Did you know that...
The first recording that mentions Pinner comes from 1213. Pinnora, as it was spelled back then, was a West London hamlet. The name derives from the River Pinn and “ora” which means hill. The temporary dam near Pinner Street supplied the necessary water to put out the fires from air raids in World War II. Pinner is the site of a famous annual street fair. This historic event first took place in May 1336. Edward III issued a royal charter that allowed this event. The 1973 movie Metro-Land features the fair.
St. John the Baptist church is one of the oldest HA5 buildings. It dates from the 14th century and it is a grade II listed building. The churchyard has two notable graves. Poet Henry James Pye and resident William Skenelsby who died at the age of 118 rest in the churchyard. The church features a 17th-century oak chest, a 15th-century baptismal font, and 17th-century altar rails. The south side of the churchyard has a stone pyramid built by John Claudius Loudon to honor his parents. Loudon was an 18th-century botanist that used the word arboretum for the first time when referring to a garden of trees. The 15th-century East End Farm Cottage is another old building.
The town formed around the church and rapidly grew after 1923. Several garden estates were built. The area that surrounds the historic part of the town is known as Pinnerwood and includes several buildings of architectural importance. Elm Park Court is a 1930s grade II listed building. It is one of the many Art Deco homes. This HA5 area was a filming location for May to December sitcom, Birds of a Feather TV series, The Theory of Everything movie, Nowhere Boy movie, and Aquila children’s program. It’s also the setting for My Hero and The Inbetweeners sitcoms.
