HILLINGDON

HILLINGDON, a parish in the hundred of Elthorne, county Middlesex, 1 mile S.E. of Uxbridge, its post town, and 2½ miles N. of the West Drayton station, on the Great Western railway. It is mentioned in Domesday as Hillendone, and was formerly held by Roger de Montgomery, from whom it came to the Salisburys, Lacies, Stranges, Stanleys, and finally to the De Burghs of West Drayton. The parish contains the township of Uxbridge, with Colham Green, Gowld-Green, and 4 other hamlets.

The river Colne and the Grand Junction canal pass through the parish. Here are some brick-kilns. The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of London, value £489, in the patronage of the bishop. The church, which is situated on rising ground in the centre of the village, is a flint structure dedicated to St. John the Baptist. The interior contains some handsome monuments, and three brasses bearing date 1419, of Lord Strange and others. In addition to the parish church there are two district churches at Uxbridge and Uxbridge Moor, the livings of both which are perpetual curacies,* the former value £142, the latter £110. The charities produce about £878 per annum. Here are National. British, and ragged schools. Cedar House, formerly the seat of Reynardson the naturalist, derives its name from a huge cedar-tree which grew within its grounds about 1779. This tree was 53 feet in height, 12½ to 16 feet in circumference, and extended over a space of from 89 to 96 feet in diameter. Hillingdon Park, or Little London, was formerly the seat of Count de Salis. It is a meet for the royal stag-hounds. The union poorhouse is situated in this parish. John Rich, the comedian, who died here in 1743, lies buried in the churchyard.

[Description(s) from "The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland" (1868)
Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]
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