Homestead Park, NW2

Road in/near Dollis Hill, existing between 1926 and now.

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(51.56038 -0.24187, 51.56 -0.241) 
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Road · * · NW2 ·
JANUARY
17
2018
Homestead Park consists of twenty one dwelling-houses located on the north side of Dollis Hill Lane.

By the time of the First World War the suburban expansion of Willesden along Neasden Lane and Dudden Hill Lane had reached the outskirts of Neasden, which was then a rural village.

Neasden Green incorporated a number of large houses and estates whose owners were resisting the suburban tide. Gladstone Park, on the south side of Dollis Hill Lane and Neasden Golf course to the north were acting as barriers to further development.

The break up of the Neasden estates and the catalyst of development, came in the form of the North Circular Road from Neasden Lane to Edgware Road began which began in January 1921 and was completed two years later. The North Circular Road opened up the Brentwater estate on the north side of Dollis Hill Ridge to housing development in the late 1920s. This period of encroaching development posed its greatest threat to Neasden Golf Club, which began with the selling of a slice of land for housing development in 1926.

East of the plot lay Dollis Hill Farm, to the south lay Gladstone Park which had been officially opened in May 1901, with the golf course located north of the future road.

The 1926 suburban encroachment lay just west of the "Scottish Cottages" (now locally listed buildings) which were built in 1860 for grounds staff for Lord Aberdeen who resided at Dollis Hill House, east of what is now Randall Avenue. Willam E. Saunders’ initial ideas of "a Garden Village" development were extended in 1926, and approval was granted for a cluster of twenty houses, known now as Homestead Park.

Homestead Park’s physical character is unique within the London Borough of Brent. The Y shaped tetri-detached suburban houses are arranged off the steep narrow road, accessed from Dollis Hill Lane. The individual forms of access and boundaries of the properties are particularly interesting due to the dwelling form and density.

Hedges play an important role by adding to the character and setting of the dwellings. These privet hedgerows, typically trimmed to a height of between 1.2-1.5 metres serve to define boundaries and identify access points lining small pathways to the rear dwelling of each cluster.

The open plot towards the north west of Homestead Park was planned for a pavilion and tennis courts creating a social function seemingly exclusive to local residents. However, development did not progress from initial ideas.

Homestead Park’s distinctive character and urban form creates an enclave somewhat disconnected from the surrounding suburban landscape.

The layout may have been influenced by the larger housing in Neasden Green as well as the character of Dollis Hill Farm. The name Homestead Park has farm/cottage connotations especially using hedgerows to form common boundary lines between dwellings.

The road was originally called Park Way.


Main source: https://www.brent.gov.uk/media/16402714/homestead-park-conservation-area-appraisal.pdf
Further citations and sources


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CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LOCALITY

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LATEST LONDON-WIDE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROJECT

Comment
Tony Whipple   
Added: 16 Apr 2024 21:35 GMT   

Frank Whipple Place, E14
Frank was my great-uncle, I’d often be ’babysat’ by Peggy while Nan and Dad went to the pub. Peggy was a marvel, so full of life. My Dad and Frank didn’t agree on most politics but everyone in the family is proud of him. A genuinely nice, knowledgable bloke. One of a kind.

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Comment
Theresa Penney   
Added: 16 Apr 2024 18:08 GMT   

1 Whites Row
My 2 x great grandparents and his family lived here according to the 1841 census. They were Dutch Ashkenazi Jews born in Amsterdam at the beginning of the 19th century but all their children were born in Spitalfields.

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Comment
Wendy    
Added: 22 Mar 2024 15:33 GMT   

Polygon Buildings
Following the demolition of the Polygon, and prior to the construction of Oakshott Court in 1974, 4 tenement type blocks of flats were built on the site at Clarendon Sq/Phoenix Rd called Polygon Buildings. These were primarily for people working for the Midland Railway and subsequently British Rail. My family lived for 5 years in Block C in the 1950s. It seems that very few photos exist of these buildings.

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Steve   
Added: 19 Mar 2024 08:42 GMT   

Road construction and houses completed
New Charleville Circus road layout shown on Stanford’s Library Map Of London And Its Suburbs 1879 with access via West Hill only.

Plans showing street numbering were recorded in 1888 so we can concluded the houses in Charleville Circus were built by this date.

Source: Charleville Circus, Sydenham, London

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Comment
Steve   
Added: 19 Mar 2024 08:04 GMT   

Charleville Circus, Sydenham: One Place Study (OPS)
One Place Study’s (OPS) are a recent innovation to research and record historical facts/events/people focused on a single place �’ building, street, town etc.

I have created an open access OPS of Charleville Circus on WikiTree that has over a million members across the globe working on a single family tree for everyone to enjoy, for free, forever.

Source: Charleville Circus, Sydenham, London

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Comment
Charles   
Added: 8 Mar 2024 20:45 GMT   

My House
I want to know who lived in my house in the 1860’s.

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NH   
Added: 7 Mar 2024 11:41 GMT   

Telephone House
Donald Hunter House, formerly Telephone House, was the BT Offices closed in 2000

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Comment
Paul Cox   
Added: 5 Mar 2024 22:18 GMT   

War damage reinstatement plans of No’s 11 & 13 Aldine Street
Whilst clearing my elderly Mothers house of general detritus, I’ve come across original plans (one on acetate) of No’s 11 & 13 Aldine Street. Might they be of interest or should I just dispose of them? There are 4 copies seemingly from the one single acetate example. Seems a shame to just junk them as the level of detail is exquisite. No worries if of no interest, but thought I’d put it out there.

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LOCAL PHOTOS
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Chapter Road, Willesden Green
TUM image id: 1591890062
Licence: CC BY 2.0
Normanby Road in Edwardian times.
TUM image id: 1548713693
Licence: CC BY 2.0
Dollis Hall Farm
Credit: Brent Museum
TUM image id: 1516546073
Licence: CC BY 2.0

In the neighbourhood...

Click an image below for a better view...
Mark Twain in Dollis Hill. From Liberal Prime Minister, William Gladstone using it as a summer retreat and legendary American writer, Mark Twain describing Dollis Hill House as ’coming nearer to being a paradise’ than any other place he had lived, the mansion the local community fought hard to save, was finally demolished a few years ago
Licence:


Mark Twain at Dollis Hill House (colourised)
Licence: CC BY 2.0


Normanby Road in Edwardian times.
Licence: CC BY 2.0


Dollis Hall Farm
Credit: Brent Museum
Licence: CC BY 2.0




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