Chipping Barnet
Chipping Barnet | |
---|---|
2011 Census[1] | |
OS grid reference | TQ245955 |
• Charing Cross | 10 mi (16 km) SSE |
London borough | |
Ceremonial county | Greater London |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | BARNET |
Postcode district | EN5 |
Dialling code | 020 |
Police | Metropolitan |
Fire | London |
Ambulance | London |
UK Parliament | |
London Assembly | |
Chipping Barnet or High Barnet is a
Its name is very often abbreviated to just Barnet, which is also the name of the borough of which it forms a part; the town has been part of Greater London since 1965 after the abolition of Barnet Urban District then in Hertfordshire. Chipping Barnet is also the name of the Parliamentary constituency covering the local area – the word "Chipping" denotes the presence of a market, 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
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 as Barneto in about 1070, Barnet in 1197, and La Barnette in 1248, is derived from Old English bærnet: "the land cleared by burning". It refers to the clearing of land in an area that was once densely forested.[2]
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 the Great Northern Railway company adopted for the railway station opened in 1872 (now High Barnet tube station). The area was historically a common resting point on the traditional Great North Road between the City of London and York and Edinburgh.
The
The famous
Chipping Barnet was historically a
Barnet belonged to the County of Hertfordshire until 1965, when under the London Government Act 1963, East Barnet Urban District and Barnet Urban District were abolished and their area was transferred to Greater London to 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.[7][8]
Religious sites
St John the Baptist Church 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, whilst Christ Church is the parish church of High Barnet, St Mark's is the parish church of Barnet Vale, St James's is the parish church of New Barnet, and Holy Trinity is the parish church of the Lyonsdown district. In addition, St Mary the Virgin is the parish church of East Barnet and St John of Friern Barnet. The parish church of St 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.
The
Geography
Chipping Barnet is designated as a Neighbourhood Centre in the London 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 the Ural Mountains 2,000 miles (3,200 km) to the east.[9] 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 near Arkley.
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%.[10] 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
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, the A1, runs to the west of the town along Barnet Bypass.
Tube and train
Public services
Barnet is served by
Sport and recreation
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. Chipping Barnet has a
Similarly to the cricket clubs, Barnet and Old Elizabethans rugby clubs merged to form Barnet Elizabethans RFC, playing in Byng Road, Barnet, near Queen Elizabeth's School.
High Barnet is home to an Everyman cinema, the
Cuisines on offer include Italian, French, Indian, Chinese and south east Asian. Amongst the most popular restaurants are branches of Melange and
Local festivals include the traditional annual
A small nightclub operated for a few years in the 1980s in the premises now occupied by the Butchers Arms pub. The public houses and bars in High Barnet include: the Butchers Arms, The Red Lion, the King's Head, the Monk, the Black Horse, Ye Olde Mitre Inn, the Hadley Oak, the Nelson, and the Sebright Arms.[13] The large number of inns in Barnet was a matter of note in Charles Dickens's novel Oliver Twist; it was here that Oliver met the Artful Dodger.
Local papers
The principal local newspapers are The Barnet and Potters Bar Times[14] and The Barnet Post, which was established in July 2021.[15]
The Barnet Press operated until 2017.[16]
The Barnet Society also frequently publishes articles on local news as well as a quarterly newsletter.[17]
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.
- Louis Blundell (born 1978), darts player, grew up in the town.[citation needed]
- 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.[citation needed]
- 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.[citation needed]
- 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.
Neighbouring areas
See also
- List of people from Barnet
- List of schools in Barnet
- Church View and Church Cottages
- Church House, Barnet
- grade II listedhouse
References
- ^ Barnet is made up of 3 wards in the London Borough of Barnet: East Barnet, High Barnet, and Underhill. "2011 Census Ward Population Estimates | London DataStore". Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
- ISBN 0-19-860957-4.
- ^ "barnet-market-and-fair". barnet.gov.uk.
- ^ "Chipping Barnet Ch/CP through time | Census tables with data for the Parish-level Unit". Visionofbritain.org.uk. Archived from the original on 6 January 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
- ^ [1] Archived 6 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Chipping Barnet Ch/CP through time | Historical Statistics on Population for the Parish-level Unit". Visionofbritain.org.uk. Archived from the original on 18 October 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
- ^ "Residents change road signs". BBC News. 3 January 2008. Archived from the original on 18 October 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
- ^ "Barnet by any other name is 'irresponsible' (From Times Series)". Times-series.co.uk. Archived from the original on 18 October 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
- ^ According to "A New Survey of England: Middlesex" by Michael Robbins, 1973
- ^ Services, Good Stuff IT. "High Barnet – UK Census Data 2011". UK Census Data. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016.
- ^ [2] Archived 27 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Barnet Society article". 5 January 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ "Things to do in London, London Events". Spoonfed. 26 August 2010. Archived from the original on 14 January 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
- ^ [3] Archived 25 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "The Barnet Post - Website".
- ^ "Hot stuff as Barnet hosts Chilli Fiesta". Barnet & Whetstone Press. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
- ^ "The Barnet Society - Website".