Description
The small church of St Mary the Virgin dates from the C12th, the manor formerly called Little Greenford or Greenford Parva to distinguish it from Greenford Magna, but from the C16th known as Perivale. Until the C18th the rural hamlet contained no more than a church, rectory, manor house and a few farmhouses. The churchyard has many C18th and C19th monuments and 2 fine yews; the lych gate was erected in 1904/5 to the memory of the wife of music publisher John Boosey. The church closed in 1972, after the parish was bisected by the A40 with a new church built to serve the north of the parish. In 1976 a group of volunteers got together to rescue the church and leased it from the Diocese as the Friends of St Mary's Perivale. It is now a venue for musical and other events.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | West London Arts Centre; Perivale Parish Church |
|---|---|
| Site location | off Perivale Lane/Old Church Lane, Perivale |
| Postcode | UB6 |
| What3Words | ///spoken.fairly.pills |
| Type of Site | Churchyard |
| Borough | Ealing |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Events | Musical and other events |
| Public Transport | Tube: Perivale (Central) then bus. Bus: 95, 297, E5. |
| Research Updated | 1 November 2010 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
St Mary the Virgin Perivale has an atmospheric small churchyard on the edge of the former park of Pitshanger Farmhouse, with two good yews and many C18th and C19th monuments. The manor was formerly called Little Greenford or Greenford Parva to distinguish it from Greenford Magna to the west and was once in the ownership of Geoffrey de Mandeville (d.1166) whose son was Earl of Essex and Keeper of the Tower of London. From the C16th the rural hamlet was known as Perivale, 'pear tree valley', and had no more than a church, rectory, manor house and a number of farmhouses until the C18th, with a tiny population remaining until the early C20th. Development in the area took place particularly with the building of Western Avenue in 1927, which saw the acceleration of industry in the area and the building of factories such as the fine Art Deco Hoover Factory.
The small church was dedicated in the late C12th/early C13th and has a C16th tower with later alterations and additions, including a sundial of 1818 on the south face. A benefactor in the C18th was John Gurnell (1712-1748). The churchyard was full by 1906, a 'fashionable rural spot for graves of the middle classes of Ealing in the latter half of the C19th' (Weinreb), which had led to non-parishioners being buried here much to the distress of the congregation who took legal action to prevent this. One of the oldest surviving memorials in the churchyard is that of Revd Henry Wyatt (d.1683). The 'Maiden's Tomb' of Elizabeth Colleton (d.1721) has a tree growing out of it, and legend has it that her father, Sir Peter Colleton, cried out that if there was a God trees would grow out of her tomb, which they duly did. Others buried here include Admiral John Carter (d.1863) who fought in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805; Richard Collinson (d.1883), explorer; the 'Murderer's Tomb' of Thomas Bowler (d.1812) and the sculptor R A Ledward (d.1890). The church has a lych gate on Perivale Lane with scissor-braced trusses, erected in 1904/5 to the memory of Rose Boosey, wife of the music publisher John Boosey (d.1893) who is buried in the churchyard. A herringbone brick path runs round the church and the churchyard has a number of yew and other trees.
The church closed in 1972, when the parish was bisected by the A40 and the north of the parish served by a new church. Vandalism took place in the 1970s but in 1976 a group of volunteers was set up to rescue the old church. They later became the Friends of St Mary's Perivale, forming a charitable trust and leasing the church from the Diocese. Since 1981 the church has been run as the West London Arts Centre, established by the Friends. With good acoustics and a new grand piano, some 45 concerts take place in the church throughout the year, and it has become known as an important venue for chamber and instrumental music in West London. In addition about 20 non-musical events take place including performances, readings and exhibitions, and, the church still being consecrated, services such as for Harvest Festival and Remembrance Day are also held.
The small church was dedicated in the late C12th/early C13th and has a C16th tower with later alterations and additions, including a sundial of 1818 on the south face. A benefactor in the C18th was John Gurnell (1712-1748). The churchyard was full by 1906, a 'fashionable rural spot for graves of the middle classes of Ealing in the latter half of the C19th' (Weinreb), which had led to non-parishioners being buried here much to the distress of the congregation who took legal action to prevent this. One of the oldest surviving memorials in the churchyard is that of Revd Henry Wyatt (d.1683). The 'Maiden's Tomb' of Elizabeth Colleton (d.1721) has a tree growing out of it, and legend has it that her father, Sir Peter Colleton, cried out that if there was a God trees would grow out of her tomb, which they duly did. Others buried here include Admiral John Carter (d.1863) who fought in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805; Richard Collinson (d.1883), explorer; the 'Murderer's Tomb' of Thomas Bowler (d.1812) and the sculptor R A Ledward (d.1890). The church has a lych gate on Perivale Lane with scissor-braced trusses, erected in 1904/5 to the memory of Rose Boosey, wife of the music publisher John Boosey (d.1893) who is buried in the churchyard. A herringbone brick path runs round the church and the churchyard has a number of yew and other trees.
The church closed in 1972, when the parish was bisected by the A40 and the north of the parish served by a new church. Vandalism took place in the 1970s but in 1976 a group of volunteers was set up to rescue the old church. They later became the Friends of St Mary's Perivale, forming a charitable trust and leasing the church from the Diocese. Since 1981 the church has been run as the West London Arts Centre, established by the Friends. With good acoustics and a new grand piano, some 45 concerts take place in the church throughout the year, and it has become known as an important venue for chamber and instrumental music in West London. In addition about 20 non-musical events take place including performances, readings and exhibitions, and, the church still being consecrated, services such as for Harvest Festival and Remembrance Day are also held.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ164827 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | Diocese of London, leased to Friends of St Mary's Perivale |
| Site Management | Friends of St Mary's Perivale |
| Dates | C12th onwards, C18th |
| Listed Structures | LBI: St Mary the Virgin Church. LBII: Lych gate |
| 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 | Ealing |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | Yes |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Within Brent River Park Boundary |
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
The area was once part of the estate of Pitshanger Manor Farm. The old manor house, usually referred to as Pitshanger Farmhouse, had stood near the centre of the modern Meadvale Road, but was demolished in 1908. Ealing Town Council acquired land for the public park in January and April 1905, adding further land in 1913. By 1914 this was laid out with a bowling green, tennis courts, cricket pitches, a perimeter path planted with horse chestnuts, and other paths leading to the entrance off Pitshanger Lane. In 1976 Pitshanger Park became part of the Brent River Park following proposals by the Brent River and Canal Society, which was established in 1973 to set up a linear park and improve the Brent Valley river corridor.
Prior to being laid out as a park, the area was fields. There was a proposal to purchase land north of Cleveland Road and east of Argyle Road for an extension of Pitshanger Park in 1914. However it was not until 1926 that the Town Council applied to the Ministry of Health to approve borrowing to purchase land north of Cleveland Road for a recreation ground. The small rectangular park is on sloping ground with good views north over Pitshanger Park and beyond.
Brentham Garden Suburb was built from 1901-1915, a pioneering Arts and Crafts-inspired housing estate built on open country, formerly part of Pitshanger Farm estate. It was developed by Ealing Tenants Ltd, founded in 1901 as the first co-operative tenants society to provide improved housing for working people. The first chairman was Henry Vivian MP, whose co-operative building firm, General Builders Ltd. undertook much of the work. The first phase was completed by 1905, the earliest houses named after Vivian. In 1907 a further 30 acres had been purchased and the Ealing Tenants engaged Ray Unwin and Barry Parker, who were responsible for schemes including Hampstead Garden Suburb. The estate's garden aspect was created through low hedges and trees as well as playing fields and recreation grounds, particularly north of the Institute. A major feature was the provision of allotment gardens behind some of the larger groups of houses.