Ealing is a major
suburban district of west
London, England and the administrative centre of the
London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of
Charing Cross and around from the
City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the
London Plan. It was historically a rural village in the county of
Middlesex and formed an ancient parish. Improvement in communications with London, culminating with the opening of the railway station in 1838, shifted the local economy to market garden supply and eventually to suburban development.