Eastcote
| Eastcote | |
|---|---|
 The dovecote in the Eastcote House gardens |
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 Eastcote
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| Eastcote shown within Greater London | |
| Population | 12,142 (Eastcote and East Ruislip ward 2011) |
| OS grid reference | TQ115885 |
| London borough | |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | RUISLIP, PINNER |
| Postcode district | HA4, HA5 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| UK Parliament | |
| London Assembly | |
Eastcote is an area established around an old village in the west of Greater London and is part of the London Borough of Hillingdon.
In the Middle Ages, Eastcote was one of the three areas that made up the parish of Ruislip, under the name of Ascot. The name came from its position to the east of the parish.
While no historically significant events have taken place in Eastcote, there are links to past events in the history of Britain. One such example is of Lady Mary Bankes, who lived in Eastcote for a time, and led the defence of Corfe Castle in Dorset against the Roundheads during the English Civil War. Eastcote also housed an outstation of the Bletchley Park codebreaking activities during the Second World War, with several codebreaking computers in use. This operation became the precursor to GCHQ, which remained in Eastcote after the war until the department moved to purpose-built buildings in Cheltenham in 1952.
By the turn of the 20th century, the recorded population was around 600; this had reached 12,142 for the Eastcote and East Ruislip ward in 2007.
The town is sometimes referred to in its postal address as being part of Pinner, despite being in Hillingdon (Pinner being located within Harrow).
Eastcote was originally recorded as Ascot, one of the three medieval tithings of the parish of Ruislip, along with Westcot and Norwood. Norwood, in the north of the parish, became Northwood; Westcot, in the west became Westcote (the main Ruislip village), and Ascot, in the east, became what is now Eastcote.
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Wikipedia