Harlesden
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| Harlesden | |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference: | TQ215835 |
| Administration | |
| London borough: | Brent |
| County level: | Greater London |
| Region: | London |
| Constituent country: | England |
| Sovereign state: | United Kingdom |
| Other | |
| Ceremonial county: | Greater London |
| Historic county: | Middlesex (1965) |
| Services | |
| Police force: | Metropolitan Police |
| Fire brigade: | London Fire Brigade |
| Ambulance service: | London Ambulance |
| Post office and telephone | |
| Post town: | LONDON |
| Postal district: | NW10 |
| Dialling code: | 020 |
| Politics | |
| UK Parliament: | |
| London Assembly: | Brent and Harrow |
| European Parliament: | London |
| London | List of places in London | |
Contents |
[edit] Location
Harlesden is a district in the London Borough of Brent. It is around 4 Miles from Central London and will lie just outside the Congestion Charge zone when it getS extended westward in Febrary 2007. Its main focal point is the Jubilee Clock which commemorates Queen Victoria's Jubilee. The population is primarily made up of people of Afro-Caribbean heritage but also has a large number of Irish Catholic and Guyanese families.
[edit] History
In the 19th century, Harlesden began to take on some of its urban appearance, with the arrival of the railways. Willesden Junction, Kensal Green and Harlesden stations all had an effect on the developing village. Cottages for railway workers were built, as was grander housing for the local middle class.
As London swallowed the old Willesden Parish, Harlesden lost its rurality, with factories replacing farms and woodland. From World War One, low cost housing spread across the area, filling in the gaps between surrounding villages. Harlesden quickly became part of the sprawling, London conurbation. One of Europe's Biggest Industrial Estates was constructed in nearby Park Royal.
The Harlesden we know today began to take shape throughout the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Immigration from the Caribbean, Indian sub-continent and Africa radically changed the racial and cultural make up of the area. Harlesden never suffered the problems of racial tension or rioting like Brixton or Notting Hill. In recent years, however Harlesden been the subject of a documentary. Most of the houses are Victorian terraces and parking is controlled by parking permits.
[edit] Today
Harlesden is a very busy place. It still has gun crime and poverty with the usual high street stores on the main road as well as local stores which cater for the local population. It has a massive football fan base for QPR and Arsenal, with various links to both clubs. It has two train stations with regular underground and national rail train services and is also a short distance away from Neasden Station, which has links for The City, Canary Wharf and The Olympic Park in Stratford. The area is slowly becoming regenerated and moving away from its crime ridden past. The area's demographics are changing with new clubs, bars, restaraunts and shops moving into the area.
[edit] Public Transport
Harlesden has good Transport links. It has bus routes 18, 187, 206, 220, 224, 226, 260, 266, 487 and PR1 running in the town centre as well as routes 6, 297 and PR2 running just outside. It has two underground stations, which also has national rail services as well.
[edit] Nearest Places
- Willesden
- Neasden
- Kensal Green
- Shepherd's Bush
- Wormwood Scrubs
- Acton
- Church Road
- Stonebridge Park
- Kingsbury
[edit] Restaurants
- The Fubar
- Cafe de Portugal
- The Harlesden Lodge
- Sams Chicken Shop
- Saapos
- J.J.C (Jamaican Jerk Chicken)
[edit] Tube stations
- Harlesden Station
- Neasden tube station
- Willesden Junction station
- Park Royal tube station
- North Acton tube station
- Kensal Green station
[edit] Nearby Tourist Attractions
- Neasden Temple
- West London Crematorium
- Jubilee Clock
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Harlesden"
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