Hanworth Park Management Plan - Hounslow.info

Appendix 5 - History of Hanworth Park
London Borough of Hounslow
Hanworth Park was created out of Hounslow Heath during the reign of King Henry VIII
and became a royal seat used also by Mary Tudor and Elizabeth I. At this time it was
a deer park. During the 1600s the property changed ownership several times, at one
time being owned by John Bradshaw, the man who presided over the trial of King
Charles I.
The original Hanworth Park House began as a royal hunting lodge. Henry VII used the
manor house as a hunting lodge whilst hunting on Hounslow Heath. On his death in
1509, the Manor passed to his son Henry VIII and became known as The Royal
Manor of Hanworth, and the house as the Palace of Hanworth.
On March 26th 1797, disaster stuck Hanworth Palace, when a fire destroyed most of
the buildings. The palace was totally destroyed by the fire. The rebuilding of
Hanworth Palace as Hanworth Park House, on a new site, commenced in 1798 and
was completed in 1802. It became a country house after extensions throughout 1828.
Now known as Hanworth Park House, it still stands today, with a west wing and clock
tower added circa 1860. Since then the House has changed hands several times.
The site was converted into an airfield in 1917 to accommodate Whitehead’s wartime
bi-plane factory. In November 1928 it was announced that Hanworth Park was
to become The London Air Park, and this opened in July 1929, providing a flying
school and local air services.
The house was used as a military hospital during the First World War and later as a
country club and hotel for members of Aircraft Exchange and Mart.
London Air Park gained notoriety for garden party fly-ins ('aerial tea parties'), air
pageants and air races, and the regular presence of celebrities such as Stanley
Baldwin MP PM; Louis Bleriot; Sir Sefton Brancker; Hon Mrs Victor Bruce; Barbara
Cartland; Sidney Cotton; Florence Desmond; Amelia Earhart; Bert Hinkler; Amy
Johnson; Mary Russell, Duchess of Bedford; Sir Philip Sassoon; foreign royalty,
diplomats, etc. On 5 July 1930, Hanworth hosted the King's Cup Air Race. On 18
August 1931, the German airship 'Graf Zeppelin' (D-LZ127) visited Hanworth. On 1
July 1932, it returned as part of a round-Britain tour, and next day operated paid
flights over London.
Hanworth Park (formerly Aerodrome) was also the site of the Cierva Autogiro
Company, Ltd. flying school which specialized in Autogiros. The school was the first
of its type in the world, and was established by the company that developed the
rotary-wing technology now used in all helicopters.
The airfield was active during the World War II and many aircraft and gliders were
produced nearby and were ferried into active service from Hanworth. Flying
continued into 1946 but the growing presence of Heathrow spelt the end of flying
from Hanworth.
Hanworth Park Hotel continued after the war Second World War until 1953 when it
was purchased by Middlesex County Council and opened in the mid 1950s as an old
people’s home. In 1965 its administration was taken over by the London Borough of
Hounslow. The house is now in private ownership. The property currently sits derelict
but very secure, is grade 2 listed, and access inside is not possible.
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