I don’t often run through Elthorne Park itself although I often skirt the edge of it as I run along the canal path. However it is an interesting park to run in. There are lots of things to look at. Today I took a detour from the canal to run a couple of times round the park. Although not a particularly nice day – a bit grey and gloomy – the autumn colours of the trees brightened the outlook.
Elthorne Park as it is today was opened in 1910. The name Elthorne goes back at least 1,000 years, mentioned in the Domesday Book as one of the six Hundreds of the shire of Middlesex. Hundreds were part of a system of local government in Saxon times. The name Elthorne comes from Ella’s Thorn Tree, which I think sounds very romantic – who was Ella I wonder?
The land was later owned by the Earl of Jersey based at Osterley House. In the 20th century some land was sold, including the farm land that now constitutes Elthorne Park itself, and the playing fields and land known as Elthorne Rough. Some of this area was used as a landfill site in the 19th century and as a result is quite high above the canal.
At the entrance to the park is a large sarsen stone. Sarsen stones are truly ancient stones – in this case more than 50 million years old! They are formed from sand cemented into rocks. Because they are so hard they resist erosion by the surrounding layers of sediment. The stones were washed into the area probably about 400,000 years ago at the end of an ice age, carried by meltwater. Where exactly the stone ended up is a matter of debate. After reading various websites (see end of post for bibliography) the most plausible explanation, geologically and socially, is that it was originally deposited on Hanger Hill which is about 3 miles (5km) away. It arrived (via human effort) in Hanwell sometime after – possibly in Saxon times – and was then excavated locally during building work.
November 2019
The word sarsen comes from two Anglo Saxon words sar, meaning troublesome, and stan, meaning stone. Troublesome? Perhaps because they are so big and heavy to shift? Or perhaps because it was a mystery how they had got there, these enormous heavy stones with no apparent connection to local geology.
Another feature in the park is a major contrast in every way to the sarsen stone. The bandstand. I am a great fan of brass bands, and very sad that I never saw the famous Hanwell Silver Band play live in the bandstand. I do have 2 vinyl LPs of their music which provide cheer and happiness when I’m feeling a bit glum. The band have a great history dating from their formation in 1891. They were known by different names but my favourite is the Hanwell Silver Prize Band, because they won so many prizes.
Photo fromWikipedia
(Photo from here)
They also played on Peter Skellern’s You’re a Lady in 1973. Follow the link and have a listen! In 1978 the band played on Terry Wogan’s hit The Floral Dance. I found a home video from 1999, which is just before they folded forever in 2001, playing a cheerful rumba in the bandstand. Why don’t we have bands playing in the park anymore? I think it would be great investment for local authorities who want to get more people outside using parks, and would encourage young people to take up playing brass instruments.
Today the park is used for many purposes. There are football pitches, 11 a side and 5 a side; tennis courts; outdoor gym equipment; children’s play areas. It is also the site for the Hanwell Carnival every June. As a little detour from the canal path it makes a nice change, especially as one of the paths from the canal takes you through the woods. Maybe spring is a prettier time to visit though!
Websites used to inform this post ( any misinterpretation/ misinformation/ misunderstanding is totally my doing):
Click to access Guide-citations-for-SGIs-2017.pdf
http://www.middlesexfederation.com/middlesex-boroughs/the-hundreds
http://www.mazefind.co.uk/cgi-bin/cms/ohra.pl?content_id=1239888889&session_id=
http://londongardensonline.org.uk/gardens-online-record.php?ID=EAL016
Eat Cake And Run 
This is very interesting Emily.
Sir Edward Maufe was the brilliant architect of the (former) deaf churches of Acton and Clapham.
I once worked for a great-granddaughter of Eric Gill. She explained his story to me. There was a map exhibition in Ealing Library by Eric’s brother MacDonald Gill before it closed and eventually re-opened as Pitzhanger Manor.
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Ive passed the deaf church in Acton many times, and now you have pointed it out I can see the similarities.
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