East Bedfont

infobox UK place
country = England
map_type = Greater London
latitude = 51.45010
longitude = -0.43998
region= London
official_name= East Bedfont
london_borough= Hounslow
post_town= FELTHAM
postcode_district= TW14
postcode_area= TW
dial_code= 0208
os_grid_reference= TQ085735
constituency_westminster= Feltham and Heston

East Bedfont (or simply Bedfont) is a small suburban town in Greater London, some convert|13|mi|km|0 to the west of central London and only convert|2|mi|km|0 from Heathrow Airport. It straddles the Staines Road at the west of the London Borough of Hounslow from Baber Bridge on the River Crane to the Surrey boundary at Ashford.

History

Origins and Mediaeval Bedfont

Referred to in the Domesday Book as “Bedefunde”, the name is thought to be derived from Anglo-Saxon "Bedfunta" = "Bed’s spring", or "Bydenfunta" = "spring provided with a drinking-vessel".

The Staines Road follows the Roman Via Trinobantes linking Londinium (London) to Pontes (Staines) and the West Country, though the name suggests older origins as the Trinobantes were a powerful Celtic tribe before the Roman invasion. Excavations prior to the building of Heathrow’s Terminal 5 site a few miles north west of Bedfont found evidence of settlement during the Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman periods, suggesting there may have been people living in and around the Bedfont area during these periods.

The Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin is situated on the edge of the village green and is the oldest surviving church in the borough dating from around 1150. Its Norman chancel, chancel arch and south doorway have survived the centuries, as have medieval wall paintings from the mid 13th century, which were uncovered in 1865.

The Domesday Book has an entry stating that the manors of Bedfont, Hatton and Stanmore were all held by William Fitz Other. From the early 14th century the Manor of East Bedfont was held by the Trinitarian Priory of Hounslow, before being taken by the Crown during the reformation. The Berkeley family of Cranford then held the manor before selling it to the Earl of Northumberland in 1656.

The growth of the town and industrialisation

Charles I licensed the Hounslow Sword Mill in 1630 on the banks of the Duke of Northumberland's River. The sword smiths, who came from Solingen in Germany, produced one thousand swords a month, which have become collector’s items and an impressive collection of these can be seen at the Gunnersbury Park Museum.

The Longford River, which also flows through Bedfont, also dates from the reign of Charles I.

During the English Civil War, when both the Royalist and Parliamentary armies passed through Bedfont, the mill was taken by Parliamentary forces, and was converted to a gunpowder mill in 1654.

This converted mill was supplemented by new mills closer to Baber Bridge, in the area now known as Donkey Woods. The manufacture of gunpowder was a dangerous occupation and workers were killed or maimed in many explosions down the years, with the mills being demolished and rebuilt a number of times. The water-powered gunpowder mills continued to be used until 1926 when they were closed by the then owners, Imperial Chemical Industries.

Following on from the railways, the twentieth century saw the motor car appearing on the main road, and the building of Great South West Road in 1925 saw traffic diverted around Bedfont.

Postwar development and the construction of Heathrow

By 1946 another form of transport began to impact on the village when Heathrow Airport opened and became the largest employer in the area, with the effect of increasing the demand for local housing. The village of heathrow was lost as was some of the hamlet of Hatton beneath the airport and its surroundings, but The Green Man public house survives from the 16th century and the name survives through the remaining old houses near the pub and London Underground station on the edge of the airport.

Buildings of interest

Bedfont has the unique claim of having two surviving manor houses. Pates Manor, behind the church, is the oldest house in the Borough with one wing dating from the late 15th century. Fawns Manor, on the south side of the Green, dates from the 16th century and was sold to the British Airways Housing Association in the 1980’s by the Sherborn family, who had owned it from the 17th century.

As coach services grew from the 17th to 18th centuries, so too did the number of inns in Bedfont. The Duke’s Head and The Bell were situated on Bedfont Green, and The Plough, The Sun, The White Horse and the Queen’s Head joined them in providing stabling and refreshments to the weary travellers on the road between London and the West Country.

The building of the Great Western Railway between London and Bristol in 1841 marked the beginning of the end for the golden age of the stagecoach, and by 1847 both state and mail coaches had ceased to run to the west. The Waterloo to Staines line was opened in 1848 leaving the roads mainly for the use of local traffic.

There are also many leisure clubs and pubs in Bedfont, one being the family run Bedfont Lane Community Association. This was run by Jean Foskett of Southern Avenue, her friend Mrs Dorris Stone and also both of their families including Jeans children Paul, Gerald and Alan. Whilst the club was a club for the community, it also was a family orientated club within which Jeans family were very much involved. Jean had four children: Linda, Malcolm, Brian, Gerald and Paul. She also had numerous grand children including Chris, Lewis, Reece, Darrell, Ryan, Shaun, Katie, Ian, Cody, Nathan, Lucy, Claire, Sammy to name just a few.

On 21st October 2001, Jean passed away leaving a hugh gap in Bedfonts finest circle. Not only will she be missed for charity and community work, but more so her warm caring smiley personality.

port in Bedfont

Captain Matthew Webb, who was the first man to swim the English Channel (25 August 1875), lived in The Limes, New Road, Bedfont from 1880 until 1883 when he died attempting to swim the rapids below the Niagara Falls.

Bedfont Football Club is based in Bedfont, with a number of youth and adult teams.