020 8077 8968Being the main administrative centre and the historic heart of the borough of the same name, the present day district of Ealing is a fine residential area with a town-like character. From reputable moving services in Ealing to easy access to central London via tube and railway to local amenities that are actually going to make your life here quite pleasant, it may very well turn out to be one of the best places in the capital to settle down in today. Here are some random, but really interesting facts about the area that will further ensure your fascination with it, even if you are hearing about it for the first time.
The old inns and pubs
During the Middle Ages London grew in size considerably. More and more goods and people were coming in and out of the capital at that time. At that time transportation needed to be done with horses, which could only go for a number of miles a day. That prompted the construction of sort of “horse stations” at key locations around London. Ealing became one of those towns where merchants, post officers and travellers could change horses or spend the night at pubs and inns such as The Feathers, The Bell, The Green Man and The Old Hats. Some of which are still standing today and a great place to have a pint after work.
Ealing was one of the first fashionable Victorian Suburbs
The Railway prompted many changes in the urban development throughout the country, and in particular it was one of the main causes for the creation of Greater London. In the second half of the 19th century more and more middle and upper class people were moving away from the hassle of the City and preferred to settle down in what was to become examples of suburbs that were followed all over the world. Ealing became the first among those. Schools, roads and many new public buildings were constructed throughout the town. At that time the Ealing Broadway, the main shopping centre, also emerged. At one point Ealing was hailed as the “Queen of the Suburbs”.
The nearby Acton is heavily featured in pop culture
One of the bordering districts, Acton, is a very well known place for any pop culture buff. From a filming location for Monty Python sketches to the birth place of the punk rock band Dustin’s Bar Mitzvah and being featured in Hollywood blockbuster productions such as Aliens and Batman, Acton has many claims to fame.
The Ealing Studios
One of the main reasons why the town and nearby areas were so heavily used as filming locations is the fact that actually the district is home to the oldest film studios in the world. The studios have been in a continuous use since Will Barker bought the lot in 1902. Most recently BBC and independent productions such as The Importance of Being Earnest, St Trinian’s 2: The Legend of Fritton’s Gold, D-Train and Downtown Abbey were filmed here.