Preston Road, HA3

Road in/near Preston Road, existing until now.

 HOME  ·  ARTICLE  ·  MAPS  ·  STREETS  ·  BLOG  ·  CONTACT US 
(51.57416 -0.29435, 51.574 -0.294) 
MAP YEAR:175018001810182018301860190019502023Show map without markers
ZOOM:14 15 16 17 14 15 16 17 14 15 16 17 14 15 16 17 14 15 16 17 14 15 16 17 14 15 16 17 18 14 15 16 17 14 15 16 17 18
TIP: Adjust the MAP YEAR and ZOOM to tweak historical maps
Road · Preston Road · HA3 ·
JANUARY
2
2023
Preston Road is a main shopping road leading past the station of the same name.

Preston emerged in 1220 as a small settlement centred around Preston Green, just southwest of the Lidding or Wealdstone Brook. The settlement’s name may originate from an estate granted to Abbot Stidberht by King Offa (it means ’the farm belonging to the priest’), though any connection to the rural Preston Road was lost by 1086. Preston was established as a township by 1231.

By the mid-1400s, Preston consisted of two farms and some cottages. The northern Lyon family farm, dating to the late 1300s, was described as beautiful in 1547 and was likely the birthplace of John Lyon. He founded Harrow School in 1572, after which the farm supported the school, being rebuilt around 1700. The southern farm was first called Preston Dicket before becoming Preston Farm.

Around 1850, the short-lived “Rose & Crown” beerhouse opened at Preston Hill, likely part of Hillside Farm.

The popular Preston Tea Gardens under George Timms was opened around 1880. The Tea Gardens flourished well into the following century.

Despite the 1894 Wembley Park station opening, the Metropolitan Railway did not spur development, even rejecting a Preston stop in 1896 given the tiny population. Into the early 1900s, the area remained rural with the unspoiled Wealdstone Brook meandering through the district, described as “one of the most perfect little streams anywhere, abounding in dace and roach.”

The 1900s brought slow transformation. Uxendon Farm became a shooting ground (the Lancaster Shooting Club), hosting 1908 Olympic clay pigeon events. Pressure from the shooting club, being two miles from any station led to Preston Road Halt opening in 1908.

Preston Road Halt triggered the first wave of commuter development in the area. After 1910, some large Edwardian houses arose along Preston Road itself. In 1912, Harrow Golf Club opened near the station, joining the earlier Wembley Golf Club from 1895 on Barn Hill’s southern slopes. Both golf courses would vanish under new housing constructed between the wars, as suburban expansion gradually transformed the rural landscape.

Enhanced transportation finally enabled suburban expansion. Christ Church College, Oxford and Harrow School sold their Preston estates between 1921-1933. Construction commenced at Forty Green as early as 1923-1924, with housing quickly spreading along Preston Road and Preston Hill over the next three years. As communications advanced, open land swiftly transitioned to suburban development.

Many country lanes in the area remained unimproved until 1931-1932 under Wembley’s Town Planning Scheme. Preston Road itself continued as a rural country lane into the late 1930s, which may explain its enduring charm.



Licence: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence


Click here to explore another London street
We now have 654 completed street histories and 46846 partial histories
Find streets or residential blocks within the M25 by clicking STREETS


CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LOCALITY

None so far :(
LATEST LONDON-WIDE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROJECT


Matthew Proctor   
Added: 7 Dec 2023 17:36 GMT   

Blackheath Grove, SE3
Road was originally known as The Avenue, then became "The Grove" in 1942.

From 1864 there was Blackheath Wesleyan Methodist Chapel on this street until it was destroyed by a V2 in 1944

Reply
Comment
Peter   
Added: 4 Dec 2023 07:05 GMT   

Gambia Street, SE1
Gambia Street was previously known as William Street.

Reply
Comment
Eileen   
Added: 10 Nov 2023 09:42 GMT   

Brecknock Road Pleating Company
My great grandparents ran the Brecknock Road pleating Company around 1910 to 1920 and my Grandmother worked there as a pleater until she was 16. I should like to know more about this. I know they had a beautiful Victorian house in Islington as I have photos of it & of them in their garden.

Source: Family history

Reply
Comment
   
Added: 6 Nov 2023 16:59 GMT   

061123
Why do Thames Water not collect the 15 . Three meter lengths of blue plastic fencing, and old pipes etc. They left here for the last TWO Years, these cause an obstruction,as they halfway lying in the road,as no footpath down this road, and the cars going and exiting the park are getting damaged, also the public are in Grave Danger when trying to avoid your rubbish and the danger of your fences.

Source: Squirrels Lane. Buckhurst Hill, Essex. IG9. I want some action ,now, not Excuses.MK.

Reply

Christian   
Added: 31 Oct 2023 10:34 GMT   

Cornwall Road, W11
Photo shows William Richard Hoare’s chemist shop at 121 Cornwall Road.

Reply

Vik   
Added: 30 Oct 2023 18:48 GMT   

Old pub sign from the Rising Sun
Hi I have no connection to the area except that for the last 30+ years we’ve had an old pub sign hanging on our kitchen wall from the Rising Sun, Stanwell, which I believe was / is on the Oaks Rd. Happy to upload a photo if anyone can tell me how or where to do that!

Reply
Comment
Phillip Martin   
Added: 16 Oct 2023 06:25 GMT   

16 Ashburnham Road
On 15 October 1874 George Frederick Martin was born in 16 Ashburnham Road Greenwich to George Henry Martin, a painter, and Mary Martin, formerly Southern.

Reply
Lived here
Christine Bithrey   
Added: 15 Oct 2023 15:20 GMT   

The Hollies (1860 - 1900)
I lived in Holly Park Estate from 1969 I was 8 years old when we moved in until I left to get married, my mother still lives there now 84. I am wondering if there was ever a cemetery within The Hollies? And if so where? Was it near to the Blythwood Road end or much nearer to the old Methodist Church which is still standing although rather old looking. We spent most of our childhood playing along the old dis-used railway that run directly along Blythwood Road and opposite Holly Park Estate - top end which is where we live/ed. We now walk my mothers dog there twice a day. An elderly gentleman once told me when I was a child that there used to be a cemetery but I am not sure if he was trying to scare us children! I only thought about this recently when walking past the old Methodist Church and seeing the flag stone in the side of the wall with the inscription of when it was built late 1880

If anyone has any answers please email me [email protected]

Reply


NEARBY LOCATIONS OF NOTE
Preston Road Preston Road - originally just ’Preston’ - is situated west along the Metropolitan Line from Wembley Park.
Uxendon Farm Uxendon was once more important than Wembley.

NEARBY STREETS
Arnold Close, HA9 Arnold Close is a road in the HA3 postcode area
Blackberry Court, HA3 Blackberry Court can be found on Preston Road.
Calverley Gardens, HA3 Calverley Gardens is a road in the HA3 postcode area
College Road, HA9 College Road is one of the streets in the Harrow postal district of Middlesex.
Glendale Gardens, HA9 Glendale Gardens is one of the streets in the Harrow postal district of Middlesex.
Grasmere Avenue, HA9 Grasmere Avenue is one of the streets in the Harrow postal district of Middlesex.
Grenfell Gardens, HA3 Grenfell Gardens is one of the streets in the Harrow postal district of Middlesex.
Hillside Gardens, HA3 Hillside Gardens is a road in the HA3 postcode area
John Perrin Place, HA3 John Perrin Place is a road in the HA3 postcode area
Ledway Drive, HA9 Ledway Drive is one of the streets in the Harrow postal district of Middlesex.
Ledway Drive, HA9 Ledway Drive is a road in the HA3 postcode area
Longfield Avenue, HA9 Longfield Avenue is a road in the HA9 postcode area
Manning Gardens, HA3 Manning Gardens is a road in the HA3 postcode area
Mount Stewart Avenue, HA3 Mount Stewart Avenue is one of the streets in the Harrow postal district of Middlesex.
Oxenpark Avenue, HA9 Oxenpark Avenue is one of the streets in the Harrow postal district of Middlesex.
Park Court, HA3 A street within the HA3 postcode
Preston Waye, HA9 Preston Waye is a road in the HA3 postcode area
Ravenscroft Avenue, HA9 Ravenscroft Avenue is one of the streets in the Harrow postal district of Middlesex.
Shaftesbury Avenueon, HA3 A street within the HA3 postcode
Silverholme Close, HA3 Silverholme Close is a road in the HA3 postcode area
Viewfield Close, HA3 Viewfield Close is one of the streets in the Harrow postal district of Middlesex.
Wentworth Hill, HA9 Wentworth Hill is one of the streets in the Harrow postal district of Middlesex.
West Close, HA9 West Close is one of the streets in the Harrow postal district of Middlesex.
Wilson Close, HA9 Wilson Close is a road in the HA9 postcode area
Wilson Drive, HA9 Wilson Drive is a road in the HA9 postcode area
Woodcock Court, HA3 Woodcock Court is a block just off Woodcock Hill.
Woodford Place, HA9 Woodford Place is one of the streets in the Harrow postal district of Middlesex.
Wykeham Hill, HA9 Wykeham Hill is one of the streets in the Harrow postal district of Middlesex.

NEARBY PUBS


Click here to explore another London street
We now have 643 completed street histories and 46857 partial histories


Preston Road

Preston Road - originally just ’Preston’ - is situated west along the Metropolitan Line from Wembley Park.

Preston emerged in 1220 as a small settlement centred around Preston Green, just southwest of the Lidding or Wealdstone Brook, south of Kenton. Its name may originate from a 767 estate granted to Abbot Stidberht by King Offa (it means ’the farm belonging to the priest’), though any connection to the rural Preston Road was lost by 1086. Preston was established as a township by 1231.

By the mid-1400s, Preston consisted of two farms and some cottages. The northern Lyon family farm, dating to the late 1300s, was described as beautiful in 1547 and was likely the birthplace of John Lyon. He founded Harrow School in 1572, after which the farm supported the school, being rebuilt around 1700. The southern farm was first called Preston Dicket before becoming Preston Farm.

Preston saw little growth until 1681 when five buildings, including Hillside farmhouse, arose at Preston Green. In 1751, the "Horseshoe" inn was licensed, bringing the total buildings to nine by 1759.

The 19th century brought stagnation rather than change. After the post-war depression, desperate farmworkers burnt haystacks and threatened landowners like the relatively benign Lord Northwick. Just 64 residents lived in Preston in 1831, declining to 57 by 1851. Around then, the short-lived "Rose & Crown" beerhouse opened at Preston Hill, likely part of Hillside Farm.

In the late 1800s, Preston House was leased to professionals before becoming the popular Preston Tea Gardens under George Timms circa 1880. The Tea Gardens flourished well into the following century.

Despite the 1894 Wembley Park station opening, the Metropolitan Railway did not spur development, even rejecting a Preston stop in 1896 given the tiny population. Into the early 1900s, the area remained rural with the unspoiled Wealdstone Brook meandering through the district, described as "one of the most perfect little streams anywhere, abounding in dace and roach."

The 1900s brought slow transformation. Uxendon Farm became a shooting ground (the Lancaster Shooting Club), hosting 1908 Olympic clay pigeon events. Pressure from the shooting club, being two miles from any station led to Preston Road Halt opening in 1908.

Preston Road Halt was a simple request stop where trains only slowed if passengers were visible. Many trains initially failed to slow sufficiently, continuing right past the new station. Despite this inauspicious start, Preston Road Halt triggered the first wave of commuter development in the area. After 1910, some large Edwardian houses arose along Preston Road itself. In 1912, Harrow Golf Club opened near the station, joining the earlier Wembley Golf Club from 1895 on Barn Hill’s southern slopes. Both golf courses would vanish under new housing constructed between the wars, as suburban expansion gradually transformed the rural landscape.

Further change followed the 1920s British Empire Exhibition, with road improvements - especially as roads in the area were prone to flooding. Christ Church College, Oxford and Harrow School sold off land in the 1920s-30s. Housing spread rapidly from the mid-1920s as shops and the Preston Park Hotel opened. Upgraded in the early 1930s, Preston Road Station enabled population growth, especially among Jewish families. By 1951, Preston’s population peaked at 12,408 before declining again. Some post-war prefab housing gave way to permanent homes by the 1960s.

Many country lanes in the area remained unimproved until 1931-1932 under Wembley’s Town Planning Scheme. Preston Road itself continued as a rural country lane into the late 1930s, which may explain its enduring charm. Enhanced transportation finally enabled suburban expansion. Christ Church College, Oxford and Harrow School sold their Preston estates between 1921-1933. Construction commenced at Forty Green as early as 1923-1924, with housing quickly spreading along Preston Road and Preston Hill over the next three years. As communications advanced, open land swiftly transitioned to suburban development.

Shops appeared in 1927-8 and a pub, the ’Preston Park Hotel’ was opened in the late 1920s.

Preston Road was upgraded into a full station in 1931-1932. Soon after, the line was electrified and the station slightly relocated. Preston’s centre formed south of the old green. Many more shops materialized around the station in 1931-1933 and again in 1936-1938. Most housing development transpired during the 1930s. By 1936, Preston was depicted as a "high class and rapidly growing residential area with a population of between 6000 and 7000 people." A primary school opened in 1932 and secondary school in 1938 to serve this swelling population.

During the 1930s, many Jewish families, predominantly members of the United Synagogue, relocated to the Preston area. A strong Jewish presence remains today.

By 1951, Preston’s population had climbed to 12,408 but subsequently declined somewhat. Postwar housing arose north and east of Preston Road, alongside prefabs at Tenterden Close and Woodcock Hill until the late 1960s. Proposed in 1936, the Anglican Church of Ascension was not consecrated until 1957 due to wartime delays.

By the early 1960s, all of Preston’s oldest buildings were lost. Lyon’s Farm was demolished in 1960 despite preservation plans. Hillside Farmhouse and Preston House followed in 1961-1963, both replaced by blocks of flats. While these landmarks disappeared, pleasant, prosperous Preston has retained some of its original atmosphere.


LOCAL PHOTOS
Click here to see map view of nearby Creative Commons images
Click here to see Creative Commons images near to this postcode
Click here to see Creative Commons images tagged with this road (if applicable)
Postcard of Forty Farm
TUM image id: 1557227472
Licence: CC BY 2.0

Print-friendly version of this page

  Contact us · Copyright policy · Privacy policy