Description
Friary Park is on land formerly around The Friary/Friern House, built in the C19th. The site was acquired in 1909 and opened as a public park in 1910. At the park's highest point is a large bronze statue of The Peacemaker, donated by Sidney Simmons JP and dedicated to Edward VII, who had died just before the new park was due to be officially opened. The park was laid out with bowling green and pavilion, tennis courts, putting green and playground, with more formal gardens around the house, now a café.
Practical Information
| Site location | Friern Barnet Lane/Torrington Park/Friary Road, Friern Barnet |
|---|---|
| Postcode | N12 9PD |
| What3Words | ///burn.mice.solo |
| Type of Site | Public Park |
| Borough | Barnet |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Facilities | Children's playground, tennis courts, bowling green, skate park, golf, café, toilets |
| Events | yes |
| Public Transport | Tube: Totteridge & Whetstone (Northern) then bus. Bus: 134, 234, 383, 634 |
| Research Updated | 1 June 2009 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Friary Park is on land formerly around The Friary/Friern House, built in the C19th. Friern Barnet is so-called, Friern meaning 'belonging to the Brotherhood', because the land here was in the possession of the Order of St John of Jerusalem between c.1199 and the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the mid C16th. Prior to this the manor had belonged to the Abbot of St Albans until it was given to the Bishop of London by William the Conqueror, upon which the deprived Abbot joined Hereward the Wake against the King. The site of Friary Park was acquired in 1909 and opened in 1910 although the official ceremony was cancelled because of the death of Edward Vll to whom 'The Peacemaker', the park's Statue of Peace was dedicated. This large bronze statue was donated by Sidney Simmons, JP, and stands on a rockwork plinth on the highest point in the park. Friary Park was dedicated on 7 May 1910 on the day following the King's death. The park was laid out with a bowling green and pavilion, tennis courts, a putting area and playground, with more formal gardens around the site of the house, now a café. A stream runs through the north of the park, crossed by a rustic bridge and numerous mature trees are found in the grounds, including oak, lime, hornbeam, horsechestnut and a line of London plane along the stream.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ272927 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 9.31 |
| Site Ownership | LB Barnet |
| Site Management | Leisure and Youth Services, Green Spaces Division/Friends of Friary Park |
| Dates | 1910 |
| Listed Structures | LBII: Statue of Peace |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Barnet |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Local Importance |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | Yes |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Area of Special Archaeological Significance |
| Other LA Designation | Premier Park |
Gallery
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Nearby parks and gardens
The land here once belonged to the Abbot of St Albans, later given to the Bishop of London by William the Conqueror, and in c1199 it passed to the Order of St John of Jerusalem from where the name Friern comes. When the Order was dissolved Henry VIII bestowed it to St Paul's Cathedral. The original church of St James the Great dates from the C12th; after 1853 it was rebuilt and enlarged to provide additional seating. The churchyard was enlarged a number of times in the C18th and C19th and although it has mature trees including oak and yew, some of its trees were felled in 1974. The church has been leased to the Greek Orthodox community and is now St Katherine’s Greek Orthodox Church.
This private golf course is on land that was once the site of the manorial estate owned by Lord Chief Justice Popham, and was visited by Elizabeth I. The estate was sold in c.1906 to the North Middlesex Golf Company, whose clubhouse was the C19th manor house. In 1928 the land was acquired as open space by the local Council who then leased it back to the Golf Club. A small circular hedged area with a WWI War Memorial in the centre is located on the edge of the golf course.
Lawrence Campe Almshouses were built in c.1612 to provide for 12 poor people, each of whom was given a monthly allowance of one shilling. The founder, Lawrence Campe, was a draper's merchant in the City of London. The almshouses consist of a row of seven two-storey red brick cottages set back from the road, fronted by lawn with country-garden style flowers against the houses and a simple white paling fence separating them from the road.