Harefield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Harefield |
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 St Mary the Virgin Church, Harefield |
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 Harefield
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| Population | 7,399 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | TQ055905 |
| • Charing Cross | 17 mi (27 km) SE |
| London borough | |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | UXBRIDGE |
| Postcode district | UB9 |
| Dialling code | 01895 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| UK Parliament |
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| London Assembly |
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Harefield is a village in the London Borough of Hillingdon, England. It is about 17 miles (27 km) northwest of Charing Cross, a famous spot in central London. Harefield is close to the border of Greater London with Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire. In 2011, about 7,399 people lived here. It is the most western village in Greater London.
Harefield is near other towns like Denham, Ickenham, Northwood, Rickmansworth, Ruislip, and Uxbridge. Harefield is also known for Harefield Hospital, where doctors developed new ways to do heart surgery.
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History of Harefield Village
Archeologists have found old tools near Dewes Farm. These tools date back to the late Mesolithic period, which was a very long time ago. Harefield first appears in written history in the Domesday Book from 1086. It was called Herefelle then. This name comes from old Anglo-Saxon words meaning "army field."
Before the Norman conquest of England in 1066, a noblewoman named Countess Goda owned Harefield. She was the sister of King Edward the Confessor. After the Normans took over, the land went to Richard FitzGilbert. The Domesday Book said Harefield had enough land for five ploughs. It also had woodlands that could support 1,200 pigs. This was a lot for the area.
Over time, Harefield was divided into smaller areas. Different families owned the land, including the Clares and the Swanlords. By 1446, the Newdigate family owned much of Harefield. Later, in 1585, Sir Edmund Anderson bought the manor. He then sold it to Sir Thomas Egerton. In 1602, Queen Elizabeth I visited Sir Thomas at Harefield. He put on a special show for her.
During World War I, Harefield Park became an Australian military hospital. Many Australian soldiers who died there were buried in the graveyard of St Mary's Church. This area is now a military cemetery. In 1929, Harefield became part of the town of Uxbridge. Then, in 1965, it joined the London Borough of Hillingdon.
Important Buildings in Harefield
Harefield Hospital: A World-Famous Centre
Harefield Hospital is very famous for treating heart and lung problems. It is part of a larger group of hospitals called the Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust. This is the biggest specialist heart and lung centre in the UK. It is also one of the largest in Europe. Its sister hospital is the Royal Brompton Hospital in Chelsea.
Sir Magdi Yacoub was a top heart and lung surgeon at Harefield Hospital. He worked there from 1969 to 2002. He performed the first live lobe lung transplant. He also did more transplants than almost any other surgeon in the world. By the late 1980s, Harefield Hospital was a top place for transplants. Sir Magdi Yacoub helped develop both heart and heart-lung transplants.
St Mary the Virgin Church: A Historic Landmark
St Mary's Parish Church is Harefield's oldest building. It is a very important place for the community. A priest in Harefield was first mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086. The church building has some parts from the Middle Ages. It was repaired and changed in 1768 and again in 1841.
The church cemetery has the graves of over 100 Australian soldiers. They died at the Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Harefield during World War I. Every year on Anzac Day, a special service is held. Local leaders, Australian and New Zealand officials, and schoolchildren attend. After the church service, everyone goes to the cemetery. They gather around the Anzac memorial. Music is played, and wreaths are laid. Schoolchildren also place flowers on the graves.
The church holds the tomb of Alice Stanley, Dowager Countess of Derby. She was buried there in January 1637. Alice was from the famous Spencer family, like Diana Princess of Wales. She was the widow of Ferdinando, the 5th Earl of Derby. He had died in 1594. Alice then moved to Harefield Place. This house stood south of the church. You can still see parts of its old moat and brickwork.
Alice was also the widow of Thomas Egerton, Lord Ellesmere. He was a very important lawyer and Lord Chancellor of England. He died in 1617. But Alice preferred to be known by her Derby title. Her tomb is one of the finest of its time in England. The statues of daughters beside the tomb are not meant to look exactly like her real daughters. But the figure of Alice herself probably looks more like her. She wears a Countess's crown. At the foot of her tomb is an eagle with a crown. This reminds people of the Stanley family's symbol.
Sir Michael Shersby, a Member of Parliament for Uxbridge, is also buried in the churchyard.
Manor of Harefield: Old Houses and New Uses
The old Manor of Harefield was owned by the Newdigate family for a long time. The original manor house, Harefield Place, was near St Mary the Virgin church. A new mansion was built in 1786 at Harefield Lodge. The old Harefield Place fell apart and was pulled down in 1813. The new mansion then became known as Harefield Place. It was sold in 1877. In 1938, it became a hospital. Today, the land is home to the Harefield Place Golf Club.
Harefield House, a listed building on High Street, was built around 1750. During World War I, it was used as an Australian Auxiliary Hospital. Later, it was used by the Ministry of Defence. After 1982, the building was fixed up and became offices. In 2015, this building was used for filming a TV show. It was the inside of the island mansion in the TV version of Agatha Christie's mystery novel And Then There Were None.
Breakspear House, another old building from the 17th century, is also in Harefield.
The Harefield Academy: A Modern School
The Harefield Academy opened in September 2005. It took the place of the John Penrose School. This new academy is for students aged 11 to 18. It can hold 750 students aged 11 to 15 and another 250 older students.
The school is in Harefield village, next to green countryside. The Department for Children, Schools and Families, along with directors from Watford Football Club, helped create the academy. They wanted to improve education and health standards for students. The Harefield Academy is part of the Government's Academies program.
Sports in Harefield
Harefield is home to Harefield United Football Club. This club was started in 1868, making it the oldest football club in Middlesex.
Harefield also has Harefield Cricket Club. Their main teams play at the Woods Cricket Ground. In 2008, a new ground was opened for younger teams. In 2009, the first team moved up to the Home Counties Cricket League. This means they are very close to the highest level of club cricket in England. In 2010, the club had its best season ever. Many of their teams won their leagues. In 2014, the first team played in the Premier Division. They managed to stay in the top league. This made them the highest-ranked club in the area.
Harefield also has an Elite Gymnastics Academy. This academy is located at The Harefield Academy.
Victoria Cross Heroes
Harefield is connected to three brave soldiers who received the Victoria Cross. This is the highest award for bravery in the British military.
- Lieutenant-General Gerald Goodlake VC (1832–1890) fought in the Crimean War. He is buried in St Mary's churchyard.
- Private Cecil John Kinross VC (1896–1957) was born in Harefield. He showed great bravery at Passchendaele in World War I. He later moved to Canada.
- Sergeant Robert Edward Ryder VC (1895–1978) fought in World War I. He was born and is buried in Harefield. A special blue plaque marks his birthplace.
There is a gold plaque in the Royal British Legion Hall. It honors the bravery of both Goodlake and Ryder. In 2011, Hillingdon Council put up a blue plaque for Kinross. It is at his birthplace and honors his courage.
Other Famous People from Harefield
- Rhodes Boyson (1925–2012) was a Member of Parliament.
- Brian Connolly (1945–1997) was the singer of the glam rock band Sweet. He grew up in Harefield.
- Thomas Egerton and his wife Alice Spencer lived in Harefield from 1601. Queen Elizabeth I visited them in 1602.
- Alexander Fleming (1881–1955) was a biologist who discovered penicillin. He worked at Harefield Hospital in 1939. A blue plaque at the hospital entrance remembers him.
- Russell Grant (born 1951) is a TV astrologer. He grew up in Harefield.
- Politician Charles Newdigate (1816–1887) lived in Harefield. He spent a lot of money helping to restore Harefield Church.
- Judge Sir Richard Newdigate (1602–1678) lived in Harefield. He is buried in the church.
- Thomas Wakley (1795–1862) was a medical reformer. He started The Lancet magazine. He lived at Harefield Park. There is a memorial stone for him at Harefield Hospital.
Getting Around Harefield
Harefield does not have its own tube or train station. However, buses connect Harefield to nearby tube stations like Northwood and Uxbridge. They also connect to train stations like Denham and Rickmansworth.
The 331 bus runs between Uxbridge and Ruislip. The U9 bus goes between Uxbridge and Harefield Hospital.
Closest Tube Stations
- Moor Park
- Northwood
- Rickmansworth
- Uxbridge
- Ickenham
Closest Train Stations
- Denham
- Rickmansworth
