Kingsbury, London facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kingsbury
St Andrews Road and Church, Kingsbury
Kingsbury
Area	5.63 km2 (2.17 sq mi)
Population	29,217
• Density	5,190/km2 (13,400/sq mi)
OS grid reference	TQ195885
London borough	Brent
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LONDON
Postcode district	NW9
Dialling code	020
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
EU Parliament	London
UK Parliament	Brent North
London Assembly	Brent and Harrow
List of places UK England London 51°34′57″N 0°16′27″W / 51.5826°N 0.2743°W / 51.5826; -0.2743

Kingsbury is a lively area in northwest London. It's part of the London Borough of Brent. This district used to be made up of several small villages. They grew together over time, especially between the two World Wars.

Today, Kingsbury is a calm suburb. It sits between Fryent Country Park to the west and the Brent Reservoir to the east. It also has its own tube station on the Jubilee line. There's a busy shopping area near the station. Kingsbury shares its postal code, NW9, with Colindale and West Hendon.

What Does Kingsbury Mean?

The name Kingsbury has a cool meaning. It means "The King's fortification." This suggests it was once a strong place for a king!

Kingsbury's Past

Kingsbury was a small, old parish in Middlesex. A parish is like an old local area. The land here was owned by kings a long time ago. But they gave it away before the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In 957, King Edwy gave some land in Kingsbury to a noble named Lyfing. By 1066, this land was part of the Kingsbury manor. A manor was a large estate with a lord.

Kingsbury didn't grow much in the 1800s. It stayed a collection of small villages. A famous writer, Oliver Goldsmith, lived here from 1771 to 1774.

After the First World War, Kingsbury really started to grow. An aircraft industry began near the Hendon aerodrome. Roads were also improved for the British Empire Exhibition in nearby Wembley in 1924.

The number of homes in Kingsbury grew a lot. In 1901, there were only 140 houses. By 1931, there were almost 4,000! The population increased by a huge 796% between 1921 and 1931.

The old church, built in 1884, became too small. So, a new church was built in the 1930s. This church was actually moved piece by piece from central London! It was taken apart and rebuilt here in 1933–34.

The Green Man pub, built in the 1930s

Did you know that early TV signals were sent from Kingsbury? John Logie Baird sent his experimental television broadcasts from the stable block of Kingsbury Manor. This building is now a children's nursery.

From 1923 to 1979, Kingsbury Road was home to Vanden Plas. This company made special car bodies for famous brands like Bentley. The site is now called Kingsbury Trading Estate.

No. 154 Slough Lane, built in the 1920s

A Jewish community started meeting in Kingsbury in 1939. Their synagogue, a place of worship, opened in 1954.

Places to See and Things to Do

Kingsbury Station Area

Shops and the tube station on Kingsbury Road

The Kingsbury tube station is on the Jubilee line. It's in the western part of Kingsbury. This area is very busy and has a city feel. You'll find supermarkets, banks, and shops selling Arabic and Indian foods. There's also a local library run by the council.

At the end of this area is Kingsbury Circle. This is a big roundabout where several roads meet. You can find places to eat here too.

This area was mostly farmland until 1932. That's when the Metropolitan Railway extended its line and opened the station. This led to lots of new buildings and people moving in. The Kingsbury Odeon cinema opened in 1934. It's now an Aldi supermarket.

Fryent Country Park

A big part of Kingsbury is the beautiful Fryent Country Park. It has open fields, peaceful woods, a fish pond, and even a farm. It's a great place to explore nature.

Kingsbury Green and Fryent

The grounds of St Andrew's church

Church Lane/Slough Lane shops

Kingsbury Green was the main part of Kingsbury in the 1400s. Today, it's around the Kingsbury Road and Church Lane crossing. Church Lane leads to the St Andrew's parish church, which was rebuilt in 1933. You can see charming 1920s timbered houses on Slough Lane and Buck Lane.

The Kingsbury Trading Estate is on the east side of the green. This area used to be an aerodrome, a place where planes took off and landed. Later, it became the Vanden Plas car factory.

Fryent is an area between Kingsbury Green and Blackbird Hill. It's near the Welsh Harp reservoir. This part of Kingsbury still feels quiet and green, with lots of trees.

Roe Green Village

Roe Green Village

Roe Green Garden Village is a special place. It's located east of Roe Green Park. In 1968, it became a protected area. It still feels like a historic village green. The houses here were first built during World War I. They were for workers at a nearby aircraft factory.

The Kingsbury Manor, built in 1899, is in Roe Green Park. It's a Grade II listed building, meaning it's historically important. The park is looked after by a local group called the Barnhill Conservation Group.

Blackbird Hill

Blackbird Hill north side

Blackbird Hill was the very old center of Kingsbury. It's now at the southern end of the district. It connects different areas like Wembley Park and Neasden. Not much of the old village remains today. The old St Andrew's Church building is still there on Old Church Lane.

The Hyde

The Holy Innocents church is on Kingsbury Road. It's next to Oliver Goldsmith Primary School. Across the street is Silver Jubilee Park. Next to the park is a large mandir, a Hindu temple. It opened in 2014 and has beautiful Indian architecture.

Who Lives in Kingsbury?

Kingsbury Hindu mandir

The 2011 census showed that Kingsbury is a very diverse place. In the Fryent ward, the largest group was Indian people. Many different ethnic groups live here, including White, Black Caribbean, Black African, and other Asian groups. People of many faiths live here too, including Christians, Muslims, and Hindus.

Kingsbury in Movies and Music

Kingsbury has been featured in popular culture!

• The first two seasons of the BBC children's show Grange Hill were filmed at Kingsbury High School.
• The music video for George Michael's song Round Here shows places like Roe Green Park and Roe Green Primary School.

Famous People from Kingsbury

Many well-known people have lived in or come from Kingsbury:

• Charlie Watts, the drummer for The Rolling Stones.
• George Michael, a famous singer and songwriter.
• Chris Squire, bassist for the band Yes.
• Tony Kanal, bassist for the band No Doubt.
• Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan, singer/songwriters from the band Sugababes.
• Stuart Pearce, a famous footballer.
• Courtney Pine, a jazz musician.
• Shirley Eaton, an actress.

Kingsbury's Landscape

Woods by the Welsh Harp

Roe Green Park

Most of Kingsbury is between 150 and 200 feet (45 and 60 meters) above sea level. Some parts are higher, like near Fryent Country Park, which reaches about 213 feet (65 meters). Roe Green Garden Village is quite hilly, with some areas reaching 300 feet (92 meters) high.

Neighbouring areas of Kingsbury

	Queensbury	Colindale, Burnt Oak	The Hyde, Colindale
	Preston, Kenton		West Hendon, Hendon
		Kingsbury Church Lane/Slough Lane
	Wembley Park, Preston	Wembley Park, Neasden	Neasden, Dollis Hill

Getting Around Kingsbury

Roads

Kingsbury Road (A4006) is the biggest road in the area. Fryent Way (A4140) goes through the country park. Other important roads include Church Lane and Tudor Gardens. The A5 Edgware Road and the A406 North Circular Road are also nearby.

Buses

Many London Buses serve Kingsbury:

Tube

The main tube station in the area is:

• Kingsbury Station (Jubilee line)

Parks in Kingsbury

• Barn Hill Open Space
• Fryent Country Park
• Kingsbury Green Recreation Ground
• Roe Green Park
• Silver Jubilee Park
• Grove Park Open Space
• Eton Grove Park

Schools in Kingsbury

• Kingsbury High School
• Jewish Free School (JFS)
• Fryent Primary School
• Oliver Goldsmith Primary School
• Kingsbury Green Primary School
• Roe Green Primary School
• St Robert Southwell Primary School

Images for kids

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  Church Lane, Kingsbury Green

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  Salmon Street

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  Kinloch Drive bungalows, Fryent

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  Salmon Street

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  White Castle Mansions in Buck Lane

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  Highfort Court