Barnet
381026
224630883
2008-07-09T19:02:45Z
79.66.211.128
I removed reference to Barnet CC as it is not in encyclopedic language. If you want to include it, please spell out what Barnet CC is but please don't use statements such as 'children are the future'.
{{dablink|For other uses, see [[Barnet (disambiguation)]].}}
{{infobox UK place|
|country = England
|region= London
|population=
|official_name= Barnet
|latitude= 51.6444
|longitude= -0.1997
|os_grid_reference= TQ245955
|london_borough= Barnet
|post_town= BARNET
|postcode_area = EN
|postcode_district = EN5
|dial_code = 020
|constituency_westminster=[[Chipping Barnet (UK Parliament constituency)|Chipping Barnet]]
}}
'''High Barnet''' or '''Chipping Barnet''' is a place in the [[London Borough of Barnet]] in [[north London]], [[England]]. It is a suburban development built around a [[12th century]] settlement and is located {{convert|10|mi|km|1|lk=on}} north north-west of [[Charing Cross]].
==Geography==
The tower of Barnet parish church - St [[John the Baptist]] - at the top of Barnet Hill, claims to be the highest point between itself and the [[Ural Mountains]] 2,000 miles to the east<ref>According to "A New Survey of England: Middlesex" by Michael Robbins, 1973</ref>. However, the same has been said of numerous other points. Barnet Hill is a major hill on the historic Great North Road, although the modern [[A1 road|Great North Road]] runs along Barnet Bypass.
[[High Barnet tube station]] is the terminus of the High Barnet branch of the [[Northern Line]] and is the northernmost station on the line.
==History==
The town was the site of the [[Battle of Barnet]] in [[1471]], where [[Yorkist]] troops led by King [[Edward IV of England|Edward IV]] killed the rebellious "Kingmaker" [[Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick]] and Warwick's brother, [[John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu]].
It is the site of an ancient and well-known [[horse fairs|horse fair]], hence the [[Cockney rhyming slang]] of "Barnet" for "hair". The fair dates back to 1588 when [[Queen Elizabeth I]] granted a charter to the Lord of the Manor of Barnet the right to hold a twice yearly fair.<ref>[http://www.barnet4u.co.uk/Barnet%20History/barnetfair.html www.barnet4u.co.uk] - Barnet Fair</ref>
Chipping Barnet was historically a [[civil parish]] of [[Hertfordshire]] and formed part of the [[Barnet Urban District]] from 1894. This parish was abolished in 1965 and the Chipping Barnet section of its former area was transferred to Greater London and the newly-created [[London Borough of Barnet]].<ref>[http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit_page.jsp?u_id=10037463&c_id=10001043 Vision of Britain] - Chipping Barnet parish ([http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/bound_map_page.jsp?first=true&u_id=10037463&c_id=10001043 historic map])</ref> In 1801 the parish had a population of 1,258 and covered an area of <span style="white-space:nowrap">1,440 acres (6 km²)</span>. By 1901 the parish was reduced to <span style="white-space:nowrap">380 acres (1.5 km²)</span> and had a population of 2,893. In 1951 the population was 7,062.<ref>[http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/data_theme_page.jsp?u_id=10037463&c_id=10001043&data_theme=T_POP Vision of Britain] - Chipping Barnet parish - population</ref>
In Saxon Times the site was part of an extensive wood called Southaw, belonging to the Abbey of St Albans. The name of the town appears in early deeds as 'Bergnet' - the Saxon word 'Bergnet' signifies a little hill (monticulus). Barnet's elevated position is also indicated in one of its alternative names ('High Barnet'), which it bears in many old books and maps, and which the railway company restored. According to local belief, though not verified, "Barnet stands on the highest ground betwixt London and York." The area was historically a common resting point on the traditional [[A1 road|Great North Road]] between the [[City of London]] and [[York]] and [[Edinburgh]].
At the turn of the 21st century, a tongue-in-cheek movement calling for the name Barnet to be changed to "Barnét" began to gain the attention of the public and the national media, with many public road signs in the area regularly being altered to contain the accented character.<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=506509&in_page_id=1770&in_page_id=1770&expand=true#StartComments Middle-class mischief-makers add accent to Barnet sign to give it French twist | the Daily Mail<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_7170000/newsid_7170800/7170800.stm?bw=bb&mp=rm&news=1&bbcws=1 BBC News Player - Residents change road signs<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/edgwarenews/display.var.1953113.0.barnet_by_any_other_name_is_irresponsible.php Barnet By Any Other Name Is Irresponsible (from Times Series)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>. Despite some support from residents, Barnet Council has been treating any such alterations to public road signs as vandalism.
==Church==
[[Image:StJohntheBaptistChurchBW.jpg|thumb||220px|St John the Baptist Church]]
Chipping Barnet Parish church of St John the Baptist (1560)
"''The town consists of a straggling street over a mile long, chiefly of small commonplace houses, with two or three shorter streets diverging from it. From its situation on the main road, as the centre of an agricultural district, the seat of a county court and petty sessions, and having a barracks close at hand., Barnet is a busy-looking place, and has some good shops; one or two excellent inns, Red Lion and Old Salisbury Arms, and an undue proportion of public-houses; but on the whole it is a shabby and not a very picturesque appearance"''
In coaching days, 150 stage coaches passed through Barnet daily. Since the opening of the railway, development has increased considerably, especially in the west of the area near [[Arkley]].
Barnet Church, St John the Baptist, which stands in what was the centre of the town, was erected by John de la Moote, abbot of St Albans, about 1400, the architect being Beauchamp. It consists of a nave and aisles separated by clustered columns which support four pointed arches; a chancel with an east window of good Perpendicular tracery; a vestry, built in the reign of James I by Thomas Ravenscroft; and at the west end, a low, square embattled tower. The living of Barnet is a curacy, held with the rectory of East Barnet till the death of the late incumbent in 1866, when the livings were separated. The town also includes parts of the parishes of Monken Hadley and South Mimms.
==Health==
Barnet is served by [[Barnet General Hospital]] which is run by [[Barnet and Chase Farm NHS Hospitals Trust]] as part of the [[National Health Service (England)|UK National Health Service]]. There is also a National Health Service clinic in Vale Drive (near Barnet Hill and [[High Barnet tube station]]).
==Education==
[[Image:Barnet-high-street.jpg|thumb||220px|Barnet High Street, viewed from the tower of St John the Baptist Church]]
===Primary===
*[[Barnet Hill School]]
*[[Christ Church CE School]]
*[[Cromer Road Primary School]]
*[[Foulds School]]
*[[Underhill School]]
*[[Whitings Hill School]]
*[[St. Catherines School, Barnet|St. Catherines School]] (RC)
*[[St. Marthas Junior School]] (Independent RC)
===Secondary===
*[[Queen Elizabeth's School for Boys]]
*[[Queen Elizabeth's School for Girls]]
*[[The Ravenscroft School]]
*[[St. Marthas Senior School]] (Independent RC)
*[[Susi Earnshaw Theatre School]] (Independent)
===Further===
[[Barnet College]] has one of its main sites in High Barnet (Wood Street campus) as well as other campuses throughout the [[London Borough of Barnet]].
==Shopping==
Barnet High Street is a busy shopping area, and includes a small shopping centre (the Spires) behind which is a bus terminus. Shops of note include two branches of [[W H Smith]], a medium-sized [[Waitrose]] supermarket, a number of [[coffee]] outlets and most recently a [[The Body Shop International plc|Body Shop]]. Over the past few years however there have been concerns about the closure of a number of premises in the High Street without replacement. This is a common concern in London suburbs where town-centre shopping areas can struggle to compete against larger shopping malls such as the nearby [[Brent Cross Shopping Centre]].
==Sport and recreation==
[[Barnet FC]] are the local football team, currently in Coca Cola league 2. They play at the [[Underhill Stadium]]. Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers is a local athletics club. Chipping Barnet has a [[List of King George V Playing Fields (Greater London)|King George's Field]] in memorial to [[George V of the United Kingdom|King George V]].
High Barnet is home to an [[Odeon]] cinema, the [[Barnet Museum]], the traditional annual [[Barnet Horse Fair|Barnet Fair]], the Ravenscroft local park and Barnet recreational park.
High Barnet today is a popular location for [[restaurant]]s and [[public house]]s. Among the cuisines and food choices on offer are Chinese, Thai, Indian, Italian, a French [[brasserie]], numerous [[fast food]] outlets and a [[pancake]] house.
A small nightclub operated for a few years in the 1980s in the premises now occupied by ''The Misty Moon''. The public houses in High Barnet include: ''The Misty Moon'', ''Toby Carvery'', ''The Kings Head'', ''The Monken Holt'', ''The Black Horse'', ''Ye Olde Mitre Inn'', ''After Office Hours'', ''The Hadley Oak'', and ''The Nelson''.
==Transport links==
===Buses===
* [[London Buses route 34|34]] - Barnet Church to Walthamstow Central bus/tube/railway station
* [[London Buses route 84|84]] - New Barnet railway station to St Albans
* [[London Buses route 84X|84X]] - New Barnet railway station to St Albans - school service
* [[London Buses route 107|107]] - New Barnet railway station to Edgware bus/tube station
* [[London Buses route 184|184]] - Barnet (Chesterfield Road) to Turnpike Lane bus/tube station
* [[London Buses route 234|234]] - Barnet (the Spires) to Highgate Wood (Sussex Gardens)
* [[London Buses route 263|263]] - Barnet Hospital to Archway tube station
* [[London Buses route 307|307]] - Barnet (Arkley Hotel) to Brimsdown railway station
* [[London Buses route 326|326]] - Barnet (the Spires) to Brent Cross Shopping Centre
* [[London Buses route 383|383]] - Barnet (the Spires) to Woodside Park tube station - Monday to Saturday except late evenings
* [[London Buses route 384|384]] - Barnet (Quinta Drive) to Cockfosters tube station
* [[London Buses route 389|389]] - Barnet (the Spires) to Barnet (Western Way) - circular service - Monday to Saturday shopping hours only
* [[London Buses route 399|399]] - Barnet (the Spires) to Hadley Wood railway station - circular service - Monday to Saturday shopping hours only
* [[London Buses route 614|614]] - Queensbury tube station to Hatfield Business Park - Monday to Saturday
* [[London Buses route N20|N20]] - Trafalgar Square to Barnet Church - night service
* [[London Buses route 626|626]] - Dame Alice Owens School (Potters Bar) to Finchley Central - school service
* [[London Buses route 634|634]] - Muswell Hill Broadway to Barnet Hospital - school service
===Tube stations===
[[Image:highbarnettubestation070607.jpg|220px|thumb|Victorian Architecture of High Barnet Tube Station]]
* [[High Barnet tube station|High Barnet]] - [[Northern Line]]
(trains run every 3-9 minutes to [[Morden]] via Bank, or to [[Kennington]] via [[Charing Cross]], from three southbound platforms)
Nearby:
* [[Totteridge and Whetstone tube station|Totteridge and Whetstone]] - [[Northern Line]]
===Railway stations===
There are no overground railway stations in High Barnet itself, but these stations are nearby/can be accessed from High Barnet by bus:
* [[New Barnet railway station|New Barnet]] - [[First Capital Connect]] ([[London Buses route 84|84]], [[London Buses route 107|107]], [[London Buses route 184|184]], [[London Buses route 307|307]], [[London Buses route 326|326]], [[London Buses route 383|383]], [[London Buses route 384|384]] buses)
* [[Oakleigh Park railway station|Oakleigh Park]] - [[First Capital Connect]] ([[London Buses route 383|383]] bus)
* [[Hadley Wood railway station|Hadley Wood]] - [[First Capital Connect]] ([[London Buses route 399|399]] bus)
==Notable residents==
*[[Reginald Maudling]] local MP [[1950]] - [[1979]]
*[[Cyril Bibby]], who in 1958-59 was the prospective [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] candidate opposing [[Reginald Maudling]]
*[[Robert Carr]] (Baron Carr of Hadley), Conservative politician
*Sir [[Sydney Chapman (politician)|Sydney Chapman]] local MP [[1979]] - [[2005]]
*[[Peter Banks]], 1st guitarist for the band [[Yes (band)|Yes]]
*[[Stephen Douglas]], Journalist, ITV
*[[Richard Baker (broadcaster)|Richard Baker]], Broadcaster
*[[Samuel Pepys]]
*[[Harold Hopkins]]
*[[David Livingstone]]
*[[Spike Milligan]]
*[[John Strugnell]] Dead Sea Scrolls editor-in-chief and Harvard Professor
*[[Humphrey Lyttelton]], who lived in nearby [[Arkley]]
*[[Norman Wisdom]], who lived in nearby [[Arkley]]
*[[Emma Bunton]]
*[[David Crawley]]
*[[Stephanie Beacham]]
*[[William Cattley]] a popular orchid species ''cattleya'' was named after him due to his successful cultivation of lavender colored ''Cattleya'' Labiata
*[[Seance on a Wet Afternoon]] is a film set partly in Barnet
*[[Vincent Tewson]]
*[[Lee Thompson]] (Madness sax player) lives in Barnet
*[[Elaine Paige]] was raised in Barnet
*[[Kingsley Amis]] lived in Barnet with his son [[Martin Amis]]
==Nearest places==
*[[Monken Hadley]]
*[[Battle of Barnet]]
*[[Hadley Wood]]
*[[Arkley]]
*[[East Barnet]]
*[[Friern Barnet]]
*[[New Barnet]]
*[[Totteridge]]
*[[Whetstone]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.barnetsociety.org.uk/ The Barnet Society]
* [http://www.barnetsymphony.org.uk/ Barnet Symphony Orchestra]
* [http://www.barnetyha.org/ Barnet YHA local group]
{{LB Barnet}}
{{London Districts}}
[[Category:Districts of London]]
[[Category:Neighbourhoods of Barnet]]
[[Category:Orthodox Jewish communities in London]]
[[fr:Barnet]]
[[nl:Barnet]]
[[no:Barnet (London)]]
[[pl:High Barnet]]