in 1874 Ickenham, a small parish north-east of Hillingdon and north-west of Hayes Northolt between Ruislip and Hayes Perivale, narrowly the bulk and extreme of the small eastern sub-projection Harefield, with Ruislip the northern projection Ruislip, with Harefield the northern projection. Parent parish of Eastcote and Northwood. It thus closely corresponded to the present London Borough of Hillingdon, plus the western half of the London Borough of Ealing. The eastern third of Ealing is mainly Ealing and Acton which lay in Ossulstone Hundred. Simplification of complex shapes Major roads and housing estates have simplified the borders of localities — as shown on each local street name sign in these boroughs. The complexity of many old parish borders of Elthorne hundred has been reduced. This is seen in the modern borders of the local Church of England ecclesiastical parishes, radically simplified. As to the smallest of old parishes most boundaries have greatly changed particularly Ickenham which has shifted west. Local councils have not gone so far as to redefine street signs on the basis of equal-electorate electoral wards. They locally take heed of a fusion of long history, wards and numbered postal districts. See also UB postcode area, a similar area but which excludes Ruislip and its progeny (particularly Eastcote and Northwood, see HA postcode area). Most of the UB numbered divisions are loosely based on the original parishes, redrawn for post service convenience. Harmondsworth by the 20th century attached to other Middlesex areas, such as the Staines Rural District which existed from 1894 to 1930. London Heathrow airport which took much of its area as well as parts of Hatton (a hamlet of East Bedfont) and Stanwell is in the TW postcode area under Hounslow post town. References and notes References Notes Hundreds and divisions of Middlesex History of local government in London (pre-1855) History of the London Borough of Ealing History of the London Borough of Hillingdon