Ealing has many parks and publicly accessible open spaces, and these, together with the many tree-lined streets have earned it the title "Queen of the Suburbs". Much of this is down to the architect Charles Jones who is usually described as Ealing's first borough surveyor, at first doing freelance work for the borough from 1863, and then employed on a salary from 1882 until 1913. He made many improvements in the borough and designed many local buildings - most notably the town hall.
Horsenden Hill
At 85 metres (279 feet) above sea level, Horsenden Hill is the highest point in the borough. It is a popular spot for general recreation and I remember when our children were small it was where we went to fly kites. There are pleasant woodland trails on its lower slopes, and you get some views over the surrounding area although on my most recent visit the trees seemed larger thus obscuring some of the views. But I did get a clear view of Wembley Stadium, with the grand arch erected in the latest rebuilding. The view above looks more or less south west and takes in the more industrial part of Greenford. The open summit area is seen in the photo (right).
Ealing Common
Ealing common is a large flat open area located mainly to the south west of the busy junction where the Uxbridge Road meets the North Circular Road. Although mostly open, there are some interesting trees, and several avenues, presumably planted when Charles Jones was borough surveyor. At the time of writing (December 2021) it appears that aditional rows of trees have been planted relatively recently. Being a large flat area that is easily accessible, the common is occasionally used by visiting fairgrounds and circuses.
Walpole Park
This large park immediately behind Pitzhanger Manor used to be part of the manor’s grounds.
The park is a popular area for exercise and general recreation, and is also the venue for the Ealing summer festivals, which include Comedy, Blues and Jazz plus other events during the summer holidays.
Also in Walpole Park is this memorial to Charles Jones, variously borough surveyer and later architect to Ealing. It is located next to the north wall of the park just behind the Manor building, where a small memorial garden has been created. More recently, two memorial plaques (seen below) have been erected in the garden, one commemortating members of the Windrush generation who made their homes in the borough, and one commemorating the 1807 Act of Parliament abolishing slavery.
Montpelier Park
One of my favourite parks in Ealing, although it is quite small, is Montpelier Park. It was originally the grounds of the Princess Helena College, a girls’ school which moved to Ealing from Regents Park in 1882. After it moved again (to Hertfordshire) in 1933, Helena Court was built at the western end of the grounds, and Montpelier Primary school was eventually built at the eastern end (where the original building appears to have been sited). Although there has been some further building on the original grounds, the remainder is still an attractive setting with a wide variety of trees which form a small arboretum.
