London Borough of Harrow Tourist Information

Location:

The London Borough of Harrow can be found on the outskirts of northwest London. It is in Outer London, situated between The London Borough of Hillingdon and The London Borough of Barnet.

Facts and Figures:

Harrow has a population of over 206,000 in an area of 50 kmē, making it the 12th largest borough by area in Greater London. It has a 59% white population and 22% Indian ethnicity, the highest percentage anywhere in London

Harrow is the most religiously diverse borough in the UK. It is home to the highest density of Gujarati Hindus with a large Jewish community in Stanmore and Hatch End. The Stanmore and Canons Park Synagogue has the largest membership of any synagogue in Europe.

Harrow is best known for its public boarding school of the same name, which was founded in 1572 by Royal Charter, granted by Elizabeth I. It has since educated seven Prime Ministers, including Sir Winston Churchill. It has also been used as a film set for the Harry Potter films.

One fifth of the borough is given over to parkland and green open spaces.

Famous residents from Harrow include astronomer, Patrick Moore; comedian Ronnie Barker; musician, Sir Elton John and the first ever celebrity chef, Mrs Beeton!

Description:

Due to its distance from the city of London, Harrow is a genteel residential area, with plenty of parks and greenbelt areas. It is a popular dormitory area for those who commute into London to work, with an exceptionally low crime rate.

The borough has several shopping centres including St Ann's and St George's shopping centres, both in Harrow town centre.

Harrow also has some diverse business headquarters including Ladbrokes Turf Accountants, Kodak and First National Bank, among others.

Each year Harrow celebrates with a festival called Under One Sky. This multicultural celebration has a carnival parade, music, dance, sporting events, a world food zone and it hosts outside radio broadcasts.

Borough Attractions:

Harrow-on-the-Hill, where Harrow School is situated, offers three different tours of the area and gives a great background to the history of the school. It is a delightful hilltop village with a beautiful church and college buildings.

Pinner and Stanmore are more like rural villages than Greater London suburbs. They have a fine collection of beautiful buildings and interesting architecture which dates back to medieval times

The Harrow Museum and Heritage Centre is housed in a 14th century manor house with its 16th century tithe barn. It has an excellent collection of exhibits including Victorian and 1930s rooms.

Getting There:

Harrow is on the Jubilee, Metropolitan, Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines of the London Underground, or Tube, as it is known. It is also well served by local overground trains and buses.