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Showing posts from December, 2013

County Ditch - Lammas Lands

County Ditch County Ditch flows southwards and into the Thames This posting covers sites to the north of the river only. South of the river is Egham Hythe Post to the north Yeoveney Post to the east Staines  and Egham/Staines The Hythe Post to the west Egham Church Island The island is also known as Church Eyot. It has houses on it and is connected by a privately owned footbridge to Church Street.  It is near to St.Mary’s parish church, hence the name.  There was until the 1950s a chain ferry to the island from the riverside path allegedly used by the Ashby Brewery. Queensmead Lake Queensmead Lake is owned by the water supplier (currently Affinity) and is used for fishing by their staff. The area has been flooded since the 1970s. Wraysbury Road Ashby Recreation Ground or Lammas Recreation Ground. The park is named after the wealthy 18th family of brewers and bankers. They enclosed this area of common - Lammas land – in 1885. It was later given back to the people of St

River Colne Staines

River Colne The Colne flows south eastwards and into the Thames. It is met by the Wraysbury River from the north west. Sweeps Ditch flows south westwards This posting covers only sites north of the river. South of the River is Egham/Staines The Hythe Post to the north Staines Moor Post to the west Lammas Lands  and Egham Hythe Post to the east Staines Post to the south Thorpe Hay Meadow  and Staines Penton Road Bridge Street When the street was built in 1832 it cut Church Street in half Ashby House . This was built in 1989 as the headquarters of the Courage Brewery Company which became Scottish & Newcastle Brewery. Its clock tower is topped by a cockerel wind vane. It is likely to be replaced and/or refurbished to look like it’s been replaced, Roman building . Evidence of this was found in 1986 along with a medieval ditch Provident House. Built in the 1960s on the site of St.Mary’s Church Hall.  It was used as a Job Centre until 2009. China Star . The red brick buil

Wraysbury River - Yeoveney

Wraysbury River The Wraysbury River flows south and south west The County Ditch passes southwest wards through the area on the County boundary Post to the east Staines Moor Post to the north M25 Post to the south Lammas Lands  and Egham Hythe Post to the west Wraysbury  and Runneymede, Bell Weir Aqueduct The aqueduct was completed around 1900 to take water from the River Thames, to the two Staines Reservoirs M25 Junction 13 . The section of motorway between here and Junction 14 is one of the busiest in Europe.  This junction is part of the Runneymede interchange where the M25 crosses the Thames and also carries the Staines bypass. Lakes alongside M25 and Staines by pass. Gravel extraction sites, extracted by Hall & Co. Moor Lane Church Lammas Lands. Registered under the Land Registration Acts 1925 and 1936 with rights to graze a horse or cows between 1st August and 12th March. There was a long history of disputes over commoners' rights and enclosure on Staines

Wraysbury River - M25

Wraysbury River The Wraysbury River flows southwards The County Ditch passes southwestwards (obviously) on the County boundary Post to the east Staines Moor Post to the south Yeoveney Post to the west Wraysbury Lakes Post to the north Wraysbury Reservoir M25 In this section the M25 runs partly on the line of the West Drayton to Staines railway. Moor Lane Runneymede Farm Willow Farm Yeoveney Station . This lay to the east of Moor Lane and accessed by a footpath. It was opened in 1892 for the rifle range.   It had a simple timber platform with a seat, a lamp and a back fence. At the rifle company’s request it was later called ‘Runneymede Range’ and then in 1934 changed to ‘Runneymede’ and then in 1935 to ‘Yeoveney’ . Trains only stopped when people asked, and not always then. Closed 1962. The Metropolitan Rifle Range Company.   They built ranges for volunteers who did not want to go to Bisley and the ranges on Wimbledon Common had been closed. They came to Staines

River Colne - - Staines Moor

River Colne The Colne flows south and is met by the Bonehead Ditch from the north. The River Ash leaves it to the east. The Bonehead Ditch flows south and meets the Colne The River Ash flows eastwards The Wraysbury River flows south and east Post to the north Staines Moor Post to the west Yeoveney Post to the south Staines  and Egham/Staines The Hythe Aqueduct The aqueduct was completed around 1900 to take water from the River Thames, to the two Staines Reservoirs. The river Colne passes over it in its own aqueduct. Bonehead Ditch King George IV Reservoir The Reservoir was opened in 1947 and named after the then reigning monarch King George VI. It is owned by Thames Water.  It is entirely man-made, and Thames Water maintains a commercial flock of sheep on the reservoir banks to keep the grass on the reservoir banks close-cropped. The reservoir forms part of the Staines Moor Site of Special Scientific Interest and has wintering populations of wildfowl Moor Lane From

River Colne Staines Moor

River Colne The Colne flows southwards and is met by two tributaries from the west. The Bone Head Stream joins it on the east side and lies southwards Post to the north Stanwellmoor Post to the south Staines Moor Post to the west M25 Bonehead Ditch There is woodland along the ditch with willow and sycamore Drainage Ditches Lined with crack willow and hawthorn King George VI Reservoir Moor Lane Yeoveney Farm - the site of the farm now lies under the Wraysbury Reservoir.. This was the site of Yeoveney manorial buildings have. In the 14th century the buildings included a hall and gatehouse as well as two granges, a byre, a cowhouse, and other farm buildings. The house was rebuilt in the first half of the 18th. In the 1950s it was described as L-shaped and had two storeys in red brick. Large timber-framed barns to the north, which were covered with corrugated iron, were thought to date from the 17th. Staines Moor Staines Moor represents the largest area of alluvial mea

River Colne Stanwellmoor

River Colne The River Colne flows south westward Wraysbury River flows southwards Post to the east Stanwell Post to the north Poyle Post to the south Staines Moor Post to the west Wraysbury Reservoir Cheltenham Villas Houses built in 1934 It is said that from 1790 the parish owned five cottages used as poor-houses here. It is presumed any such workhouse was sold after the parish became part of Staines union in 1836 and was demolished shortly before the villas were built in 1934. Farm Way Lower Mill Farm . Part of this area once used for mineral extraction. Mill . By 1791, this was a gunpowder mill owned by Curtis and Harvey 1832-1844. By 1896 it was a snuff mill. Soon afterwards it became a corn mill until it was burnt down in 1925 Hithermoor Hithermoor Quarry has a history of sand and gravel aggregate extraction and land fill from the mid 1950s. Part of the site has been used for landfill of domestic waste. Hithermoor Lake . Former gravel extraction site used by a

River Pinn Pield Heath

River Pinn The Pinn flows south eastwards Post to the west Cowley Peachey Post to the north Brunel University Apple Tree Avenue One of a group of tree and flower names given to roads in the neighbourhood of Hillingdon Hospital. Park View Road Stockley Academy.  A co-educational secondary academy school in an aspirational school building around a central atrium. Royal Lane Hillingdon Hospital . Stretches down Royal Lane on the east side continuing from the area to the north Meadow High School. Meadow High was until September 2007 a school and sixth form for pupils with moderate learning difficulties. It now accepts pupils and students with complex difficulties and autistic spectrum disorders. Baitl Aman Mosque , a place of worship for the minority Ahmadiyya Islamic Community.  The building was previously the Irish Club. Violet Avenue Violet Farm Estate between the wars council housing. Sources Field. London Place Names, London Encyclopaedia Middlesex Churches, Mid

River Pinn Brunel University

River Pinn The Pinn flows southwards TQ 06025 82683 Area to the east of Uxbridge with University, hospital, schools and other useful institutions Post to the west Cowley Post to the north RAF Uxbridge Post to the south Pield Heath Church Road Robbie Bell Bridge over the Pinn. Robbie Bell was a young boy killed by a car near here in the 1990s. A plaque on the bridge read: “COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX. TAKE NOTICE that this bridge (which is a county bridge) is insufficient to carry weights beyond the ordinary traffic of the district and that owners and persons in charge of locomotive traction engines and heavily laden carriages are warned against using the bridge for the passage of any such engines or carriages. Richard Nicholson. Clerk of the Peace. It is said that this plaque has been removed before it is stolen. Colham Road 1 Merchison House . A local authority behavioural and day opportunity assessment service run by the Positive Behaviour Support Team in Hayes. 3 a purpose

River Pinn RAF Uxbridge

River Pinn The Pinn flows southwards Post to the west Uxbridge Post to the north Uxbridge Common Post to the south Brunel University Dorset Way Hillingdon Golf Course . The club was founded by Charles E Stevens in 1892.  Harry Woods, the then groundsman of the cricket club, constructed the course. The clubhouse was a disused lambing shed and there were only 35 members. In 1895 the members raised £30 to build a timber clubhouse. In the early 20th several acres of land were added to the course but when the Hillingdon House Estate was sold for housing it was thought the Club would close. However when war broke out the land was compulsorily purchased and the club was kept open. Negotiation with RAF resulted in the club being called the Royal Airforce and Hillingdon Golf Club until 1928. A local builder Robert Warren donated the land and the current clubhouse.  In 1950 16 Dorset Way was added as staff accommodation. Hillingdon Hill Stratford Bridge .  This was carrying the Oxfo

River Pinn Uxbridge Common

River Pinn The Pinn flows south and south-westwards Post to the west Uxbridge Post to the north Swakleys Roundabout Post to the south RAF Uxbridge Blossom Lane 16 Court Farmhouse Celandine Route Walking route along the River Pinn Dowding Road Defence personnel housing managed by Annington Properties. Gatting Way, Middlesex Showground – site for County shows, and other major events Uxbridge Lido . Built in 1935 in a nautical moderne style with a unique 12-sided "star" shaped pool. It has two fountains in a line, north and south of the pool.  A grandstand on the eastern side is built of reinforced concrete with three levels including the open flat roofed viewing terrace. The architect was G. Percy Trentham.  Hillingdon Council closed the pool in 1982 season and it was then reopened by Uxbridge Pool Action Group in 1984. They installed solar heating panels and a water slide. The Council took the pool back in 1989. New sports complex opened 2010 includes: A

River Pinns Swakeleys Roundabout

River  Pinn The Pinn flows southwards Post to the west Willowbank Post to the east Swakeleys Post to the south Uxbridge Common Post to the north Harefield Harvil Road A40 Major route from London to Oxford Celandine Route Walk along the Pinn Common Plantation Area of woodland dominated by pedunculate oak, sycamore and ash. Damp areas support grey, crack and goat willows and the woodland floors are dominated by bramble. Park Wood This lies to the east of the River Pinn and is believed to be a remnant of ancient woodland. The canopy is fairly open and unusually, dominated by ash and wych elm. The River Pinn flows through the wood and dense shade has limited the aquatic flora. Swakeleys Road Swakeleys Roundabout Warren Road Vyners School . This opened as Vyners Grammar School in 1960, later becoming a comprehensive. It is named after Sir Robert Vyner, a former Lord Mayor of London who lived at Swakeleys House at one time Water Tower Close A water tower .built in