Coordinates: 51°31′48″N 0°20′56″W / 51.5299°N 0.3488°W / 51.5299; -0.3488

Greenford is a large suburb in the London Borough of Ealing in west London, UK. It is an ancient parish in the historic county of Middlesex. It is approximately 11 miles (18 km) from Charing Cross in Central London.

Nearby places include Yeading, Hanwell, Perivale, Southall, Northolt, Ealing, Sudbury, Harrow and Wembley. The most prominent landmarks in the suburb are Horsenden Hill, 279 feet (85 m) above sea level; the small Parish Church of Holy Cross (14th century); and Betham House, built by Edward Betham (c. 1780).

Toponymy

The name is first recorded in 848 as Grenan forda. It is formed from the Old English 'grēne' and 'ford' and means 'place at the green ford'. Greenford was known as Great Greenford in order to distinguish it from Little Greenford, which is now known as Perivale. The affixes 'Magna' and 'Parva' have also been used to denote the difference.

History

Industrial

Greenford is considered to be birthplace of the modern organic chemical industry, as it was at William Perkin's chemical factory in North Greenford, by the Grand Union Canal, that the world's first aniline dye was discovered in March 1856. Perkin called his amazing discovery 'mauveine'. Today there is a blue plaque marking the spot in Oldfield Lane North, just south of the Black Horse public house. Until 2013/14, Greenford was the home to the Hovis factory. The former Rockware glassworks on the canal is commemorated by Rockware Avenue. Greenford formed part of Greenford Urban District from 1894 to 1926 and was then absorbed by the Municipal Borough of Ealing.