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The suburban
town of Stanwell lies in the Borough of Spelthorne,
west of central London, half a mile from Heathrow Airport.
Stanwell
was once part of the former county of Middlesex but when most
of the rest of Middlesex became part of Greater London in
1963, Stanwell was transferred to Surrey.
The
ancient settlement, named after 'St Anne's Well', was mentioned
in the Domesday Book (commissioned by William the Conqueror
in 1086).
In 1603
the manor was granted to Lord Kynvett, who was responsible
for arresting Guy Fawkes in 1605. Fawkes is the most notorious
conspiritor of the Gunpowder Plot, which attempted to blow
up King James I and the Houses of Parliament in 1605.
In the
14th century church of St Mary's lies the marble tomb of Lord
and Lady Knyvett. The church, with its leaning spire, is
a disinctive landmark at the end of the green.
After
World War II Stanwell grew rapidly in size, mostly to provide
homes for workers at nearby Heathrow Airport.
To the
west of the town lies Stanwell Moor, bordered by the River
Colne. This area, traditionally used for agriculture, has
helped Stanwell retain its rural character.
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Stanwell
