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Chipping Barnet
High Street
Chipping BarnetLocation within Greater 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
List of places UK England London 51°38′40″N 0°11′59″W / 51.6444°N 0.1997°W / 51.6444; -0.1997

Chipping Barnet or High Barnet is a suburban market town in north London, forming part of the London Borough of Barnet, England. It is a suburban development built around a 12th-century settlement, and is located 10+1⁄2 miles (17 km) north-northwest of Charing Cross, 3 miles (4.8 km) east from Borehamwood, 5.2 miles (8.4 km) west from Enfield and 3.2 miles (5.1 km) south from Potters Bar. Its population, including its localities East Barnet, New Barnet, Hadley Wood, Monken Hadley, Cockfosters and Arkley, was 47,359 in 2011.

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

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.

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 Battle of Barnet in 1471 was fought at nearby Monken Hadley, where Yorkist troops led by King Edward IV killed 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 the Wars of the Roses.

Barnet Fair is a well-known horse fair dating back to 1588, which takes place each September. Queen Elizabeth I granted a charter to the Lord of the Manor of Barnet to hold a twice yearly fair. The fair gives its name to the rhyming slang of Barnet Fair or barnet for "hair".

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

Chipping Barnet was historically a civil parish of Hertfordshire and formed part of the Barnet Urban District from 1894. The parish was abolished in 1965 and the Chipping Barnet section of its former area was transferred from Hertfordshire to 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 km). By 1901 the parish was reduced to 380 acres (1.5 km) and had a population of 2,893. In 1951 the population was 7,062.

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.

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 living of Barnet is a curacy, held with the rectory of 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 a chapel-of-ease in 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 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. 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%. 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

High Barnet Underground station is on the Northern line while New Barnet railway station is on the East Coast Main Line served by services from King's Cross and Moorgate to Welwyn Garden City. Totteridge and Whetstone Underground station serves the affluent areas bearing the same name southwest of High Barnet town centre. Oakleigh Park railway station serves the eastern extremity of the town. The Barnet Tunnel is also in the area.

Public services

Barnet is served by Barnet Hospital, which is run by the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust as part of the English National Health Service. There is also an NHS clinic in Vale Drive (near Barnet Hill and High Barnet station). London Ambulance Service responds to medical emergencies in Barnet. Home Office policing is provided by the Metropolitan Police Service. Statutory emergency fire service is provided by the London Fire Brigade, which has a station on Station Road, built in 1992.

Sport and recreation

Barnet FC is the local football team, currently in the Vanarama 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 the Underhill Stadium until 2012/13 but from the 2013/14 season are playing at The Hive Stadium in Stanmore in the London Borough of Harrow. They first reached the Football League in 1991 as champions of the GM Vauxhall Conference but 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 at Hemel 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 a King George's Field in memorial to King George V. Old Court House Recreation Ground is a park in High Barnet.

High Barnet has an Everyman cinema, the Barnet Museum, the All Saints Art Centre, the Ravenscroft local park and Barnet recreational park, a now disused well that was frequented by, among others, Samuel Pepys, and many restaurants and public houses. Local festivals include the traditional annual Barnet Fair, which was chartered in Medieval times, the High Barnet Chamber Music Festival, and Barnet Medieval Festival.

Local papers

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

The Barnet Press operated until 2017.

The Barnet Society also 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.

Neighbouring areas

v t e Neighbouring areas
South Mimms Monken Hadley Hadley Wood Arkley Barnet Oakwood Totteridge Whetstone Southgate

See also

• List of people from Barnet
• List of schools in Barnet
• Church View and Church Cottages
• Church House, Barnet
• 53 Wood Street, a grade II listed house

References

1. 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.
2. Mills, A. D. (2001). A Dictionary of London Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 12. ISBN 0-19-860957-4.
3. "barnet-market-and-fair". barnet.gov.uk.
4. "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.
5. Archived 6 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine
6. "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.
7. "Residents change road signs". BBC News. 3 January 2008. Archived from the original on 18 October 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
8. "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.
9. According to "A New Survey of England: Middlesex" by Michael Robbins, 1973
10. Services, Good Stuff IT. "High Barnet – UK Census Data 2011". UK Census Data. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016.
11. Archived 27 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine
12. "The Barnet Post - Website".
13. "Hot stuff as Barnet hosts Chilli Fiesta". Barnet & Whetstone Press. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
14. "The Barnet Society - Website".

External links

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

v t e London Borough of Barnet
Districts	Arkley Barnet Gate Brent Cross Brunswick Park Burnt Oak Childs Hill Chipping Barnet Church End, Finchley Colney Hatch East Barnet East Finchley Edgware Finchley Friern Barnet Golders Green Grahame Park The Hale Hampstead Garden Suburb Hendon The Hyde Mill Hill (including Mill Hill East) Monken Hadley New Barnet North Finchley Oakleigh Park Osidge Temple Fortune Totteridge West Hendon Whetstone Woodside Park Partly in the London Borough Cockfosters Colindale Cricklewood Muswell Hill New Southgate Abolished in 1965 Barnet East Barnet Finchley Friern Barnet Hendon
Attractions	artsdepot Avenue House Barnet Gate Mill Barnet Market Barnet Museum La Délivrance Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum Museum of Domestic Design and Architecture RAF Museum
Parks and open spaces	Arrandene Open Space Barnet Gate Wood Basing Hill Park Bethune Park Bittacy Hill Park Brent Park Brent Reservoir Cherry Tree Wood Childs Hill Park Clitterhouse Recreation Ground Coppetts Wood Darland's Lake Nature Reserve Dollis Valley Greenwalk Edgwarebury Park Friary Park Golders Hill Park Greenhill Gardens Hendon Park King George's Fields Long Lane Pasture Lyttelton Playing Fields The Mill Field Mill Hill Park Moat Mount Open Space Princes Park Monken Hadley Common Oak Hill Park Oak Hill Wood Old Court House Recreation Ground Princes Park Rowley Green Common Scratchwood Stoneyfields Park Sunny Hill Park Swan Lane Open Space Totteridge Fields Tudor Sports Ground Victoria Park Victoria Recreation Ground Watling Park West Hendon Playing Fields Whalebones Park Whitings Hill Open Space
Constituencies	Chipping Barnet Hendon Finchley and Golders Green
Tube and rail stations	Brent Cross Burnt Oak Colindale Cricklewood East Finchley Edgware Finchley Central Golders Green Hendon Hendon Central High Barnet Mill Hill Broadway Mill Hill East New Barnet New Southgate Oakleigh Park Totteridge & Whetstone West Finchley Woodside Park
Other topics	Brent Cross Cricklewood Coat of arms Council Grade I and II* listed buildings Nature reserves People Public art Schools
Category Commons

• Chipping Barnet
• Market towns in London
• District centres of London