Borough of Hounslow
Hounslow was originally part of
Middlesex and was formed in 1965 from the old metropolitan boroughs of
Brentford & Chiswick, Heston & Isleworth, and Feltham. It is
almost entirely residential. It's chief "towns" are Brentford, Chiswick
and Hounslow. Part of the borough boundary is formed by the river
Thames; Chiswick, Brentford and Isleworth sit opposite Barnes, Kew and
Richmond on the south bank. The eastern part of the borough adjoins the
busy central London borough of Hammersmith, while the western end marks
the edge of Greater London and adjoins Surrey. Heathrow Airport lays
just across the northwestern edge of the borough in Hillingdon, and
several important transport routes (such as the M4, the A4 and the A30)
run through the borough.
There is perhaps not a great deal to attract the visitor to Hounslow
save for its parks and open spaces, of which fortunately there are
many. Perhaps the most significant is Hounslow Heath, a forgotten
corner of London that has never been touched by development and is
still pretty much virgin heathland. Other open spaces include the
grounds of what were once country estates such as Boston Manor,
Chiswick House and Gunnersbury Park. The bank of the Thames provides
Hounslow's main riverside walk but there are others, including those of
the Brent and the Crane; the latter riverside path forms part of the
London LOOP as it crosses Hounslow.
Gallery index:
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Links
Borough
of Hounslow website
This page last updated 8th December 2006
