West Drayton


West Drayton is a suburban town in the London Borough of Hillingdon. It was part of the Yiewsley and West Drayton Urban District of Middlesex, which became part of Greater London in 1965. The settlement is centred close to the Colne Valley Regional Park north of Heathrow Airport.
Traditionally West Drayton covers and currently the electoral ward, drawn for fair representation by three members of the Council, containing the name is similarly sized, however the post town is much larger and takes in Yiewsley on the north side of the railway line as well as Harmondsworth and Sipson to the south.
Living in the West Drayton ward were 14,370 people according to the 2011 Census; in addition there were 12,199 people in the Heathrow Villages ward and 12,979 people in the Yiewsley ward, which all come under the West Drayton post town. The vast majority of the housing is mid-20th century. In 1901 the population of the civil parish was 984.

Geography

The London Borough of Hillingdon is split by the Great Western Main Line 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 northwest of junction 4 of the M4 motorway, which intersects with the A408, north for Uxbridge, and it terminates south at Heathrow Airport itself. The nearby A3044 goes through Harmondsworth to the south.
West Drayton railway station is served by Great Western Railway services from London Paddington to Reading. The community has a primary school; and secondary school, Stockley Academy on Falling Lane, this physically and in governance replaced Evelyns Community School.
West Drayton has at its heart in the west of the parish a conservation area, The Green, along which are many buildings protected under UK law by grade II and II* listing — residential and commercial.

Local Government Elections

History

In 939 the area was known as Draegtun. Tun/ton is cognate with the later form town, but originally implied any kind of farmstead of more than one family. Dray is cognate with draught implying a portage/slope used for dragging loads, or simply notable use of the dragged plough, quite possibly given about 13 other examples in England simply land under till. It is recorded as Draitone in the 1086 Domesday Book, 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 hosted a military air traffic control centre co-located with the civil London Terminal Control Centre residual functions of which relocated to Swanwick, Hampshire entirely by January 2008. The site was redeveloped for housing.

St Martin's Church

West Drayton's parish church, dedicated to Martin of Tours, was first mentioned in the 12th century. However, no trace of the original church remains. The present church was first built in the 13th century, of which the base of the tower, the piscina and the north chancel wall are incorporated in the present building, which dates from the 15th century. The church was heavily restored and reordered in 1974, when the altar was resited at the west end. The baptismal font is a splendid example of mid-15th century work, and the parish chest is early 17th century. There are monumental brasses to Richard Roose, Margaret Burnell, her son John Burnell and Dr James Good. There is a small memorial tablet to Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon, Lord of the Manor, and a cousin of Queen Elizabeth I.

Local economy

Historically, employment was commonly connected to agriculture, the railway yards and the canal. In the modern day, West Drayton has a mixture of tradespeople, airport workers, construction workers and commuters in office professions or public utilities such as schools and hospitals. Its housing hosts people with a range of incomes, with relatively large areas built aesthetically in keeping with existing housing by the local authority. It has rapid connectivity to the M4 and thereafter to the M25 and motorways north-west and south-west. Related local roads link to Heathrow Airport and to Stockley Business Park.
A new shopping complex is soon to be built in the town centre. A 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.
Many hotels are in the neighbouring land of Harmondsworth, colloquially ascribed to its former hamlet, now airport, Heathrow. Notably Guoman Hotel Management Limited has its head office in the Thistle London Heathrow which is next to the Longford part of Harmondsworth.
The Stockley Close Industrial Estate includes a British Midland International office. In July 1999 Sir Michael Bishop formally opened the British Midland Training Centre at Stockley Close. Other tenants in the estate include Almirall, BP, British Airways, HP Enterprise Services, and Marks & Spencer. Waterside, the head office of British Airways, is in Harmondsworth.

Sports

Two local amateur football teams train and compete: Drayton Explorers, at Sipson Recreation Ground, Sipson Way and Draytonians FC.
Three types of gyms and exercise facilities are in West Drayton:
The council's nearest leisure centre in south Hayes to the east, at Botwell Green, and closer William Byrd indoor pool in Harlington.
Nuffield Health club, Stockley Park between Yiewsley and south Hayes has many facilities including pool, spinning clubs and instructors.
The parish, London district or former village mainly in Colne Valley regional park has a long canal path and trails suitable for cycling.

Demography

As of the 2011 census, 57% of the population was White British. Living in the ward were 14,370 people according to the 2011 Census; the vast majority of the housing is mid-20th century.
The decennial censuses between 1801 and 1901 each show a rise in population and a low population density. From 1801 when the population of the almost identically sized ecclesiastical parish was 515; to 1901 when the population of the civil parish was 984.

Notable people