Sipson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sipson
King William IV public house
Sipson
OS grid reference	TQ075785
• Charing Cross	14.3 mi (23.0 km) E
London borough	Hillingdon
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	WEST DRAYTON
Postcode district	UB7
Dialling code	020
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
EU Parliament	London
UK Parliament	Hayes and Harlington
London Assembly	Ealing and Hillingdon
List of places UK England London 51°29′13″N 0°27′22″W / 51.487°N 0.456°W / 51.487; -0.456

Sipson is a small village in the London Borough of Hillingdon. This area is the westernmost part of Greater London, England. Sipson is about 14.3 miles (23 km) west of Charing Cross, which is a famous spot in central London. It is also very close to the northern edge of London Heathrow Airport.

History of Sipson

What's in a Name?

The name Sipson has a long history! Around the year 1150, it was called Sibwineston. Later, in 1341, it was known as Sibeston. Both names come from an old language called Anglo-Saxon. The name Sibwines tūn means "Sibwine's homestead or village." A homestead is like a farm with a house and land.

How Sipson Grew

Sipson started as just one of three farm areas in the Harmondsworth parish. By the 1890s, more people lived there. A small church was built at Sipson Green. This area had cottages from the 1700s. By 1910, it had grown into a small village street. All these places are north of the famous "Bath Road" (now the A4), which connects London to Bath.

Heathrow Airport and Sipson

Sipson has been greatly affected by London Heathrow Airport.

Plans for Expansion

In 1946, the British government planned to expand the airport. This plan would have meant building three new runways north of the Bath Road. This would have completely removed Sipson and most of Harlington. The Bath Road itself would have had to be moved.

In 2009, most of Sipson was again at risk. There was a plan to build a third runway at Heathrow. This would have meant tearing down many homes in the village.

Stopping the Third Runway

However, in March 2010, a court ruled against the plan. The court said the airport expansion would cause too much air pollution. Because of this, the government announced in May 2010 that the third runway plan was cancelled.

Since 2009, the airport company (BAA) has been buying properties in Sipson. This means fewer people who own homes there are left to fight new expansion plans. But some people, like actress Emma Thompson, bought land in Sipson to help stop the expansion.

Also, a group of climate activists called Grow Heathrow has been living on land in Sipson. They are against the airport expansion. They want to find ways to live that are better for the environment.

In February 2020, another court ruled that the airport expansion was against the law. This was after groups like environmental organizations and the Mayor of London took legal action. The government decided not to challenge this ruling.

Businesses in Sipson

Sipson Farm

Sipson Farm was once the biggest farm in the area. It was located at the northeast corner of the Sipson crossroads. The farm had many greenhouses and owned 500 acres of land. This land spread across Harmondsworth, Sipson, Harlington, and Heathrow. Around 1900, it also had a large fruit orchard.

• 1819: Land in Harmondsworth parish was divided up.
• Late 1800s: Thomas Wild & Son ran Sipson Farm.
• 1898: Rowland Richard Robbins joined the farm, and it became Wild & Robbins.
• 1900-1948: Robbins lived in a house called Hollycroft.
• Around 1910: Wild and Robbins gave some land in Sipson for tennis courts and a children's playground.
• 1944: The Heathrow Airport project began. Sipson Farm lost most of its land south of the Bath Road.
• 1965: The M4 motorway opened near Sipson. The motorway and airport roads took even more of the farm's land.
• 1970: Sipson Farm closed down.
• Early 1980s: The farm buildings were taken down. New houses were built there, creating Russell Gardens.

Wall Garden Farm

Wall Garden Farm was just east of the Sipson crossroads. It was known for its orchards. High walls surrounded the orchards to protect the fruit from wind and frost.

• Early 1900s: Jonathan Smith, who used to live in Heathrow Hall, moved to Wall Garden Farm. He started a jam factory there. He used the many fruits grown in the area. His son, Frederick, later ran the jam factory. Today, Kenwood Close, a street in Sipson, is where the jam factory used to be.
• 1970: Most of the fruit trees at Wall Garden Farm had been removed.
• 2004: Wall Garden Farm was being used as a car park for Heathrow Airport.

King William IV Pub

The King William IV public house is at the Sipson crossroads. It was built in the 1500s and changed over time. It was updated in the 1930s. This building is a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historical building.

Gravel Excavation

Many companies that dig for gravel own land in Harmondsworth, Sipson, and Harlington. They are allowed to dig for gravel and sand. But they must promise to return the land to its original state for agriculture afterwards. This land is often used for growing wheat before and after the gravel is removed.

Other Historical Notes

• 1923: Sipson Way, a road, was built.

Notable Buildings in Sipson

Famous People from Sipson

• Lionel Robbins (1898–1984) was a very important economist. He was born in Sipson.

Places Near Sipson

Nearest places

	West Drayton	West Drayton	Hayes
	Harmondsworth		Harlington
		Sipson
	across Heathrow Airport Stanwell	across Heathrow Airport Bedfont	across Heathrow Airport Hatton