Description
West Drayton was originally known as Draegtun, meaning a place where boats were dragged across land to avoid a bend in the river. West Drayton Green is the old village centre, a large open area of grass with trees generally around the perimeter. It is surrounded by a number of fine houses, particularly at the south end, which include the early C18th The Old House and early C19th Beechwood; to the north is a row of cottages that was once the parish workhouse.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | West Drayton Village Green |
|---|---|
| Site location | The Green, West Drayton |
| Postcode | UB7 9FN |
| What3Words | ///worked.amused.invite |
| Type of Site | Public Open Land |
| Borough | Hillingdon |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Rail: West Drayton then bus. Bus: U3 |
| Research Updated | 1 November 2005 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
West Drayton was originally known as Draegtun, meaning a place where boats were dragged across land to avoid a bend in the river, and the Manor was owned by the Dean of St Paul's from the C12th until 1546 when Henry VIII then transferred it to Sir William Paget in 1547, whose grand Manor house was situated near St Martin's Church (q.v.). West Drayton Green is the old village centre, a large open area of grass with trees generally around the perimeter, some well-grown. It is surrounded by a number of fine houses, particularly at the south end which include the early C18th The Old House and early C19th Beechwood, and just off the Green are Southlands (q.v.) and Avenue House, which has a C16th timber framed wing to the rear of the C18th house. On the west side houses include The Old Cottage, again timber-framed with a later brick front. To the north is a row of cottages that were once the parish workhouse.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ078794 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.5 |
| Site Ownership | LB Hillingdon |
| Site Management | Green Spaces Team |
| Listed Structures | LBII: houses on The Green - Nos. 1-11, 15, 24, 26, 27, 29, 31, 33 and 33A, 69, 73, The Old Cottage, Avenue Cottage |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | Yes: Green (TVG33) |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Hillingdon |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | West Drayton 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
Now used as Southlands Arts Centre, Southlands is an early C18th farmhouse, which was built on the site of an earlier Tudor farmhouse. In 1963 the property was acquired by the Yiewsley and West Drayton UDC and it became the base for Yiewsley and West Drayton Arts Council. There are a number of garden areas, including a walled garden with C18th walls reached through an old orchard. It was renovated in 1989 when the garden was re-planted in three sections, including a C16th style knot garden.
There are records that a church existed here in the late C12th with a second church built in the early C13th. From the C12th the Manor of Drayton was owned by the Dean of St Paul's. In 1547 it was granted to Sir William Paget who built a grand Manor House immediately west of St Martin's Church, and remnants of the C16th gatehouse are next to the churchyard. The walled churchyard has flagstones and mown grass in front and a number of yews, with longer unmown grass beyond and an area of woodland growth behind the church.
The small park was once part of the grounds of Drayton Hall, a historic house that was owned by the De Burgh family from 1786 until 1939. It was purchased by Yiewsley and West Drayton UDC in 1948 and used as council offices with events in the grounds. The Hall later became the headquarters of United Biscuits, who laid out a garden behind the house, and in 2011 it was purchased by Ferrings Pharmaceutical Company. The park contains fine trees.