Heston

The village of Heston is north of Hounslow, and has been settled since Saxon times. It is first recorded as having a priest in the 7th century, though the present Anglican parish church dates to the 14th century. A charter of Henry II gives the name as Hestune, meaning "enclosed settlement", which is justified by its location in what was the Warren of Staines, between the ancient Roman road to Bath, and the Uxbridge Road to Oxford. Another suggested etymology is Anglo-Saxon Hǣs-tūn = "brushwood farmstead".

Before 1229, Heston was part of the parish of Gistleworth (Isleworth) before being taken by Henry III, who subsequently granted it to the Earl of Cornwall. It covered until the late 19th century creation of Hounslow from outlying parts of two adjoining parishes, 3,823 acres (15.47 km²).[2] The close association pre-dates the town of Hounslow, when that was simply Hounslow Priory, the two parishes had long been associated: the medieval manor of Isleworth covered all of that parish and this. After Henry III died in 1316, Heston was owned by the Crown, and later by the wardens of St. Giles Hospital, until it was surrendered to Henry VIII during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Elizabeth I granted Heston to Sir Thomas Gresham, and, after eating some bread made from locally grown wheat, insisted on a supply for her own personal use.

Heston Village Hall

The separation from Isleworth in the 14th century gave the locals a sense of independence from the inhabitants and feudal lords of Isleworth, with whom they frequently quarrelled. The practice of "beating the bounds" was practised annually when the inhabitants went in procession around the parish boundaries, to show locals the extent of their lands. A contemporary account of such a procession describes an occasion when the parishioners of Heston came across some from Isleworth, and the ensuing "quarrel" saw men from Heston throwing the others across a ditch.

A single board of health for the parishes mentioned was formed in 1875 and a very large civil parish in 1927.[2] The Great West Road was completed in 1925, forming the southern border with Hounslow and the farming and market garden land around the village was snapped up for industry and housing developments.[3] The southern part of Heston up to the Great West Road was previously called 'Sutton' (also known as 'The Deans'),[4] the location of a small hamlet subsequently built up as part of the suburb;[5] this name still appears in some road names and other local features. A Roman Catholic parish church was also built for Heston in the 20th century.

There are five primary schools in Heston: Berkeley, The Rosary Catholic School, Westbrook Primary, Springwell Junior School, Heston Primary School. Heston Community School is a secondary school with a sixth form.

There are three active community groups in Heston: Heston Residents Association,[6] formed in 1918, Heston West Big Local,[7] formed in 2015 and Heston Action Group,[8] formed in 2018.

• Oarsman Don Allum (1937–1992), first man to row the Atlantic Ocean in both directions, lived in Heston.[9]
• Guitarist Jimmy Page, of rock band Led Zeppelin, was born in Heston.[10]
• Guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, of rock bands Deep Purple and Rainbow, grew up in Heston.
• Anthony Collins (1676–1729), philosopher friend of John Locke, was born in Heston.
• Composer Ernest John Moeran (1894–1950) was born in Heston.
• Horticulturist Ellen Willmott (1858–1934) was born in Heston.
• Lynwood Palmer (1868-1941) painter of race-horses lived in Heston between 1911 and 1941.
• Motorcycle racer Mike Hailwood had a bachelor flat in Heston, where he kept his high-powered sports cars.
• Actor Sanjeev Bhaskar grew up in a flat above the shops on Vicarage Farm Road.

• 
  St Leonard's Church
  Main window: the crucifixion
• 
  St Leonard's Church
  Madonna and Child
• 
  St Leonard's Church
  St Clare and St Francis
• 
  St Leonard's Church
  Inscribed window
• 
  St Leonard's Church
  Interior
• 
  Heston Type 1 Phoenix II G-AESV at Elstree Aerodrome
• 
  Moto Heston East services

Heston's ethnic groups in 2011 were:

14.9% White British

7.2% Other White (Not covering Irish and Gypsy)

60.9% Asian

7.2% Black

This is 2011 combined data for Heston's three wards, Heston East, West and Central.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Heston.

• Sherwood, Tim. 1999. Coming in to Land: A Short History of Hounslow, Hanworth and Heston Aerodromes 1911-1946. Heritage Publications (Hounslow Library) ISBN 1-899144-30-7