Kenton

The hamlet of Kenton was first mentioned in historical records as ‘Keninton’ in 1232. The name is believed to have originated from the combination of the Saxon personal name ‘Coena’ and the Old English word ‘tun,’ meaning a farm. The earliest public house in Kenton, The Plough, opened its doors in the early 18th century, although the current building is not the original structure. Another notable pub in the area is the ‘Windermere,’ which was built in 1938 and is now a Grade II listed building located on Windermere Avenue.

Prior to the 20th century, the settlement of Kenton was primarily concentrated around what was then known as Kenton Lane. The easternmost part of this lane still exists today as Old Kenton Lane, while the rest has been incorporated into the present-day Woodgrange Avenue and Kenton Road.

The London and North Western Railway opened Kenton station on June 15, 1912. Shortly after, on June 28, 1923, the Metropolitan Railway opened the nearby Northwick Park and Kenton station, which was later renamed Northwick Park. The opening of Kenton station marked a shift in the center of Kenton towards the Wealdstone direction, and by the 1920s, Kenton had evolved into a suburb.

Local building companies played a significant role in the development of Kenton. Thomas Francis Nash owned several building companies that constructed numerous private housing estates in the area. Another prominent local building company, F & C Costin, was responsible for much of Kenton’s growth between the wars. To this day, local estate agents often use the terms ‘Nash-built’ or ‘Costin-built’ to describe properties constructed by these companies in Kenton. The London County Council also contributed to the area’s development by building the Kenmore Park cottage estate during the interwar period.