HOUNSLOW EAST, HOUNSLOW CENTRAL Piccadilly Line (Heathrow)
LONDON TUBE RAMBLES WALK (1½ miles)
HOUNSLOW EAST is situated in a somewhat run-down area under one of the Heathrow flight paths. Nonetheless, there are a few interesting buildings to see if you happen to be staying in the area (useful for the airport, whose planes will be your constant companion). As it happens, theTube station itself is a stunner. The original was replaced in 2002/3 by an exciting and elegant building (Acanthus LW Architects) with sweeping green roof.
On leaving the station, walk left (down Kingsley Road) and go towards London Road, passing a bus garage. When you reach the main road, go right for a few minutes until it divides. Straight ahead is the High Street, but you need to cross at a small green space to get to the left-hand fork (Hanworth Road). On the left is School Road which you should go down, walking past the the pretty Victorian primary school. At the T junction with Pears Road turn left. No.103 is Hyde House. Now converted to sheltered housing, this delightful building was erected in 1854 as a barracks. However, it does not have an institutional appearance and the row of yews in front of the house plus the trees in the small green space opposite make this spot an oasis in otherwise dreary surroundings. The brickwork at the corner of Pears Road is a delight. From the station to Hyde House is about ten minutes’ walk. 
To get to the funny little HOUNSLOW CENTRAL Station (15 mins from Pears Road) and, a little further on, an elegant house at the entrance of Lampton Park, return to the High Street. This is partly pedestrianised with trees and benches near The Treaty Centre, so it is really quite pleasant. There is also a modern church, Holy Trinity (W.E. Cross 1961) with impressive free-standing concrete tower. 
Continue walking until you reach the end of the High Street. Lampton Road is on the right. Go down this, passing a series of rather characterless buildings. When you come to Hounslow Central Tube Station (more about that later) cross over and continue down the road, now residential/small hotels, towards the park. Ignore the first set of green iron gates and turn into Clovelly Road. Here you will find a handsome Victorian house, now a Registry Office. Walk past the front of this and follow the path through a shrubbery. Ahead is the Hounslow Civic Centre. Zoom to the right past the enormous bright red brick car park as fast as possible to see The Lawn – a charming Regency house with typical verandahs. Now offices. It was owned by the Lampton family from which the park, once estate grounds, takes its name.
Return to HOUNSLOW CENTRAL Underground Station (1912). Anything less like a 'Central' station it would be difficult to imagine - the little dormer windows give it an almost domestic look. Inside is a lot of whitewash and some attractive blue tiles. From here you might want to go on to the next station, Hounslow West, for another barracks (still in use) and Hounslow Heath where there is a large Local Nature Reserve which nature lovers will find it rewarding at any time of the year. For details of the route click here
MAP
www.londontuberambles.co.uk
This is just one walk from the many to be found at London Tube Rambles. There are architectural gems, beautiful country views, historic places and quirky buildings to be found in the area covered by the outer London Underground stations. Usually the discoveries are within a mile of the Tube - often only five minutes walk away. If you reached this as an individual page via a search engine, you might like to click on the above link and see the other destinations explored. You'll be amazed at what's out there!
© DR
