Ready to explore Hillingdon? This area of Uxbridge, is more than just a place on a map. It is a location with a past and a present.
Hillingdon sits about 14 miles west of Charing Cross. Once, it was an ancient parish in Middlesex. This parish included the market town of Uxbridge. Imagine Hillingdon’s transformation. In the 1920s, it rapidly grew in population and housing. By 1929, Uxbridge Urban District absorbed it. Since 1965, Hillingdon has been part of Greater London.
Much of Hillingdon still matters administratively. It forms the Hillingdon East ward. This ward elects councillors to the Hillingdon London Borough Council. Back in 2010, this ward held a population of 12403.
Let’s delve into Hillingdon’s name. The Domesday Book of 1086 lists it as Hillendone. This might mean “hill of a man named Hille”. Some think it means “hill of a woman named Hilda.” Names tell stories.
Hillingdon’s local government history is complex. Uxbridge was once a chapelry within Hillingdon. In 1866, Uxbridge became a separate civil parish. A local board of health formed for Uxbridge. It included the western part of Hillingdon parish.
The Local Government Act of 1894 split Hillingdon. It divided the parish along the board of health district boundary. Hillingdon West joined Uxbridge in the Uxbridge Urban District. Hillingdon East, governed by its parish council, became part of the Uxbridge Rural District.
In 1928, changes continued. The Uxbridge Rural District and Hillingdon East Parish Council were abolished. Hillingdon East parish was added to the Uxbridge Urban District. By 1938, both Hillingdon East and West parishes were gone. They were absorbed into Uxbridge parish. Then, in 1965, Hillingdon became the name of Greater London’s westernmost borough. This happened under the London Government Act of 1963.
The A40, also known as Western Avenue, saw a rerouting. In the early 1990s, it shifted slightly north. This allowed traffic to flow smoothly at Hillingdon Circus. This rerouting required demolishing Hillingdon tube station. A new station opened in 1994. It sat further south and won an award.
Hillingdon is traditionally a Conservative stronghold. It lies within the Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency. From 2015 to 2023, Boris Johnson represented it. Before him, John Randall MP held the seat from 1997. He took over after the death of Sir Michael Shersby.
Primary schools here include Oak Farm Juniors and St Bernadette’s Roman Catholic Primary School. There is also St Helen’s College, Hillingdon Primary and Ryefield Primary. Secondary schools include ACS Hillingdon and Bishopshalt School. There is also Oak Wood School, Vyners School and Swakeleys School for Girls.
Hillingdon tube station is on the Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines. West Ruislip tube station serves the Central line. The Oxford Tube and Oxford X90 buses connect Hillingdon to Oxford and central London. Bus route U2 runs between Uxbridge station and Brunel University. Bus route A10 links Uxbridge to Heathrow Central Bus Station.
The church of St John the Baptist stands at the top of Hillingdon Hill. It meets Royal Lane there. Built in 1629, it replaced an older, unsafe building. In 1846, George Gilbert Scott designed an extension. Fassnidge builders from Uxbridge completed it between 1847 and 1848.
A bomb damaged the church in 1940. It broke many windows. Repairs came after the war. The chancel roof was renovated in 1953 for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation. A vestry was added in 1964. A notable brass on the north wall honors John, 8th Baron Strange of Knokin and his wife Jacquetta.
Hillingdon Court has its own story. Sir Charles Mills built it in 1858. It became his family home. He combined properties to create it. The Mills family owned it until 1919. Then, a Catholic order turned it into a nursing home in 1920. Later, it became a girls’ school. Since 1978, ACS International Schools has owned it as ACS Hillingdon. The local authority bought part of the estate. Today, it is Hillingdon Court Park.
Many notable people were born or lived in Hillingdon. These include actors, writers, musicians, and athletes. Their presence adds to the area’s cultural richness.
Hillingdon offers a blend of history, community, and connectivity. Its story continues to evolve. Its lasting administrative impact ensures Hillingdon remains a vital part of London.