Ealing was known as the ‘queen of the suburbs’ back in the middle of the 19th century. Parts of Ealing have been occupied for 7000 years, Iron Age pots were found around Horsenden Hill and the name of Ealing comes from the Saxon name Gillingas.
Settlements were scattered over a large area though many were in the, now called, St. Mary’s Road, this is now part of South Ealing. Others were in Haven Green, now in Ealing Broadway, and Castlebar Hill in North Ealing.
St. Mary’s was the Parish Church and dates back to the 12th century. The area was divided into two, one being Gunnersbury, (South) and Pitshanger (North). In the main the settlers were grain farmers with a few having animals.
Ealing Abbey was founded in 1897 by the Benedictine monks and St Benedicts School nearby to the abbey is a private boys school taught mainly by monks.
The main road that ran West to East through Ealing to London is now called Uxbridge Road, this was where a number of inns were built so that coach horses could be changed and travellers rested. A few of these still stand today.
Huge changes began to take place in Ealing during the 1800’s with the coming of the Great Western Railway. This ran through Ealing and in 1879 Ealing Broadway Station was built.
Much of Ealing was rebuilt in the early 1900’s. It was considered to be an exceptionally good place to live as people could travel to work in London and yet still live in the country as it was then. This was fast disappearing but designated areas were given over to Parks such and Lammas Park and Ealing Common, both remain open spaces today. Ealing became a town in Victorian times.
A new shopping centre opened in 1984 and Sainsburys, Bentalls, and Argos occupy stores there along with smaller shops. There are also craft stalls to be seen in the Square which is in the centre. Other shopping areas include Marks and Spencers, HMV, and WH Smiths.
Ealing is served by the A40 and Uxbridge Road and South Ealing is on the Great West Road, it’s also on the Piccadilly Underground line whilst Ealing Broadway had very good frequent main line trains and is the end of line for the Central underground line.
The Pitshanger area to the north of Ealing is renowned for it’s local junior school, North Ealing and people are known to move to the area just to get into the catchment area so their children can attend.
There is always plenty of flats to be let in Ealing with prices around 1 bed flat £460-£800pm, 2 bed flat £800-£1000pm, and a 3 bed flat £950-£1500pm.
There are many parks around all areas of Ealing, most with playgrounds and football pitches, other with tennis courts, bowling greens and pitch and putt golf courses.
Several famous people live or have lived in Ealing for example, Neil Kynnock and his wife have their London residence here, Nevil Shute, author, also lived Ealing as did Lilian Board MBE gold medallist and silver Olympic medallist who died from cancer over the Christmas period in 1970. This was a very sad time for Ealing Residents as they followed her athletic career with much interest.
Ealing in renowned for it’s Ealing Film Studios best known for its Ealing Comedies such as the Lavender Hill Mob. The Studios were bought by the BBC in 1955 and have been used for Dr. Who and more recently films such at Notting Hill and Star Wars Episode II.
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