Description
Harlington is referred to in the Domesday Book in 1086 and St Peter and St Paul's Church is the old parish church. Harlington Manor had various owners including Ambrose Coppinger who entertained Queen Elizabeth I here in 1602. The monuments in the churchyard are mainly C19th. A fine old yew tree to the south was the subject of elaborate topiary until 1825 and there is another ancient yew to the north and a yew walk on the west axis. In 1871 an extension of the churchyard was established to the west by Harlington Burial Board.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Harlington Parish Church |
|---|---|
| Site location | St Peter's Way, Harlington |
| Postcode | UB3 5LY |
| What3Words | ///shapes.rigid.line |
| Type of Site | Churchyard |
| Borough | Hillingdon |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Rail: Hayes & Harlington then bus. Bus: 140, 90. |
| Research Updated | 1 November 2005 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The opening of the Grand Union Canal in 1794 led to the brick-making industry being established, which continued until the mid C20th, and with the opening of the station in 1864 the area began to be developed. The village was later brought together with Hayes and Cranford when Hayes and Harlington UDC was formed in 1930. The medieval church has the 'best Norman doorway in outer London' (Pevsner) and its tower is c.1500, with fragments dating from the C16th/17th. There is a splendid High Victorian tomb to William Brookes (d.1869), studded with coloured stones. The church is bounded by railings along St Peter's Way to the east and at the entrance is a wrought iron gate with overthrow. A notable parishioner was William Byrd, the composer, who lived in the parish from 1577-1592.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ088782 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | Diocese of London |
| Site Management | LB Hillingdon Cemetery Office (Grounds Maintenance Service) |
| Dates | C12th; C14th, 1500; 1871 (burial ground) |
| Listed Structures | LBII*: St Peter and St Paul's Church. LBII: walls to north of church and wall to south of churchyard |
| 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 | Hillingdon |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| 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
Victoria Lane Burial Ground was established in 1871 by Harlington Burial Board at the same time as the extension to St Peter and St Paul's Churchyard was made. There are railings at the entrance and various monuments, with a number of conifers planted, and a rough path leads from the entrance centrally towards the middle of the cemetery.
Pinkwell Park is on the site of former fields north of Pinkwell Farm and once part of the extensive Dawley estate. The recreation ground was laid out when the Bourne Farm Estate housing development was built from the 1930s onwards between the railway, Dawley Road and Pinkwell Lane. The park was transferred to Hayes & Harlington UDC on 1 January 1937. It suffered bomb damage in October 1940.
In July 1936 Hayes and Harlington UDC acquired this land for use as a burial ground. Cherry Lane Cemetery was opened in 1936 with the first burial taking place in 1937, and an additional portion was consecrated in May 1944. It is so called because the former name of Shepiston Lane was Cherry Lane. Within the cemetery is the EMI Memorial commemorating 37 people who died when a bomb landed on the EMI factory in Hayes in WWII.