Description
St John the Baptist Church was built in 1856, when Isleworth's growing population had outgrown the parish church of All Saints. The site and the sum of £2,000 were donated by the Duke of Northumberland, the balance raised by local benefactors such as the Glossop and Farnell families. The adjacent day school, vicarage and almshouses were built at the behest of the brewer John Farnell, the school of 1858 now converted for private residence. The church is surrounded by a simple garden, with a number of trees.
Practical Information
| Site location | St John's Road, Isleworth |
|---|---|
| Postcode | TW7 6NY |
| What3Words | ///often.ruby.loved |
| Type of Site | Churchyard |
| Borough | Hounslow |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Rail: Isleworth. Bus: H37, 117. |
| Research Updated | 1 January 2018 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
In the 1840s the rapidly expanding population of Isleworth was causing overcrowding in the parish church of All Saints (q.v.), as a result of which the Vicar Henry Glossop formed a Committee of Gentlemen in 1846 in order to resolve the situation. The Duke of Northumberland donated the site on St John's Road as well as £2,000 towards the cost of construction, with the balance largely raised from the Glossop and Farnell families, the latter owners of the nearby Isleworth Brewery. John Farnell paid for the east window and also for the vicarage, day school and Farnell's Almshouses (q.v.). St John the Baptist church was designed by architect John Deason, in Early English style.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ155761 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | Church of England |
| Site Management | St John the Baptist Church |
| Dates | 1856 |
| Listed Structures | LBII: St John the Baptist Church |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Hounslow |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Area of Special |
Gallery
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Nearby parks and gardens
The almshouses were built at the behest of the brewer John Farnell, owner of Isleworth Brewery, who also contributed funds towards building the adjacent church of St John the Baptist, vicarage and school, to serve the needs of the rapidly growing population of Isleworth. The site was provided by the Duke of Northumberland, and the architect for the church, John Deason, probably designed the almshouses. Farnell's Almshouses accommodated six men and six women in picturesque one-storey buildings ranged on three sides around a central garden. It is entered through a stone gateway, that has a plaque commemorating John Farnell. A bust of Farnell on a stone plinth is also found within a small pavilion in the garden.
Silverhall Park is on part of the former Silver Hall estate. The name appears to have been used for the estate from the mid-C18th after its owner Mrs Oliver, nee Silver. The house was demolished in the early C19th and the estate sold piecemeal. A new house was built in 1813 on a site now occupied by the park. From 1880 - 1908 Silver Hall was occupied by Carmelite nuns who had moved here from Fulham Carmel. It was later a school but by the 1940s the house was derelict and it was demolished in the 1950s. Gates on North Street and the remains of the ice house are all that are left. A section of the C16th Duke of Northumberland's River runs through the park
The park is on land once a gravel pit and formerly part of the grounds of Redlees House. Around 5.8 hectares were acquired by Heston & Isleworth UDC and Redlees Park was officially opened in July 1932, on the same day two other local recreation grounds, Beaversfield and Heston Parks. In October it was one of the parks used as a venue for the Heston & Isleworth Charter Celebrations. Its original facilities included a children's playground, football pitches, a cricket table, bowling green, grass and hard tennis courts and an 18-hole putting green, and other facilities were planned when money was available.