Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
The origins of the church at Heston are unclear. Heston was part of Isleworth and the church may have been founded from the church at Isleworth. In the 11th century both churches were given to the Abbey of Saint Valéry, who endowed a vicarage by 1310. By the 13th century the parishes were separated and remained unchanged until 1835 when new churches were built and new parishes were made, reducing Heston parish in size. The Bishop of London held the advowson of Heston church in 1570.
The 15th century church of Saint Leonard was considered too small and in poor repair, and was re-built in 1865. Some effort was made to incorporate earlier features and it seems that 13th and 15th century stonework was reused, while the 15th century tower remains intact. A mission church was opened at Broad Walk in 1953.
From: 'Heston and Isleworth: Churches', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 3: Shepperton, Staines, Stanwell, Sunbury, Teddington, Heston and Isleworth, Twickenham, Cowley, Cranford, West Drayton, Greenford, Hanwell, Harefield and Harlington (1962), pp. 122-129. Available online.