Basic Facts about Ealing

Local Information about Ealing and West London

Find out what to do and see in the neighbourhood while studying at Link School of English

Our English language centre is situated in Ealing Broadway in west London. Ealing is a leafy residential suburb of London.

What’s Ealing like? 

Ealing is a diverse and vibrant part of London, known for its leafy parks, historic architecture, cultural events, and a thriving community spirit.

The district was developed in the Victorian period by the growing middle class moving away from the very polluted at that time centre of London. In Victorian times Ealing was named Queen of Suburbs and the name sticks to the present day. The London Borough of Ealing includes: Acton, Perivale, Pitzhanger, Northfileds, Hanwell, North Acton, Greenford, Northholt, Park Royal and Southall.

Around Ealing Broadway

Ealing Town Hall

Ealing’s Town Hall is a good example of Victorian Gothic revival architecture. The Town Hall was built in 1887 and extended in 1930s. Now it is a Grade II listed building. There are interesting and full of character interiors in it which host concerts, exhibitions as well as meetings of local authorities and societies and wedding ceremonies. Like many other Victorian town halls, the Ealing Town Hall was a statement of strong and influential residents of the area. Moreover the building was designed by Charles Jones, the town surveyor who left his mark all over Victorian Ealing.
Location: New Broadway, London W5 2BY

Ealing Studios

Ealing Studios is a television and film production company at Ealing Green. It is the oldest film studio and film production facility in the wold working continuously since its opening in 1931. Previously the Studios used to belong and were used by the BBC between 1955 and 1995 and currently are releasing films under its own name.

Amongst the many films produced here are: The Theory of Everything (2014), The Imitation Game (2014), The Importance of Being Earnest (2002), Shaun of the Dead (2004), Notting Hill (1999), Downton Abbey as well as TV productions, documentaries and music videos.
Numerous films makers have always operated here, so it is quite likely you will see the streets or parks of Ealing in movies. For example Ealing locations appeared in Doctor Who and Monty Python’s Flying Circus.
The Met Film School London also operates here.

Location: Ealing Green, London, W5 5EP

Ealing Studios in Ealing Green

Pitzhanger Manor House and Gallery

Pitzhanger Manor House & Gallery is a historic home and major cultural venue in west London. Equally important to its interiors, it holds excellent exhibitions of art, architecture and design by UK and international artists. The house is a Grade I listed building and was owned and designed by the famous architect Sir John Sloan.
Location: Walpole Park, Mattock Lane, London, W5 5EQ

Please note, Pitzhanger Manor House is closed until spring 2018 for major restoration project.

Ealing Questors Theatre

The Questors Theatre is the largest amateur dramatic playhouse in Europe. Since its foundation in 1929, the theatre has a reputation for achieving the highest standards. Moreover it explores the mainstream of modern and classical world drama. In addition you can enjoy there new, experimental or rarely performed plays.
Location: 12 Mattock Lane, London, W5 5BQ.

Ealing Library

Ealing Library holds a wide range of books, newspapers, periodicals, CDs, DVDs and audio books.
Location: 103 Ealing Broadway Centre, The Broadway, London, W5 5JY

For Arts Sake

This is an art gallery which exhibits work of contemporary artists, prints, paintings, photographs, ceramics and other forms of art. Many pieces of work feature London streets an life.
Location: 45 Bond Street, London, W5 5AS

Want to visit London Museums?

Check this list of 9 museums in west London

Shops, Restaurants and Pubs in Ealing

You can enjoy plenty of shops, restaurants, pubs as well as tea and coffee shops in Ealing Broadway. The main shopping area is situated in the Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre and around The Broadway, The New Broadway, The Mall, Bond Street and High Street. You will find there everything that you need for your everyday life in London: banks, clothing and accessories, technology, mobile phones, book shops, groceries and hairdressers. In addition, there are plenty of pubs, restaurants and cafes.
Hence of the many joys of Ealing is the variety of cuisine styles offered by the local restaurants, pubs and take-aways. We prepared for you our (subjective) selection of favourite places. We tried to choose examples of different types of places and cuisines.

Popular restaurants in Ealing:

• Korbisher & Malt – classic fish and chips with healthy grilled fish options too
• The Thai Canteen
• North China Restaurant in Acton Town
• Cote – French and European
• MoMo – Japanese restaurant very near our school
• Sowa – Polish restaurant and deli in High Street
• Santa Maria – one of the best pizzerias in London
• Zayka in South Ealing – Indian cuisine
• Persian Palace
• Persian Nights in Ealing Common
• Charlotte’s Place

Pubs in Ealing:

• The North Star
• The Rose and Crown in South Ealing – the best pub food
• Greystoke in North Ealing – where we hang out
• Sir Michael Balcon (Wetherspoons)

Coffee and Tea Shops:

• Electric Coffee
• Patisserie Valerie – ideal for tea
• Artisan Coffee

Parks in west London

Love nature and the outdoors? The west London area has plenty to offer. In the parks you can enjoy the greenery as well as explore natural and architectural heritage. In addition you can find there spots grounds, food and drink. We recommend especially these parks in west London:

• Royal Botanic Gardens – Kew Gardens
• Syon Park and House
• Gannersbury Park and Museum
• Osterley Park and House

Looking for more fun in Ealing?

Find Festivals in west London

History of Ealing

The first known record of the Saxon name of Ealing is from around 700 AD as ‘Gillingas’. Gillas meant ‘place of the people associated with Gilla’, the Old English suffix ‘-ingas’, meant ‘people of’. The name since then has changed to Illing, Gilling, Zelling and Ylling, before finally settling on Ealing in the 19th century.

Early history

The first recorded settlement dates back in the 12th century. The earliest surviving English census was conducted in 1599. It includes Ealing village with 85 households and the names of their inhabitants, their ages, relationships and occupations. The census is currently stored at The National Archives in Kew Bridge nearby.

Farmland and development of the area

The oldest settlements were located mostly along today’s St. Mary’s Road. It used to be a farmland where the crops being mostly wheat, barley and rye. The oldest church in the area, Church of St. Mary’s dates back to the early 12th century and was developed later in the Victorian times.
Later Great Ealing School was founded in 1698 by the Church of St Mary’s. Impressively by the 19th century the school was considered the best private school in England. Strong educational tradition continues till the present day. Large number of institutions in west London educate students from primary to university level.

St Mary’s Church and Rose and Crown pub

A Modern Victorian suburb

In the 1800s Ealing became the area of market gardens supplying London. With time villages grew into towns and gradually merged into one residential area. In addition around 1889 a water reservoir was built in Hanger Hill. At that time central London was experiencing huge difficulties in supply of clean drinkable water. Therefore the source of good water made Ealing more attractive than ever.

The fastest development of the district occurred in the 19th century and why many of the today’s area architecture comes from that time. A railway station opened on the Broadway in 1879 and was originally called Haven Green. You can still see the old station building next to Ealing Broadway station. After opening of the station many semi-detached houses, designed for the rising middle class were built as well as public buildings, roads and drainage system. New schools and shops opened too. On the way to Link School of English via Hamilton Road or Madeley Road you will see superb Victorian homes.