Stanmore
Encyclopedia
Stanmore is a suburb
an area of the London Borough of Harrow
, in northwest London. It is situated 11 miles (17.7 km) northwest of Charing Cross
. The area is home to Stanmore Hill, one of the highest points of London, 152 metres (498.7 ft) high.
as Stanmere, the name deriving from the Old English stan, 'stony' and mere, 'a pool'. There are outcrops of gravel on the clay soil here and the mere may have been one of the ponds which still exist. By 1574 the area had become known as Great Stanmore to distinguish it from Little Stanmore.
opened in 1932.
Stanmore had an outstation from the Bletchley Park
codebreaking establishment, where some of the Bombe
s used to decode German Enigma
messages in World War Two were housed.
Stanmore was also home to RAF Bentley Priory
from where the Battle of Britain was controlled, also formerly to RAF Stanmore Park
, HQ of Balloon Command. RAF Stanmore Park closed in 1997 and is now a housing estate and RAF Bentley Priory closed in 2009.
was the 14th century St Mary's, built on the site of a wooden Saxon church which was itself probably built on the site of a Roman compitum shrine.
This building was replaced by a new one built on the current site consecrated in 1632 and dedicated to St John the Evangelist. Its ruin still stands near the present church which was consecrated in 1850.
supermarket. There are also popular eateries such as Prezzo
and Caffè Nero
situated in the centre of the town. Stanmore's extensive residential areas are leafy and predominantly affluent, with many residents commuting daily to jobs in central London
and the City
.
Stanmore Park is located at the foot of Stanmore Hill and right next to the local library. This is just one of the two outdoor leisure fields, the other being Whitchurch Playing Fields adjacent to Whitchurch First and Middle School
and opposite to Stanburn First and Middle School. The playing field hosts many Sunday league football matches on the vast acres of turf which are marked into individual football pitches with respective goal frames.
Situated on the border of Stanmore and Bushey is Stanmore Cricket Club, one of the oldest in the Middlesex county championship league celebrating 150 years in 2003 and is still successful at the present. The club has nurtured two famous cricketers who have played Tests for England in the last two decades; Angus Fraser
and Mark Ramprakash
.
Stanmore is home to Stanmore College (a government further education
establishment) and a local library run by the London Borough of Harrow
. North London Collegiate, one of the top public schools is in Stanmore. The suburb also hosts the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital
- known as RNOH - which is famed for its spinal unit.
, Jain, Jewish and Catholic
communities, including its local Synagogue, Stanmore and Canons Park Synagogue
on London Road (which has the largest membership of any single synagogue in Europe), an Islamic Centre, KSIMC Of London (Hujjat) and new Hindu Temple on Wood Lane.
routes serve Stanmore:
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
an area of the London Borough of Harrow
London Borough of Harrow
The London Borough of Harrow is a London borough of north-west London. It borders Hertfordshire to the north and other London boroughs: Hillingdon to the west, Ealing to the south, Brent to the south-east and Barnet to the east.-History:...
, in northwest London. It is situated 11 miles (17.7 km) northwest of Charing Cross
Charing Cross
Charing Cross denotes the junction of Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square in central London, England. It is named after the now demolished Eleanor cross that stood there, in what was once the hamlet of Charing. The site of the cross is now occupied by an equestrian...
. The area is home to Stanmore Hill, one of the highest points of London, 152 metres (498.7 ft) high.
Toponymy
The area was recorded in the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
as Stanmere, the name deriving from the Old English stan, 'stony' and mere, 'a pool'. There are outcrops of gravel on the clay soil here and the mere may have been one of the ponds which still exist. By 1574 the area had become known as Great Stanmore to distinguish it from Little Stanmore.
History
Stanmore Village railway station was open for train services between 1890 and 1952. Stanmore tube stationStanmore tube station
Stanmore tube station is a London Underground station at Stanmore. It is the northern terminus of the Jubilee Line; the previous station is Canons Park. It is in Travelcard Zone 5...
opened in 1932.
Stanmore had an outstation from the Bletchley Park
Bletchley Park
Bletchley Park is an estate located in the town of Bletchley, in Buckinghamshire, England, which currently houses the National Museum of Computing...
codebreaking establishment, where some of the Bombe
Bombe
The bombe was an electromechanical device used by British cryptologists to help decipher German Enigma-machine-encrypted signals during World War II...
s used to decode German Enigma
Enigma machine
An Enigma machine is any of a family of related electro-mechanical rotor cipher machines used for the encryption and decryption of secret messages. Enigma was invented by German engineer Arthur Scherbius at the end of World War I...
messages in World War Two were housed.
Stanmore was also home to RAF Bentley Priory
RAF Bentley Priory
RAF Bentley Priory was a non-flying Royal Air Force station near Stanmore in the London Borough of Harrow. It was famous as the headquarters of Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain and the Second World War. The RAF Bentley Priory site includes a Grade II* listed Officers' Mess and Italian...
from where the Battle of Britain was controlled, also formerly to RAF Stanmore Park
RAF Stanmore Park
RAF Stanmore Park was a Royal Air Force station in Stanmore, Middlesex .-History:The unit was opened in 1939 and closed in 1997. In 1939 Balloon Command was established at Stanmore Park....
, HQ of Balloon Command. RAF Stanmore Park closed in 1997 and is now a housing estate and RAF Bentley Priory closed in 2009.
Parish Church
The first Parish ChurchParish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
was the 14th century St Mary's, built on the site of a wooden Saxon church which was itself probably built on the site of a Roman compitum shrine.
This building was replaced by a new one built on the current site consecrated in 1632 and dedicated to St John the Evangelist. Its ruin still stands near the present church which was consecrated in 1850.
Modern Stanmore
The suburb is characterised by numerous small restaurants and cafés, several public houses, many unique shops like a natural health store and boutique-style clothing stores. The centre of Stanmore is dominated by the presence of a large Sainsbury's supermarket and also a large LidlLidl
Lidl is a discount supermarket chain based in Germany that operates over 7,200 stores across Europe. The company's full name is Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG...
supermarket. There are also popular eateries such as Prezzo
Prezzo
Prezzo is a comune in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 40 km southwest of Trento. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 202 and an area of 3.8 km²....
and Caffè Nero
Caffè Nero
Caffè Nero or Caffè Nero Group Ltd is an Italian-style coffee shop chain primarily based in the UK. It was founded in 1997 in London as the Caffe Nero Group by Gerry Ford...
situated in the centre of the town. Stanmore's extensive residential areas are leafy and predominantly affluent, with many residents commuting daily to jobs in central London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and the City
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
.
Stanmore Park is located at the foot of Stanmore Hill and right next to the local library. This is just one of the two outdoor leisure fields, the other being Whitchurch Playing Fields adjacent to Whitchurch First and Middle School
Whitchurch Middle School
Whitchurch Middle School is a state middle school in Harrow, North London in the United Kingdom.The school was established in 1996 and has 360 pupils with year groups ranging from years 3 to 6. It is a specialist school in ICT and the headteacher is Tara Gratton. It has its own school e-mail...
and opposite to Stanburn First and Middle School. The playing field hosts many Sunday league football matches on the vast acres of turf which are marked into individual football pitches with respective goal frames.
Situated on the border of Stanmore and Bushey is Stanmore Cricket Club, one of the oldest in the Middlesex county championship league celebrating 150 years in 2003 and is still successful at the present. The club has nurtured two famous cricketers who have played Tests for England in the last two decades; Angus Fraser
Angus Fraser
Angus Robert Charles Fraser is the current Managing Director of Cricket of Middlesex County Cricket Club, and a former English cricketer and journalist....
and Mark Ramprakash
Mark Ramprakash
Mark Ravin Ramprakash is an English cricketer, playing for Surrey and England. A right-handed batsman, he initially made his name playing for Middlesex, and was selected for England aged 21...
.
Stanmore is home to Stanmore College (a government further education
Further education
Further education is a term mainly used in connection with education in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is post-compulsory education , that is distinct from the education offered in universities...
establishment) and a local library run by the London Borough of Harrow
London Borough of Harrow
The London Borough of Harrow is a London borough of north-west London. It borders Hertfordshire to the north and other London boroughs: Hillingdon to the west, Ealing to the south, Brent to the south-east and Barnet to the east.-History:...
. North London Collegiate, one of the top public schools is in Stanmore. The suburb also hosts the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital
Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital
The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital is a specialist orthopaedic hospital located in London, United Kingdom and a part of Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust...
- known as RNOH - which is famed for its spinal unit.
Ethnic & Religion
Stanmore has affluent, Christian, Shia Muslim, HinduHindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
, Jain, Jewish and Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
communities, including its local Synagogue, Stanmore and Canons Park Synagogue
Stanmore and Canons Park Synagogue
Stanmore and Canons Park Synagogue has the largest community of any single orthodox synagogue in the whole of Europe. It is a constituent of the United Synagogue...
on London Road (which has the largest membership of any single synagogue in Europe), an Islamic Centre, KSIMC Of London (Hujjat) and new Hindu Temple on Wood Lane.
Notable people associated with Stanmore
- Performer and musician BeardymanBeardyManDarren Foreman , better known as Beardyman, is a musician from London renowned for his beatboxing skills and use of live looping technology, and according to the BBC "King of Sound and Ruler of Beats".-Stage name and musical style:...
(Darren Foreman) grew up in Stanmore - Performer and comedian Matt LucasMatt LucasMatthew Richard "Matt" Lucas is an English comedian, screenwriter and actor best known for his acclaimed work with David Walliams in the television show Little Britain; as well as for his portrayals of the scorekeeping baby George Dawes in the comedy panel game Shooting Stars, Tweedledee and...
was born in Stanmore on 5 March 1974. He attended Aylward First & Middle School, and the Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' SchoolHaberdashers' Aske's Boys' SchoolThe Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School is a British independent school for boys aged 4–19. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and of the Haileybury Group.... - Queen AdelaideAdelaide of Saxe-MeiningenPrincess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and of Hanover as spouse of William IV of the United Kingdom. Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia, is named after her.-Early life:Adelaide was born on 13 August 1792 at Meiningen, Thuringia, Germany...
(1792–1849), queen consortQueen consortA queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of William IVWilliam IV of the United KingdomWilliam IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death...
, lived at Bentley PrioryRAF Bentley PrioryRAF Bentley Priory was a non-flying Royal Air Force station near Stanmore in the London Borough of Harrow. It was famous as the headquarters of Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain and the Second World War. The RAF Bentley Priory site includes a Grade II* listed Officers' Mess and Italian...
from 1848 until her death there. - George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of AberdeenGeorge Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of AberdeenGeorge Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen KG, KT, FRS, PC , styled Lord Haddo from 1791 to 1801, was a Scottish politician, successively a Tory, Conservative and Peelite, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1852 until 1855.-Early life:Born in Edinburgh on 28 January 1784, he...
— PeeliteRobert PeelSir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet was a British Conservative statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 December 1834 to 8 April 1835, and again from 30 August 1841 to 29 June 1846...
Prime MinisterPrime ministerA prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
(in office December 1852 – February 1855); was raised and is buried in Stanmore. - W.S. Gilbert — English dramatist, librettist and illustrator; buried in Stanmore.
- Robert and Ellen HollondRobert HollondRobert Hollond was an English balloonist and politician. He funded and then took part in establishing a distance ballooning record with Thomas Monck Mason and Charles Green. He later served as a Whig politician representing the constituency of Hastings.-Biography:Hollond was born in 1808 to...
lived here from 1847. He was a balloonist and MP, she found London's first crécheDay careChild care or day care is care of a child during the day by a person other than the child's legal guardians, typically performed by someone outside the child's immediate family...
. - Clement AttleeClement AttleeClement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, PC, FRS was a British Labour politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951, and as the Leader of the Labour Party from 1935 to 1955...
— Labour Prime Minister in the first post-war government; lived in a large villa "Heywood", which was later demolished and replaced by a small block of flats. - Brit-rocker Billy IdolBilly IdolWilliam Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
(William Michael Albert Broad), was born in Stanmore. - Football coach Dave BassettDave BassettDavid Bassett , also frequently known by his nickname of Harry, is an English football manager and a former player....
, was born in Stanmore. - Actress Linda HaydenLinda HaydenLinda Hayden is an English film and television actress, best known for her roles in 1970s British horror films and sex comedies.-Career:...
, was born in Stanmore. - Author/screenwriter Anthony HorowitzAnthony HorowitzAnthony Craig Horowitz is an English novelist and screenwriter. He has written many children's novels, including The Power of Five, Alex Rider and The Diamond Brothers series and has written over fifty books. He has also written extensively for television, adapting many of Agatha Christie's...
, was born in Stanmore. - Actor Cyril ShapsCyril Shaps-Biography:Shaps was born in Highbury, London; he was of Polish ancestry and his father was a tailor.He was a child broadcaster, providing voices for radio commercials at the age of 12. After grammar school and Army service he trained at RADA and then worked for two years as an announcer, producer...
lived in Stanmore. - Actress Patricia MedinaPatricia MedinaPatricia Paz Maria Medina is an English actress from Liverpool, England. Her father was a Spaniard and her mother was English. Medina began acting as a teenager in the late 1930s...
, second wife of Joseph CottenJoseph CottenJoseph Cheshire Cotten was an American actor of stage and film. Cotten achieved prominence on Broadway, starring in the original productions of The Philadelphia Story and Sabrina Fair...
, lived in Stanmore. - Actor Roger MooreRoger MooreSir Roger George Moore KBE , is an English actor, perhaps best known for portraying British secret agent James Bond in seven films from 1973 to 1985. He also portrayed Simon Templar in the long-running British television series The Saint.-Early life:Moore was born in Stockwell, London...
, famous for his role as James BondJames BondJames Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
and in The SaintThe Saint (TV series)The Saint was an ITC mystery spy thriller television series that aired in the UK on ITV between 1962 and 1969. It centred on the Leslie Charteris literary character, Simon Templar, a Robin Hood-like adventurer with a penchant for disguise. The character may be nicknamed The Saint because the...
, lived in Stanmore. - Footballer Theo WalcottTheo WalcottTheo James Walcott is an English footballer of Jamaican descent who plays for Arsenal and the England national team. Walcott is a product of the Southampton F.C. Academy. He is a striker who is usually deployed on the right wing as a wide forward to exploit his speed...
, current Arsenal and England player, was born in Stanmore in 1989. His family still live there. - Labour MP Keith VazKeith VazNigel Keith Anthony Standish Vaz, known as Keith Vaz, was born 26 November 1956 in Aden, Yemen.Keith Vaz is a British Labour Party politician and a Member of Parliament for Leicester East, He is the longest serving Asian MP and has been the Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee since July...
currently lives in Stanmore. - Oliver Mann, co-host of popular Podcast, Answer Me This!Answer Me This!Answer Me This! is a weekly comedy podcast by Helen Zaltzman and Olly Mann in which they answer questions submitted by the general public. Recorded in Zaltzman's living-room in Crystal Palace, it began in January 2007 and has since become one of the UK's most successful independently-produced...
. - Nigel Rothband, Chief Executive of Retail TrustRetail TrustRetail Trust is a charity based in North London which aims to support those working in the retail industry in the U.K. The charity runs a helpline and several retirement estates in England and Scotland, as well as giving educational bursaries and hardship grants.-History:Retail Trust was founded...
and former manager of the Great Britain Maccabiah cricket team currently lives in Stanmore. - James BordJames BordJames Bord, born 1981, is a professional poker player. Originally from Stanmore, U.K., he now divides his time between London and Las Vegas. His biggest victory was the 2010 World Series of Poker Europe main event, where he won $1,313,611. and became the first British champion of that event...
, professional poker player
Nearby places
- BelmontBelmont, HarrowBelmont is an area of the London Borough of Harrow.The area is named after the mound, constructed in the early 18th century by Henry James Brydges - Earl of Carnarvon and first Duke of Chandos. He had a summer house built atop the mound for the wonderful view...
- Wealdstone
- EdgwareEdgwareEdgware is an area in London, situated north-northwest of Charing Cross. It forms part of both the London Borough of Barnet and the London Borough of Harrow. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
Main bus routes
The following London busLondon Buses
London Buses is the subsidiary of Transport for London that manages bus services within Greater London, UK. Buses are required to carry similar red colour schemes and conform to the same fare scheme...
routes serve Stanmore:
- H12London Buses route H12London Buses route H12 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
Stanmore to South Harrow (via Hatch EndHatch EndHatch End is a place in the London Borough of Harrow, located north west of Charing Cross in Central London. The suburb is part of the Pinner post town.-Attractions:...
and PinnerPinner- Climate :Pinner's geographical position on the far western side of North West London makes it the furthest London suburb from any UK coastline. Hence the lower prevalence of moderating maritime influences make Pinner noticeably warmer in the spring and the summer compared to the rest of the capital...
) - 142London Buses route 142London Buses route 142 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. The service is currently contracted to Arriva Shires & Essex.-History:...
Brent Cross to Watford Junction (via EdgwareEdgwareEdgware is an area in London, situated north-northwest of Charing Cross. It forms part of both the London Borough of Barnet and the London Borough of Harrow. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
) - 324 Stanmore Station to Brent Cross (via Hendon Central)
- 340London Buses route 340London Buses route 340 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Arriva Shires & Essex.-History:...
Edgware to Harrow Bus Station - Night Bus N98 Stanmore to Holborn (via WillesdenWillesdenWillesden is an area in North West London which forms part of the London Borough of Brent. It is situated 5 miles north west of Charing Cross...
and Marble ArchMarble ArchMarble Arch is a white Carrara marble monument that now stands on a large traffic island at the junction of Oxford Street, Park Lane, and Edgware Road, almost directly opposite Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park in London, England...
) - Uno bus route 615 to HatfieldHatfield, HertfordshireHatfield is a town and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England in the borough of Welwyn Hatfield. It has a population of 29,616, and is of Saxon origin. Hatfield House, the home of the Marquess of Salisbury, is the nucleus of the old town...
(not a London bus route)