Description
Acton Green Common is a simple area of open land, laid out with perimeter planting, cross-walks and some mature trees. It is bounded to the south by the railway and at its eastern end it faces the church of St Michael and All Angels and the Tabard Inn, which are among the buildings designed by Norman Shaw for the Bedford Park Garden Suburb. The common was part of the site of the Battle of Brentford during the Civil War when on 12 November 1642 the Royalists under Prince Rupert surprised and overcame the Parliamentarian army under Lord Essex.
Practical Information
| Site location | The Avenue/South Parade/Acton Lane/Hardwicke Road, Bedford Park |
|---|---|
| Postcode | W4 |
| What3Words | ///acted.claim.drape |
| Type of Site | Public Park |
| Borough | Ealing |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Facilities | Play area, picnic area, toilet. |
| Events | Various events |
| Public Transport | Tube: Turnham Green, Chiswick Park (District). Bus: 94, E3. |
| Research Updated | 1 October 2010 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Acton Green Common is a simple area of open land, laid out with perimeter planting and cross-walks and some mature trees. The central path used to be part of a Roman route used by Legionnaires. The Battle of Brentford during the Civil War took place on this site, and on 12 November 1642 the Royalists under Prince Rupert surprised and overcame the Parliamentarian army under Lord Essex. The battle took place on part of Acton Green Common, Turnham Green (q.v.) and to the south over what was once called Chiswick Common Field. The common is bounded to the south by the railway and overlooked by "a few demure early C19th villas" (Pevsner). On the north side is St Alban's Church, 'large, raw and red' according to Pevsner, built in 1887/8 with a hall and parish club. At its eastern end, the common faces the church of St Michael and All Angels and the Tabard Inn, which are among the buildings designed by Norman Shaw for the Bedford Park Garden Suburb (q.v.), which was built here between 1875-1886.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ206788 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 5.9 |
| Site Ownership | LB Ealing |
| Site Management | Leisure & Parks Service |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | Yes: Common (CL118) |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Ealing |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Acton Green |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
Dating from the 1970s, Beaconsfield Gardens was a somewhat bland linear strip of amenity grassland along the main road, but it was transformed into pleasant public gardens in 2022 when the overgrown shrubbery was removed, thousands of bulbs planted, mown paths created and facilities for bees, insects and birds installed. The project was the work of Abundance London, a Chiswick-based community organisation, who continue to maintain the gardens working with volunteers. This area was once commonland close to the site of the Battle of Turnham Green in 1642 when the Royalists were routed by the Parliamentarians. Prior to the housing development that took place from the 1860s, the area had been used for grazing and orchards. Beaconsfield Road consisted of Victorian terraced housing and shops but these were demolished in the 1970s when a new Council housing estate was built on the west side of the road, the road curved to provide car parking for the new estate.
Turnham Green is former common land, now a triangular open space bisected by roadway, with Christ Church in the east part, built in 1841-3 to serve the expanding Victorian suburbs. Turnham Green is of particular interest as the place where the Earl of Essex collected his forces from the London area in the Civil War and drew them up in great numbers here, although there was little active fighting and Essex later took possession of Brentford. In 1873 a pond is shown on the west side of the Green but this was filled in by 1948. Near Christ Church and along the north boundary are flower beds with a war memorial to the east, but otherwise the Green is simply laid out with grass, paths and a few mature trees.
Chiswick Common was part of the Bishop of London's Manor of Fulham and was rural until the mid C19th with large estates, farms and market gardens. Development took place after the railway arrived in the area in 1849, with Turnham Green Station opening in 1869. Bounded on its north side by the railway embankment, Chiswick Back Common is mainly grass, criss-crossed by paths, with sports facilities including tennis courts. Around the edges are mature trees, with beech hedging near the playground. At the east apex is a drinking fountain provided by the Metropolitan Drinking Fountain Association in 1902.
