Chipping Barnet

This article is about the location in London, established in the 12th century. For the Parliament constituency, seeChipping Barnet (UK Parliament constituency).

"Barnet, London" redirects here. For the borough, seeLondon Borough of Barnet.

Chipping BarnetorHigh Barnetis asuburbanmarket townin northLondon,forming part of theLondon Borough of Barnet,England. It is a suburban development built around a 12th-century settlement, and is located10+1⁄2miles (17 km) north-northwest ofCharing Cross,3 miles (4.8 km) east fromBorehamwood,5.2 miles (8.4 km) west fromEnfieldand 3.2 miles (5.1 km) south fromPotters Bar.Its population, including its localitiesEast Barnet,New Barnet,Hadley Wood,Monken Hadley,CockfostersandArkley,was 47,359 in 2011.

Chipping Barnet
High Street
Chipping Barnet Location withinGreater London
Population	47,359 (2011 Census
OS grid reference	TQ245955
•Charing Cross	10 mi (16 km)SSE
London borough	Barnet
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BARNET
Postcode district	EN5
Dialling code	020
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
UK Parliament	Chipping Barnet Enfield Southgate
London Assembly	Barnet and Camden

Its name is very often abbreviated to justBarnet,which is also the name of the borough of which it forms a part; the town has been part ofGreater Londonsince 1965 after the abolition ofBarnet Urban Districtthen inHertfordshire.Chipping Barnetis also the name of the Parliamentary constituency covering the local area – the word "Chipping" denotes the presence of amarket,one that was established here at the end of the 12th century and persists to this day. Chipping Barnet is one of the highest urban settlements in London, with the town centre having an elevation of about 427 feet (130 m).

History

Chipping Barnet (parish) population

1881	4,283
1891	4,563
1901	2,893
1911	3,954
1921	4,154
1931	6,018
1941	7,845
1951	7,062
# no census was held due to war
source:UK census

The town's name, recorded asBarnetoin about 1070,Barnetin 1197, andLa Barnettein 1248, is derived fromOld Englishbærnet:"the land cleared by burning". It refers to the clearing of land in an area that was once densely forested.

In Saxon times the site was part of an extensive wood called Southaw, belonging to the Abbey of St Albans. Barnet's elevated position is indicated in one of its alternative names ( "High Barnet" ), which appears in many old books and maps, and which theGreat Northern Railwaycompany adopted for the railway station opened in 1872 (nowHigh Barnet tube station). The area was historically a common resting point on the traditionalGreat North Roadbetween theCity of LondonandYorkandEdinburgh.

TheBattle of Barnetin 1471 was fought at nearbyMonken Hadley,whereYorkisttroops led by KingEdward IVkilled the rebellious "Kingmaker"Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick,and Warwick's brother,John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu.This was one of the most important battles of theWars of the Roses.

Barnet Fairis a well-knownhorse fairdating back to 1588, which takes place each September.Queen Elizabeth Igranted a charter to the Lord of the Manor of Barnet to hold a twice yearly fair. The fair gives its name to therhyming slangofBarnet Fairorbarnetfor "hair".

The famousBarnet Marketis now (2024) nearly 825 years old. On 23 August 1199King Johnissued a charter for a market at Barnet to the Lord of the Manor, the Abbot of St. Albans, John de Cella.

A map of Barnet Urban District in 1935

Chipping Barnet was historically acivil parishofHertfordshireand formed part of theBarnet Urban Districtfrom 1894. The parish was abolished in 1965 and the Chipping Barnet section of its former area wastransferred from Hertfordshireto Greater London and the newly created London Borough of Barnet.In 1801 the parish had a population of 1,258 and covered an area of 1,440 acres (5.8 km²). By 1901 the parish was reduced to 380 acres (1.5 km²) and had a population of 2,893. In 1951 the population was 7,062.

Barnet belonged to theCountyof Hertfordshire until 1965, when under theLondon Government Act 1963,East Barnet Urban Districtand Barnet Urban District were abolished and their area was transferred toGreater Londonto form part of the present-day London Borough of Barnet.

At the beginning 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.

Religious sites

St John the BaptistChurch is a landmark for miles around and stands in what was the centre of the town. It was erected by John de la Moote,abbot of St Albans,about 1400, the architect being Beauchamp. Playing on its antiquity, it continues to call itself "Barnet Church", although this is not an official title. It is in fact the parish church of Chipping Barnet only, whilstChrist Churchis the parish church of High Barnet,St Mark'sis the parish church of Barnet Vale, St James's is the parish church ofNew Barnet,andHoly Trinityis the parish church of the Lyonsdown district. In addition,St Mary the Virginis the parish church ofEast BarnetandSt JohnofFriern Barnet.The parish church ofSt Mary the Virgin,Monken Hadley(rebuilt 1494) also has parish boundaries that include a significant part of High Barnet, including much of Barnet High Street.

St John the Baptist Church

Tomb ofThomas Ravenscroftin Chipping Barnet Church

Thelivingof Barnet is acuracy,held with therectoryof East Barnet till the death of the last incumbent in 1866, when the livings were separated. The parish of Chipping Barnet, served by St John's Church, was provided with achapel-of-easein Victorian times; subsequently Chipping Barnet parish was split in two, and the chapel-of-ease (on Bells Hill, Barnet) raised to the status of a parish church, dedicated to St Stephen.

Geography

Chipping Barnet is designated as a Neighbourhood Centre in theLondon Plan.

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 theUral Mountains2,000 miles (3,200 km) to the east.However, the same has been said of numerous other points. Since the opening of the railway, development has increased considerably, especially in the west of the area nearArkley.

For a London town, Barnet lies very high; the High Street is 427 feet (130 m) above sea level and the surrounding southern land no less than 295 feet (90 m).

Demography

Chipping Barnet town centre is covered by the High Barnet ward. According to the 2011 census, the population was 82% white (68% White British, 11% Other White, 3% White Irish). Indians made up 4% of the population, and all black groups made up 3%.The whole town is defined as the Chipping Barnet parliamentary constituency, which takes up the eastern third of the wider borough. This data does not represent the town as a whole due to the fact that it contains six other wards.

Transport

Bus 34 terminus on High Street

Barnet Hill is a major hill on the historic Great North Road. In coaching days, 150 stagecoaches passed through Barnet daily. The modern Great North Road replacement, theA1,runs to the west of the town along Barnet Bypass.

Tube and train

High Barnet Underground stationis on theNorthern linewhileNew Barnet railway stationis on theEast Coast Main Lineserved by services fromKing's CrossandMoorgatetoWelwyn Garden City.Totteridge and Whetstone Underground stationserves the affluent areas bearing the same name southwest of High Barnet town centre.Oakleigh Park railway stationserves the eastern extremity of the town. TheBarnet Tunnelis also in the area.

Public services

Chipping Barnet High Street

Barnet is served byBarnet Hospital,which is run by theRoyal Free London NHS Foundation Trustas part of theEnglish National Health Service.There is also an NHS clinic in Vale Drive (near Barnet Hill and High Barnet station).London Ambulance Serviceresponds tomedical emergenciesin Barnet.Home Officepolicing is provided by theMetropolitan Police Service.Statutory emergency fire serviceis provided by theLondon Fire Brigade,which has a station on Station Road, built in 1992.

Sport and recreation

Barnet FCis the local football team, currently in theVanarama National League,the fifth tier of English football – at the end of the 2017/18 season Barnet were relegated from League Two, and have remained in the Vanarama National League since. They played at theUnderhill Stadiumuntil 2012/13 but from the 2013/14 season are playing atThe Hive StadiuminStanmorein theLondon Borough of Harrow.They first reached theFootball Leaguein 1991 as champions of theGM Vauxhall Conferencebut lost their status 10 years later with relegation, only to return four years later – again as Conference champions.London Lions F.C.is also based in Barnet, near Stirling Corner, but the 1st team plays midweek and some cup home games atHemel Hempstead Town F.C.as its own ground is not floodlit and does not meet the requirements for some cup competitions. There are a number of amateur football clubs based in Barnet including East Barnet Old Grammarians and Ravenscroft Old Boys.

Barnet Cricket Club and Old Elizabethans' Cricket Club have merged to form one club in Barnet and currently play their games at Gypsy Corner. Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers is a local athletics club. Barnet and Old Elizabethans rugby clubs merged to form Barnet Elizabethans RFC, playing in Byng Road, Barnet, near Queen Elizabeth's School. Chipping Barnet has aKing George's Fieldin memorial toKing George V.Old Court House Recreation Groundis a park in High Barnet.

High Barnet has an Everyman cinema, theBarnet Museum,the All Saints Art Centre, the Ravenscroft local park and Barnet recreational park, a now disusedwellthat was frequented by, among others,Samuel Pepys,and manyrestaurantsandpublic houses.Local festivals include the traditional annualBarnet Fair,which was chartered in Medieval times, the High Barnet Chamber Music Festival, and Barnet Medieval Festival.

Local papers

The principal local newspapers areThe Barnet and Potters Bar TimesandThe Barnet Post,which was established in July 2021.

TheBarnet Pressoperated until 2017.

The Barnet Societyalso frequently publishes articles on local news as well as a quarterly newsletter.

Notable people

• Peter Banks(1947–2013), rock guitarist (Yes), was born in the town.
• Stephanie Beacham(born 1947) actress, businesswoman and former model, was born in the town.
• Geoffrey Chater(1921–2021), character actor, was born in the town.
• Lenny Cooper(born 1981), English cricketer
• Nadine Coyle(born 1985), singer, grew up in the town.
• Paul Freeman(born 1943), actor, was born in the town.
• Martin Furnival Jones(1912-1997) former Director General of MI5 was born here.
• Ravi Haria(born 1999), chess grandmaster
• Stuart Holden(born 1955), darts player, was born in the town.
• Mark Kermode(born 1963), film critic and musician, was born in the town.
• Nicko McBrain(born 1952), drummer, grew up in the town.
• Elaine Paige(born 1948), theatre actress and singer, radio host, was born in the town.
• Mike Skinner(born 1979), rapper, singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer, was born in the town.

See also

• List of people from Barnet
• List of schools in Barnet
• Church View and Church Cottages
• Church House, Barnet
• 53 Wood Street,agrade II listedhouse

External links

• Barnet Residents Association
• The Barnet Society
• Barnet (A Guide to Old Hertfordshire)
• Love Barnet
• High Barnet Chamber Music Festival
• Barnet Medieval Festival