West Drayton
Encyclopedia
West Drayton is a suburban area in the London Borough of Hillingdon
in the far west of London
, England. Formerly part of the Yiewsley and West Drayton Urban District
of Middlesex
, the district became part of Greater London
in 1965.
The population was recorded as 14,509 in 2008, by the Office for National Statistics
.
and the Grand Union Canal
, both of which run east-west. West Drayton is generally south of this divide and Yiewsley
to the north. It is situated just north of junction 4 of the M4 motorway
(Heathrow Airport spur), which intersects with the A408 (for Stockley Business Park), north for Uxbridge
, and it terminates south at Heathrow Airport itself. The nearby A3044 goes through Harmondsworth
to the south.
West Drayton railway station
provides rail links on the First Great Western
service from Paddington station
in London to Reading
and Bristol
. There is a primary school. The local secondary school is Stockley Academy
on Falling Lane. The former Evelyns Community School was demolished in order to make way for the Academy.
West Drayton also incorporates a conservation area
,The Green. Around The Green are a number of listed buildings, both residential and commercial.
, and as Westdrayton in 1465.
In the 1086 Domesday Book
, West Drayton was assessed at ten hides with land suitable for six ploughs.
The former RAF West Drayton
was host to a military air traffic control
(ATC) centre co-located with the civil London Area and Terminal Control Centre
(LATCC), but these functions have been relocated to Swanwick
), with the last ATC functions ending in January 2008. The former RAF station barracks are currently under redevelopment as an exclusive gated community.
town, owing to its proximity to the M25
, M4
, M40
and M3
motorways, Heathrow Airport and Stockley Business Park.
A new shopping complex is soon to be built in the town centre. An Ofcom
-licensed community radio station, 91.8 Hayes FM, serves the area, as does the commercial station Time 106.6
. The European broadcaster Viasat
also has its studios and playout centre here.
Waterside
, the head office of British Airways
, is in Harmondsworth
, near West Drayton.
The district has many canal paths and trails suitable for cycling
. The West Drayton Mountain Bike Club runs mountain bike and road events in the area.
West Drayton's wide open green spaces provide plenty of opportunity for children to play.
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...
in the far west of London
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. Formerly part of the Yiewsley and West Drayton Urban District
Yiewsley and West Drayton Urban District
Yiewsley and West Drayton was an urban district in Middlesex, England.It was formed in 1911 from the parish of Yiewsley, formerly part of Uxbridge Rural District. This rural district was abolished in 1929, and Yiewsley was joined by the parish of West Drayton, resulting in a change of name for the...
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...
, the district became 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...
in 1965.
The population was recorded as 14,509 in 2008, by the Office for National Statistics
Office for National Statistics
The Office for National Statistics is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Overview :...
.
Geography
The London Borough of Hillingdon is split by the Great Western RailwayGreat Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
and 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...
, both of which run east-west. West Drayton is generally south of this divide and Yiewsley
Yiewsley
Yiewsley is a place in the London Borough of Hillingdon. Its name derives from the Anglo-Saxon Wifeleslēah: "Wifel's woodland clearing".The nearest places to Yiewsley are Hayes, Harlington, Cowley, Harmondsworth, Sipson, and West Drayton....
to the north. It is situated just north of junction 4 of 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...
(Heathrow Airport spur), which intersects with the A408 (for Stockley Business Park), north for 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...
, and it terminates south at Heathrow Airport itself. The nearby A3044 goes through Harmondsworth
Harmondsworth
Harmondsworth is a village in the London Borough of Hillingdon, close to London Heathrow Airport. The village is situated south of West Drayton.The nearest places are: Hayes, Harlington, Heathrow Airport, Longford, London, Sipson, West Drayton and Yiewsley....
to the south.
West Drayton railway station
West Drayton railway station
West Drayton railway station is a railway station serving West Drayton, a western suburb of London, England. The station is served by local services operated by First Great Western from to stations.-History:...
provides rail links on the First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
service from Paddington station
Paddington station
Paddington railway station, also known as London Paddington, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex.The site is a historic one, having served as the London terminus of the Great Western Railway and its successors since 1838. Much of the current mainline station dates...
in London to Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
and Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
. There is a primary school. The local secondary school is Stockley Academy
Stockley Academy
Stockley Academy is a coeducational secondary school in the London Borough of Hillingdon. It is one of the new Academies originally encouraged by the Labour government, not to be confused with the Academies in the current Free School iniative established by the Conservative-led coalition...
on Falling Lane. The former Evelyns Community School was demolished in order to make way for the Academy.
West Drayton also incorporates a 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...
,The Green. Around The Green are a number of listed buildings, both residential and commercial.
History
In 939 the area was known as Draegtun, meaning 'farmstead at or near a portage or slope used for dragging Down loads', or 'farmstead where drays or sledges are used'. It is recorded as Draitone in the 1086 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...
, and as Westdrayton in 1465.
In the 1086 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...
, West Drayton was assessed at ten hides with land suitable for six ploughs.
The former RAF West Drayton
RAF West Drayton
RAF West Drayton was a non-flying Royal Air Force station in West Drayton, within the London Borough of Hillingdon, which served as the main centre for military air traffic control in the United Kingdom. It was co-located with the civilian London Terminal Control Centre to provide a vital link...
was host to a military air traffic control
Air traffic control
Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
(ATC) centre co-located with the civil London Area and Terminal Control Centre
London Terminal Control Centre
The London Terminal Control Centre was an air traffic control centre based in West Drayton, in the London Borough of Hillingdon, England, approximately 2.5 miles north of London Heathrow airport...
(LATCC), but these functions have been relocated to Swanwick
Swanwick, Hampshire
Swanwick is a village in Hampshire, England, east of the River Hamble and north of the M27 motorway.The village is located within the borough of Fareham and is the site of the London Area Control Centre and the London Terminal Control Centre part of National Air Traffic Services Air Traffic...
), with the last ATC functions ending in January 2008. The former RAF station barracks are currently under redevelopment as an exclusive gated community.
Local economy
Historically, employment was commonly connected to the railway and the canal. In the modern day, West Drayton tends to be more of a commuterCommuting
Commuting is regular travel between one's place of residence and place of work or full time study. It sometimes refers to any regular or often repeated traveling between locations when not work related.- History :...
town, owing to its proximity to the M25
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 ...
, M4
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...
, M40
M40 motorway
The M40 motorway is a motorway in the British transport network that forms a major part of the connection between London and Birmingham. Part of this road forms a section of the unsigned European route E05...
and M3
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...
motorways, Heathrow Airport and Stockley Business Park.
A new shopping complex is soon to be built in the town centre. An Ofcom
Ofcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
-licensed community radio station, 91.8 Hayes FM, serves the area, as does the commercial station Time 106.6
Time 106.6
Time 106.6 is a local radio station for East Berkshire, South Bucks, North Surrey and the Heathrow area of London. The station plays a variety of music from the latest songs to music from the 80s, 90s and 00s from various genres. The station strapline is "All Time Favourites"...
. The European broadcaster Viasat
Viasat
Viasat is a DBS distributor and TV broadcaster, owned by the Swedish media conglomerate Modern Times Group. Broadcasting from London, the target markets are in the Nordic and the Baltic Countries...
also has its studios and playout centre here.
Waterside
Waterside (building)
The Waterside building in Harmondsworth, London, is the international head office of British Airways. The building, which cost £200 million, is located on Harmondsworth Moor, northwest of Heathrow Airport, between the M4 and the M25 motorways...
, the head office of British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
, is in Harmondsworth
Harmondsworth
Harmondsworth is a village in the London Borough of Hillingdon, close to London Heathrow Airport. The village is situated south of West Drayton.The nearest places are: Hayes, Harlington, Heathrow Airport, Longford, London, Sipson, West Drayton and Yiewsley....
, near West Drayton.
Sports
The local football team is West Drayton Explorers, whose home ground is on Chestnut Avenue, Stockley Park.The district has many canal paths and trails suitable for cycling
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
. The West Drayton Mountain Bike Club runs mountain bike and road events in the area.
West Drayton's wide open green spaces provide plenty of opportunity for children to play.
Notable people
- Ronnie Wood, guitarist in 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...
bands the Rolling StonesThe Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
and The FacesFaces (band)Faces are an English rock band formed in 1969 by members of the Small Faces after Steve Marriott left that group to form Humble Pie...
, was born in West Drayton
- Blues singer Art WoodArt WoodArthur "Art" Wood was a British blues, pop and rock singer, who led The Artwoods in the 1960s and subsequently became a graphic artist. He was the brother of Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones.-Life:...
(1937-2006), brother of Ronnie, was born in West Drayton
- Actor Julian Rhind-TuttJulian Rhind-TuttJulian Alistair Rhind-Tutt is an English actor. He is best known for his starring role as "Mac" McCartney in the comedy television series Green Wing, the second series of which finished on Channel 4 in May 2006...
was born in West Drayton
- William Paget (1572-1629), adventurer of the London CompanyLondon CompanyThe London Company was an English joint stock company established by royal charter by James I of England on April 10, 1606 with the purpose of establishing colonial settlements in North America.The territory granted to the London Company included the coast of North America from the 34th parallel ...
, is buried in West Drayton
- Character actor Moore MarriottMoore MarriottMoore Marriott was a British character actor most notable for a series of films he made with Will Hay in the 1930s.-Career:...
(1885-1949) was born in West Drayton