Harmondsworth

Harmondsworth is a village in the London Borough of Hillingdon, close to London Heathrow Airport. The village is south of West Drayton.

The nearest places are: Hayes, Harlington, Heathrow Airport, Longford, Sipson, West Drayton and Yiewsley.

History
Harmondsworth was mentioned in the Domesday Book, its name coming from the Anglo-Saxon Heremōdes worþ, meaning "Heremōd's enclosure", or Heremundes worþ, meaning "Heremund's enclosure".

Notable features of the village are:
 * The church of St Mary, with parts dating from the 12th century, There is an opinion that Heathrow Airport is legally responsible for maintaining this church's chancel, because the airport now owns land (formerly in Heathrow village) which in 1819 at the enclosing of the commons had been assigned in lieu of tithes used to maintain the chancel.
 * The Grade I listed Harmondsworth Barn, Britain's largest tithe barn, made entirely without nails. As of January 2012 the barn is owned by English Heritage.

Harmondsworth was originally a parish, with the name first recorded in AD 780 when King Offa granted land to his servant Aeldred.

Probably Harmondsworth's principal claim to notability is that from 1937 the offices and warehouses of Penguin Books were here. Thus, until the 1990s, all Penguin books published in the United Kingdom bore the publication location, "Harmondsworth, Middlesex," rather than London.

Local government
Harmondsworth civil parish also contained Sipson, Longford, Heathrow and Perry Oaks
 * 1894: Rural districts brought in. Harmondsworth civil parish was put in Staines Rural District.
 * 1930: Harmondsworth civil parish was transferred to Yiewsley and West Drayton Urban District
 * 1949: Harmondsworth civil parish was merged with Yiewsley and West Drayton.
 * 1965: Middlesex county was abolished. Yiewsley and West Drayton was transferred to the London Borough of Hillingdon, in Greater London.
 * Harmondsworth is currently (April 2012) in the Heathrow Villages ward, which elects three councillors on Hillingdon Council.

United Kingdom government
There are two UK Border Agency immigration removal centres in Harmondsworth: Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre and Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre.

Economy
British Airways is headquartered in Waterside in Harmondsworth. The building officially opened in 1998. An office of American Airlines is located at the Orient House (HAA3) within Waterside.

Harmondsworth has two pubs: The Crown and the Five Bells.

Education
Harmondsworth Primary School is in Harmondsworth.

Transport
The area is served by West Drayton railway station.