River Crane Hounslow Beavers
River Crane
The Crane flows south eastwards
TQ 11460 75726
Housing on what was the area of Hounslow Barracks and other military buildings with some of the surrounding facilities for families there.
Post to the west Hatton
Post to the south Baber Bridge
Arundel Road
Beavers Community Primary School. Built for the new estate’s residents in the 1950s. Many pupils came from military families stationed at Hounslow barracks and thus had only a brief stay.
Barrack Road
This is crossed by the water main from Kempton Park at the corner of Cardington Square, where is disappears underground.
Beavers Crescent
Built as housing for military families. This has now been taken over and renovated as local authority housing
Beavers Lane
Beavers’ the name is a corruption of ‘Babers’; Upper and Lower Babers were fields here.
The Beaver. Closed. Estate pub.
Beavers Farm. This stood near the area where Salisbury Road meet the lane and stood in a triangular site with field all around.
Beavers Lane estate
Built from the early 1950s partly on the site of a large sand and gravel extraction facility.
Beavers Lane Camp
Army Camp. Latterly, until 1983 it was the home of 10th Signals Regiment but had previously seen other army units – a battalion of Welsh Guards, a Middlesex Regiment, and others. . It was the Infantry Training Centre in 1947 with accommodation for almost 1,500 staff. The last building to remain on site was the guardroom – but mainly demolished in 2000. This has been replaced partly by Prologis Park – a trading and industrial area
Cardington Square
Crossed and skirted by the water main from Kempton Park.
Cavalry Crescent
Garden of reflection for the families of soldiers serving in Afghanistan. The trees are adorned with yellow ribbons. The garden was jointly created by the Army Welfare Service, environmental charity Groundwork Thames Valley and families themselves
Donkey Wood
Donkey Wood is a nature reserve on the west bank of the Crane. The part to the south of this square was the gunpowder mill site.
Green Lane
Heston and Hounslow Rifle Club. The club was founded in 1912 as The Heston Rifle Club. In 1926 it merged with the Hounslow and Spring Grove Rifle Club and became the Hounslow, Heston and Spring Grove Rifle Club. However in the early 1960s it became apparent they would need a new site and eventually Hounslow Borough Council leased land here for a range and clubhouse from 1967. On moving the club name was changed to Heston and Hounslow Rifle Club.
Heathrow Gymnastics Club, The club moved to its present site in 1982. It is thought to have some of the best facilities in Europe
Green Lane Open Space. This has been improved with football pitches on formerly derelict lane
Hounslow Barracks
Cavalry Barracks. This was built in 1793 by James Johnson, near the Bath Road, with accommodation for four hundred men. The site has been used for two hundred years by the British Army. It was one of 40 new barracks around London to guard against possible French Invasion in the late 18th
Hardinge Block. Barracks built 1872-1880, designed at the Inspector General of Fortifications' Office by Major HC Seddon, RE in brick. Inside are barrack rooms with NCO rooms to the front and washrooms.
Barrack Master's House. Built 1876, by Major CB Ewart, RE in brick. The Barrack Master was responsible for organisation
Former Chapel. Built between 1845 and 1851 but later became a dormitory.
Barracks Hospital. This later became a sergeant's mess and is now housing. Built 1793, by J Johnson, architect for the Barrack Department; altered 1920-1950. The hospital is was part of the original plan of the barracks,
Married Quarters of 1860 in brick. Single room flats off a veranda with washrooms in towers. One of the first purpose-built married quarters, installed post Crimean War army reforms. The single-family rooms had a bed and a crib, two cupboards and a range
Officers' Mess. Built 1793 by James Johnson with officers’ quarters, extended by C B Ewart 1876.
Stables. Converted to accommodation. Built 1793 by James Johnson with troopers' dormitories over. Veranda added in 1861 by Lothian Nicholson, RE. inside are cast iron columns; some still with tack-hooks and there are hay-baskets on the walls. Outside are hitching rings and. Areas of Staffordshire Blue paving with urine tunnels.
Regimental Hospital. Built 1862, by Captain Douglas Galton, RE with a pavilion plan of wards flanking a central administrative block with kitchen and stores. Galton was a hospital reformer and an associate of Florence Nightingale. Hounslow was based on the 60-bed in-line hospital and may be the earliest surviving.
NAAFI. Canteen, reading room and sergeant's mess. Built 1875, signed by Colonel CB Ewart, RE, Inspector General of Fortifications office; extended in the 20tj
The Armoury. Built 1875 by C B Ewart, Royal Engineers. Colonnade on the ground floor. Windows with heavy cast iron shutters with firing loops and massive bolts.
Drill Ground
St. Edwards Roman Catholic Chapel. Opened 1948
Meadows Estate
Meadows was built in 1971 by the Greater London Council as the Beaver Estate and is made up of 631 Bison Wall frame houses, maisonettes and flats. it was later owned and managed by the United Kingdom Housing Trust, but was transferred to North British Housing in the early 1990’s who then changed to Places for People. The estate was renamed the Meadows in 2005 to meet residents’ wishes to distinguish it from the adjacent Council owned Beaver Lane Estate.
Rosemary Avenue
Beaversfield Park. The park was opened in 1935. The name is believed to have come from its site near Beavers Farm. It has a large area of open grassland. A raised area lies over an air raid shelter. The tennis courts have been converted into multi-sports play areas.
Salisbury Road
Beavers Library. Part of The Hub
Sources
British Listed Buildings. Web site
Clunn. Face of London
Field. London place names
Heston and Hounslow Rifle Club. Web site
Hidden London. Web site
Hounslow Chronicle. Web site
London Borough of Hounslow. Web site
Middlesex County Council. History of Middlesex
Osborne. Defending London
Pevsner and Cherry. North West London
Stevenson, Middlesex
Walford. Village London
The Crane flows south eastwards
TQ 11460 75726
Housing on what was the area of Hounslow Barracks and other military buildings with some of the surrounding facilities for families there.
Post to the west Hatton
Post to the south Baber Bridge
Post to the north Heston Cavalry Barracks
Arundel Road
Beavers Community Primary School. Built for the new estate’s residents in the 1950s. Many pupils came from military families stationed at Hounslow barracks and thus had only a brief stay.
Barrack Road
This is crossed by the water main from Kempton Park at the corner of Cardington Square, where is disappears underground.
Beavers Crescent
Built as housing for military families. This has now been taken over and renovated as local authority housing
Beavers Lane
Beavers’ the name is a corruption of ‘Babers’; Upper and Lower Babers were fields here.
The Beaver. Closed. Estate pub.
Beavers Farm. This stood near the area where Salisbury Road meet the lane and stood in a triangular site with field all around.
Beavers Lane estate
Built from the early 1950s partly on the site of a large sand and gravel extraction facility.
Beavers Lane Camp
Army Camp. Latterly, until 1983 it was the home of 10th Signals Regiment but had previously seen other army units – a battalion of Welsh Guards, a Middlesex Regiment, and others. . It was the Infantry Training Centre in 1947 with accommodation for almost 1,500 staff. The last building to remain on site was the guardroom – but mainly demolished in 2000. This has been replaced partly by Prologis Park – a trading and industrial area
Cardington Square
Crossed and skirted by the water main from Kempton Park.
Cavalry Crescent
Garden of reflection for the families of soldiers serving in Afghanistan. The trees are adorned with yellow ribbons. The garden was jointly created by the Army Welfare Service, environmental charity Groundwork Thames Valley and families themselves
Donkey Wood
Donkey Wood is a nature reserve on the west bank of the Crane. The part to the south of this square was the gunpowder mill site.
Green Lane
Heston and Hounslow Rifle Club. The club was founded in 1912 as The Heston Rifle Club. In 1926 it merged with the Hounslow and Spring Grove Rifle Club and became the Hounslow, Heston and Spring Grove Rifle Club. However in the early 1960s it became apparent they would need a new site and eventually Hounslow Borough Council leased land here for a range and clubhouse from 1967. On moving the club name was changed to Heston and Hounslow Rifle Club.
Heathrow Gymnastics Club, The club moved to its present site in 1982. It is thought to have some of the best facilities in Europe
Green Lane Open Space. This has been improved with football pitches on formerly derelict lane
Hounslow Barracks
Cavalry Barracks. This was built in 1793 by James Johnson, near the Bath Road, with accommodation for four hundred men. The site has been used for two hundred years by the British Army. It was one of 40 new barracks around London to guard against possible French Invasion in the late 18th
Hardinge Block. Barracks built 1872-1880, designed at the Inspector General of Fortifications' Office by Major HC Seddon, RE in brick. Inside are barrack rooms with NCO rooms to the front and washrooms.
Barrack Master's House. Built 1876, by Major CB Ewart, RE in brick. The Barrack Master was responsible for organisation
Former Chapel. Built between 1845 and 1851 but later became a dormitory.
Barracks Hospital. This later became a sergeant's mess and is now housing. Built 1793, by J Johnson, architect for the Barrack Department; altered 1920-1950. The hospital is was part of the original plan of the barracks,
Married Quarters of 1860 in brick. Single room flats off a veranda with washrooms in towers. One of the first purpose-built married quarters, installed post Crimean War army reforms. The single-family rooms had a bed and a crib, two cupboards and a range
Officers' Mess. Built 1793 by James Johnson with officers’ quarters, extended by C B Ewart 1876.
Stables. Converted to accommodation. Built 1793 by James Johnson with troopers' dormitories over. Veranda added in 1861 by Lothian Nicholson, RE. inside are cast iron columns; some still with tack-hooks and there are hay-baskets on the walls. Outside are hitching rings and. Areas of Staffordshire Blue paving with urine tunnels.
Regimental Hospital. Built 1862, by Captain Douglas Galton, RE with a pavilion plan of wards flanking a central administrative block with kitchen and stores. Galton was a hospital reformer and an associate of Florence Nightingale. Hounslow was based on the 60-bed in-line hospital and may be the earliest surviving.
NAAFI. Canteen, reading room and sergeant's mess. Built 1875, signed by Colonel CB Ewart, RE, Inspector General of Fortifications office; extended in the 20tj
The Armoury. Built 1875 by C B Ewart, Royal Engineers. Colonnade on the ground floor. Windows with heavy cast iron shutters with firing loops and massive bolts.
Drill Ground
St. Edwards Roman Catholic Chapel. Opened 1948
Meadows Estate
Meadows was built in 1971 by the Greater London Council as the Beaver Estate and is made up of 631 Bison Wall frame houses, maisonettes and flats. it was later owned and managed by the United Kingdom Housing Trust, but was transferred to North British Housing in the early 1990’s who then changed to Places for People. The estate was renamed the Meadows in 2005 to meet residents’ wishes to distinguish it from the adjacent Council owned Beaver Lane Estate.
Rosemary Avenue
Beaversfield Park. The park was opened in 1935. The name is believed to have come from its site near Beavers Farm. It has a large area of open grassland. A raised area lies over an air raid shelter. The tennis courts have been converted into multi-sports play areas.
Salisbury Road
Beavers Library. Part of The Hub
Sources
British Listed Buildings. Web site
Clunn. Face of London
Field. London place names
Heston and Hounslow Rifle Club. Web site
Hidden London. Web site
Hounslow Chronicle. Web site
London Borough of Hounslow. Web site
Middlesex County Council. History of Middlesex
Osborne. Defending London
Pevsner and Cherry. North West London
Stevenson, Middlesex
Walford. Village London
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