Harrow on the Hill

infobox UK place
official_name= Harrow on the Hill
country = England
region= London
london_borough= Harrow
post_town= HARROW
postcode_area= HA
postcode_district = HA1
dial_code= 020
os_grid_reference= TQ155865
latitude= 51.565496
longitude= -0.332716
constituency_westminster=

Harrow on the Hill is an area of north west London, England and part of the London Borough of Harrow. [Harrow London Borough Council - [http://www.harrow.gov.uk/downloads/09_Harrow_on_the_Hill_Village_Revised.pdf Harrow on the Hill Village Conservation Area] ] The name refers to a large local hill of 408 feet.Mills, A., "Dictionary of London Place Names", (2001)]

Etymology

The earliest recorded use of the name is found in 1398 as "Harrowe atte Hille". Etymology before then derives from Harrow, which is first recorded in 767 as "Gumeninga hergae". A suggested meaning is "heathen temple of a tribe called the Gumeningas". The hill has historically been used as a place of pagan worship. It is alternatively explained to mean "the church upon the hill"." [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=45423 Harrow on the Hill] ", The Environs of London: volume 2: County of Middlesex, (1795). Date accessed: 01 January 2008.]

History

Harrow on the Hill formed an ancient parish and later civil parish in the Gore hundred of Middlesex.Vision of Britain - [http://vision.edina.ac.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10071574&c_id=10001043 Harrow on the Hill parish] ( [http://vision.edina.ac.uk/bound_map_page.jsp?first=true&u_id=10071574&c_id=10001043 historic map] )] In 1831 it had a population of 3,861 and occupied an area of 9,870 acres. There were significant boundary changes in 1894, when the bulk of the parish was removed to create the parishes of Harrow Weald, Wealdstone and Wembley. By 1931 it occupied a reduced area of 2,129 acres and had a population of 26,380. It formed the Harrow on the Hill Urban District of Middlesex from 1894 and was ablolished by a County Review Order in 1934,Vision of Britain - [http://vision.edina.ac.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10492063&c_id=10001043 Harrow on the Hill UD] ] with the bulk of the area forming part of a new civil parish and urban district of Harrow. In 1954 the urban district was incorporated as the Municipal Borough of Harrow and in 1965 it was transferred to Greater London to form the London Borough of Harrow.

Demography

The population of the Harrow on the Hill ward of the London Borough of Harrow was 9,578 in 1991 and 10,632 in 2001. It occupies an area of 357 hectares and in 2001 had a population density of 29.74 persons per hectare. There were 4,539 households in the district in 2001.Harrow London Borough Council - [http://www.harrow.gov.uk/downloads/2001_Census_Ward_Profile_-_Harrow_on_the_Hill.pdf 2001 Census: Harrow on the Hill ward] ] The ward's boundaries encompass the majority of the hill and also Roxeth, Sudbury Hill and parts of West Harrow.

Religion

Harrow on the Hill is also an ecclesiastical parish. The church on top of the hill is the Church of St Mary, Harrow on the Hill. It was consecrated by St Anselm in 1094. [http://www.harrowhill.org/ Church of St Mary, Harrow on the Hill] ] The area is home to, four Catholic schools and three Church of England schools

Transport

Harrow-on-the-Hill station, although named after the settlement, is located some distance to the north.

References