We start off in Maytrees Rest Garden, opposite South Ealing station. “May Tree” is an old name for the native Hawthorn tree, which starts flowering in May. A rest garden is a local Ealing feature – there’s another one at Warwick Dene – a place for “Those Requiring Rest”.
Turning left out of the park, we reach Roberts Alley. Roberts Alley was an ancient lane and, rather than beginning at modern Olive Road as it does now, it was the northern extension of Claypond’s Lane (Clayponds Avenue) running all the way up from Brentford. But this is the final section and it’s still here.
Where Roberts Alley ends, Baillies Walk starts – at St Mary’s Ealing church.
The St Mary’s architect kept the core of a 1740 church when it was rebuilt in 1866. The church tower is very imposing – flanked by smaller pointed cupolas over the side naves, an unusual idea that is inspired by Byzantine churches. It is quite a beautiful spot.
On early 19th century maps, Baillies Walk is marked as Bailey’s Lane – a small road running east from St Mary’s before reaching a fork where the modern path makes a northward turn.
The first stretch of Baillies Walk retains a semi-rural feel. The former market gardens and arable fields between the walk and the Piccadilly Line were turned into the Ascott Allotments. These 12 acres are the second largest allotment site in Greater London. They were set up in 1886 as St Mary’s Allotment.
Ealing boasts a first here: Ealing Dene to the west is the oldest existing allotments in what is now London, created in November 1832.
Ranelagh Road was built parallel to, and to the north of, Baillies Walk during the 1860s and the new houses had generous gardens backing onto Baillies Walk. The end garden walls of the Ranelagh Road houses survive to this day and form the northern boundary wall of the walk.
Baillies Walk turns sharply north at Queen Anne’s Gardens. Until after the First World War, the site of the Queen Anne’s Gardens was a small field between the eastern end of the allotments and the new Ascott Avenue. An ancient path ran southeast from this point and headed to Pope’s Lane. The building of Queen Anne’s Gardens during the 1920s put paid to the existence of this path.
Briefly we’re on Warwick Road before turning right into Ascott Avenue.
After the railway was built, London Transport noticed that whereas South Ealing station was extremely close to Northfields station, that there was a big gap between South Ealing and Acton Town. A plan was developed to close South Ealing and build a new station at the site of the bridge at Ascott Avenue. However, there were so many objections to the closure that the idea was abandoned.
Elderberry Road is the extension of Ascott Avenue south of the bridge.
We cross Pope’s Lane and enter Gunnersbury Park, walking east along the northern edge. We emerge back onto Pope’s Lane, cross it again and reach Gunnersbury Drive. Walk up this and. at the top of it, for no good reason since it’s in a standard house on the busy North Circular, is the North Korean Embassy.
Walk south along the North Circular and cross it into Tudor Drive. To reach Acton Town station, turn right into Carbery Avenue, left into Gunnersbury Gardens, left again into Gunnersbury Crescent and hey presto, you’re at Acton Town.