the hall, later named the Compass Theatre by...
by the Theatre Director John Sherratt. A new building connecting the two was built in 1976.
During the Second World War
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...
Swakeleys House was requisitioned by the military and a searchlight battery established in the grounds. The house was Grade I listed in 1956, and the head gardener's cottage on the junction of Swakeleys Road and The Avenue was Grade II listed in 1959.
The village library opened in 1962 on the site of the 16th century cottage and tea garden, The Orchard. Uxbridge Borough Council
Municipal Borough of Uxbridge
Uxbridge was a local government district in north west Middlesex, England, from 1849 to 1965, based around the town of Uxbridge.Uxbridge was one of the first towns in England to adopt the Public Health Act 1848 in 1849 and form a local board of health. Under the Local Government Act 1894 the local...
installed a three-sided clock commemorating the 1953 coronation
Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was the ceremony in which the newly ascended monarch, Elizabeth II, was crowned Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ceylon, and Pakistan, as well as taking on the role of Head of the Commonwealth...
of Elizabeth II in the library's tower, having been persuaded not to add it to the eight-sided village pump.
In the 1980s, St Giles' church celebrated its 650th anniversary and formed a covenant with the neighbouring United Reformed Church. The United Reformed Church moved to its current building in 1936, after the previous chapel building proved too small for the growing congregation. It is now used by a local company as a wood and scrap metal yard. Nearby, many buildings on the RAF station were demolished to make way for a new housing estate named Brackenbury Village. The US Navy eventually left in 2006 and the base was permanently closed. The site was cleared in 2007 and is currently undergoing redevelopment as residential housing under the "Ickenham Park" name.
Local government
Ickenham had a parish council but came within the Uxbridge Rural DistrictUxbridge Rural District
Uxbridge was, from 1875 to 1925, a local government district in Middlesex, England.The district was formed as a rural sanitary district in 1875. It was based on the existing poor Uxbridge Poor Law Union, except for Uxbridge, to the west, which was an urban sanitary district. Part of the Hillingdon...
until 1925, when this was absorbed into the Municipal Borough of Uxbridge
Municipal Borough of Uxbridge
Uxbridge was a local government district in north west Middlesex, England, from 1849 to 1965, based around the town of Uxbridge.Uxbridge was one of the first towns in England to adopt the Public Health Act 1848 in 1849 and form a local board of health. Under the Local Government Act 1894 the local...
. This remained until 1965, when the borough was included in the newly established London Borough of Hillingdon
London Borough of Hillingdon
The London Borough of Hillingdon is the westernmost borough in Greater London, England. The borough's population was recorded as 243,006 in the 2001 Census. The borough incorporates the former districts of Ruislip-Northwood, Uxbridge, Hayes and Harlington and Yiewsley and West Drayton in the...
. Within the borough of Hillingdon, Ickenham has its own ward, with Conservative Councillors John Hensley, Raymond Puddifoot and David Simmons representing it.
Ickenham was within the Uxbridge constituency
Uxbridge (UK Parliament constituency)
Uxbridge was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament using the first-past-the-post voting system, from 1885 until it was abolished at the 2010 general election....
until boundary changes at the 2010 general election meant it became part of the new Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner constituency
Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner (UK Parliament constituency)
Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
, represented by Nick Hurd MP
Nick Hurd
Nicholas Richard Hurd , known as Nick Hurd, is a United Kingdom Conservative Member of Parliament.He was elected Member for Ruislip-Northwood at the May 2005 general election with 47.7% of the votes...
.
Education
Primary schools in Ickenham include Breakspear Infant & Nursery School, Breakspear Junior School, and Glebe Primary School. Secondary schools include Douay Martyrs School and Vyners School.The local library was closed for a complete refurbishment in 2009 and reopened in March 2010.
Sports clubs and societies
Sports clubs in Ickenham include Ickenham Cricket Club and Ickenham Rugby Club. Hillingdon Athletics Club (an amalgamation of the Ruislip-Northwood and Uxbridge clubs), has attracted many athletes from Ickenham since its foundation in the 1960s.The Ickenham and District Society of Model Engineers was formed in September 1948 and originally met in the old ARP
Air Raid Precautions
Air Raid Precautions was an organisation in the United Kingdom set up as an aid in the prelude to the Second World War dedicated to the protection of civilians from the danger of air-raids. It was created in 1924 as a response to the fears about the growing threat from the development of bomber...
huts, before moving to Ickenham Hall. On 14 May 1949, the society held their first exhibition of miniature locomotives in a field off Swakeleys Road. A new society clubhouse opened on 18 June 1955 on a site near the Coach & Horses public house where it remains. The miniature railway is open to the public on the first Saturday of each month.
Ickenham's residents' association was established in 1924, and it plays an active role within the community; in recent years the association has been involved in preventing developments by Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
and Ikea
IKEA
IKEA is a privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds and desks, appliances and home accessories. The company is the world's largest furniture retailer...
, which in the association's view would have adversely affected the town.
Transport
Ickenham tube stationIckenham tube station
Ickenham tube station is a London Underground station located in Ickenham in the London Borough of Hillingdon.The station is on the Uxbridge branch of both the Metropolitan line and Piccadilly line, between Ruislip and Hillingdon stations...
is served by the Metropolitan
Metropolitan Line
The Metropolitan line is part of the London Underground. It is coloured in Transport for London's Corporate Magenta on the Tube map and in other branding. It was the first underground railway in the world, opening as the Metropolitan Railway on 10 January 1863...
and Piccadilly
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...
lines.
West Ruislip station
West Ruislip station
West Ruislip is a Network Rail station located on Ickenham Road between Ickenham and Ruislip in western Greater London; it is served by both London Underground and National Rail trains on independent platforms....
(opened as Ruislip & Ickenham) is on the border of Ruislip
Ruislip
Ruislip is a suburban area, centred on an old village in Greater London, and is part of the London Borough of Hillingdon.It was formerly also a parish covering the neighbouring areas of Eastcote, Northwood, Ruislip Manor and South Ruislip in the area. The parish appears in the Domesday Book, and...
and Ickenham and is served by the Central line
Central Line
The Central line is a London Underground line, coloured red on the tube map. It is a deep-level "tube" line, running east-west across London, and, at , has the greatest total length of track of any line on the Underground. Of the 49 stations served, 20 are below ground...
and Chiltern Main Line
Chiltern Main Line
The Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa...
.
The London Buses
London Buses
London Buses is the subsidiary of Transport for London that manages bus services within Greater London, UK. Buses are required to carry similar red colour schemes and conform to the same fare scheme...
routes U1 and U10 serve Ickenham.
B467 (Swakeleys Road) and B466 (Long Lane) intersect in the centre of Ickenham. They link the Ickenham area with Harefield
Harefield
Harefield is a village in the London Borough of Hillingdon in northwest London, England. It is situated on top of a hill, northwest of Charing Cross, near the Greater London boundary with Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the north...
, Hillingdon
Hillingdon
Hillingdon is a suburban area within the London Borough of Hillingdon, situated 14.2 miles west of Charing Cross.Much of Hillingdon is represented as the Hillingdon East ward within the local authority, Hillingdon Council...
and Ruislip
Ruislip
Ruislip is a suburban area, centred on an old village in Greater London, and is part of the London Borough of Hillingdon.It was formerly also a parish covering the neighbouring areas of Eastcote, Northwood, Ruislip Manor and South Ruislip in the area. The parish appears in the Domesday Book, and...
.
Pynchester Moat
The Pynchester Moat is a Scheduled Ancient Monument on the River PinnRiver Pinn
The River Pinn is a river in West London which originates around Pinner and flows into the Frays River, which is a branch of the River Colne.-Route:...
, just east of Copthall Road West. Although usually dry in the summer months, the moat surrounding the location of a manor house can still be seen. Excavations of the site between 1966 and 1969 found pottery and an oven dating back to the 14th or 15th century. It is believed the manor house at the centre of the moat was "Pynchester", a building owned by the Hastings family in the 16th century.
The moat is a point of interest on the Celandine Route, a 12 miles (19.3 km) walk along the River Pinn
River Pinn
The River Pinn is a river in West London which originates around Pinner and flows into the Frays River, which is a branch of the River Colne.-Route:...
from Pinner
Pinner
- Climate :Pinner's geographical position on the far western side of North West London makes it the furthest London suburb from any UK coastline. Hence the lower prevalence of moderating maritime influences make Pinner noticeably warmer in the spring and the summer compared to the rest of the capital...
to the Grand Union Canal
Grand Union Canal
The Grand Union Canal in England is part of the British canal system. Its main line connects London and Birmingham, stretching for 137 miles with 166 locks...
at Cowley
Cowley, London
Cowley is a place in the London Borough of Hillingdon. It is a suburban development situated 15.4 miles west of Charing Cross. Cowley is home to , which was mentioned in the 1086 Domesday Book....
.
Swakeleys House
Built between 1629 and 1638 for Sir Edmund Wright, the house replaced an existing structure dating back to the 1300s. In later years the Foreign & Commonwealth Office Sports Association bought the house, followed by the London Postal Region Sports Club. Cricket matches between the club and local teams from Ickenham and Uxbridge were played within the grounds. The house was bought by three local residents in the 1980s and restored, whereupon it was leased to Bristol-Myers SquibbBristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb , often referred to as BMS, is a pharmaceutical company, headquartered in New York City. The company was formed in 1989, following the merger of its predecessors Bristol-Myers and the Squibb Corporation...
for 25 years. Since the expiry of the lease in 2009, the house has been open to the public for one day a year as part of Open House London
Open House London
Open House London is an organisation which promotes appreciation of architecture by the general public. It organises tours, lectures, educational projects for children and so on, but it is best known for Open House Weekend, a two-day event which takes place on one weekend each September throughout...
.
Ickenham Festival
The biennial Ickenham Festival has taken place in the town since 1976, originally with the aim of highlighting the variety of societies and groups in the area. The festival normally centres on a charity gala day in June, when various groups - including scouts, church groups and schools - parade through the town, finishing with a large fête in the grounds of Swakeleys House. Fireworks mark the end of the festival in the evening.Notable people
- AsceticAsceticismAsceticism describes a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from various sorts of worldly pleasures often with the aim of pursuing religious and spiritual goals...
Roger CrabRoger CrabRoger Crab was an English soldier, haberdasher, herbal doctor and writer who is best known for his ascetic lifestyle which included Christian vegetarianism. Crab fought in the Parliamentary Army in the English Civil War before becoming a haberdasher in Chesham. He later became a hermit and worked...
(1621-1680) lived in Ickenham 1652-1657; a popular doctor among the village women, he left the area when accused of witchcraft. - Fashion photographer Corinne DayCorinne DayCorinne Day , was a British fashion photographer, documentary photographer, and former fashion model....
(1965-2010), an associate of model Kate MossKate MossKate Moss is an English model. Moss is known for her waifish figure and popularising the heroin chic look in the 1990s. She is also known for her controversial private life, high profile relationships, party lifestyle, and drug use. Moss changed the look of modelling and started a global debate on...
, was born in Ickenham.
See also the List of people from Hillingdon.