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St Mary's, Hanwell

The parish church on Church Road, with a church on the site since at least the 12th century.

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St Mary's stands at the end of Church Road, above the River Brent and Brent Lodge Park. It is Hanwell's parish church and is listed Grade II*.

Timeline

  1. Mid-1100sThe first time a church is known to have been at Hanwell. (VCH)
  2. c. 1187Henry of Bayeux, the first known rector, is instituted. He held Greenford and Hanwell together. (VCH)
  3. 1781The medieval church, about 67 feet long, is pulled down because it is too small for the growing population. (VCH)
  4. 1782A brick church designed by Thomas Hardwick opens in its place. (VCH)
  5. 1786Jonas Hanway, traveller, writer and charity founder, best known for promoting the umbrella, dies; he is buried in the churchyard. (Ealing Council)
  6. 1806John Diamond, a blind scholar, is buried here. A wall tablet of the same year to Margaret Emma Orde by P. M. van Gelder survives inside. (Ealing Council; Historic England)
  7. 1841–42The present church is built to designs by George Gilbert Scott and Moffat, in flint with brick dressings and a broach spire, and consecrated in 1842. Scott later called his work of this period "a mass of horrors". (Historic England; VCH)
  8. 1898A chancel by W. Pywell is added. (Historic England)
  9. 1912The church is badly damaged by fire. (VCH)

Visiting

Boles Meadow, a nature conservation area, lies below the church; Ealing Council's parks pages describe it as part of the Brent River Park (Ealing Council). For services and opening, see how to find service times.

Sources: British History Online: Victoria County History, Middlesex vol. 3: Hanwell, churches, Historic England: Church of St Mary, Church Road, list entry 1079453, Ealing Council: Hanwell local history, Ealing Council: Hanwell parks: other parks in Hanwell. Last checked 24 Oct 2026.