Editing Ruislip (section)

===Early developments===
[[File:St.Martins Church, Ruislip - geograph.org.uk - 306559.jpg|thumb|right|St Martin's Church was built in the 13th century.]]
The parish church, [[St Martin's Church, Ruislip|St Martin's]], has been dated to the mid-13th century. An earlier church is believed to have been built during the Norman period, as a stone was found within the grounds with markings from that time. The name St. Martin is believed to have been given to the church by the monks of the Bec Abbey, after [[Martin of Tours]], a saint in [[Normandy]]. Before 1245, references to the church only name it as "Ruislip church".<ref>Bowlt 2007, p.10</ref>

The present church is said to have been built upon the insistence of the Proctor-General, William de Guineville, under the ownership of Bec Abbey, to serve the growing population. He used the priory at Manor Farm as his main residence<ref>Bowlt 2007, p.11</ref> The first recorded vicar was William de Berminton in 1327.<ref>Bowlt 1994, p.17</ref> The building itself has been remodelled in parts over the centuries and was substantially restored by [[George Gilbert Scott]] in 1870.<ref name="Newbery 28">Newbery et al 1996, p.28</ref> It received [[Listed building|Grade B]] listed status as an [[Anglican]] church in 1950, corresponding as Grade II.<ref name="Hillingdon listed">{{cite web | url=http://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/media/pdf/j/s/Listed_Buildings.pdf | title=Listed buildings | publisher=London Borough of Hillingdon | access-date=29 March 2011 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608193253/http://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/media/pdf/j/s/Listed_Buildings.pdf | archive-date=8 June 2011 | df=dmy-all }}</ref>

Under the ownership of the Bec Abbey, timber from the woods around Ruislip – Park Wood, Mad Bess Wood and Copse Wood – was used in the construction of the [[Tower of London]] in 1339, [[Windsor Castle]] in 1344, the [[Palace of Westminster]] in 1346 and the manor of the [[Black Prince]] in [[Kennington]].<ref name="Bowlt p.25">Bowlt 1994, p.25</ref> The woods were coppiced on rotation throughout the years with the timber sold to local tanneries. By the time King's College took ownership of the manor, the woods were let for sport, with pheasants kept for shooting.<ref name="Bowlt p.25"/>