Description
Hendon Grove was formerly the gardens of Grove House, one of the largest houses in Hendon, built in 1753. In the C20th Hendon Town Hall (1900), the Fire Station (1911) and the Public Library (1929) were built on its grounds. Part of the gardens remain as a small public park, consisting of two lawns set in a shallow sunken area, into which are the remnants of steps. It is surrounded by mixed planting of mature trees, including exotic fir, holly, beech and horse chestnut, survivals from the earlier garden.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | The Grove; Grove House |
|---|---|
| Site location | The Burroughs, Hendon |
| Postcode | NW4 4BQ |
| What3Words | ///darker.axed.strong |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Barnet |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Tube: Hendon Central (Northern) then bus. Bus 113, 143, 183, 186, 271, 326. |
| Research Updated | 1 April 2002 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Hendon Grove, or The Grove as it is often abbreviated to locally, was formerly the gardens of Grove House. Situated just north of The Burroughs it was one of the largest houses in Hendon, built in 1753 but substantially altered in the C19th when it became a private mental hospital. In the C20th the Town Hall, Public Library and Fire Station were built on its grounds but part of the gardens remain as this small public park.
The Grove is entered rather inauspiciously by way of a rusty iron gate leading to a short tree-lined approach avenue from The Burroughs, now with only a few of the original trees remaining. The site is laid out as two lawns in a slightly sunken area to which there are the remains of steps down, with perimeter paths and cast iron benches and surrounded by mixed planting of mature trees, including species of exotic fir, holly, beech and horse chestnut, which are survivals from the earlier garden.
Hendon Town Hall, designed by T H Watson in 1900 (its name mysteriously changed to Finchley Town Hall on election nights in the 1980s), the adjacent Public Library by T M Wilson of 1929 and the Fire Station of 1911 by Herbert A Welch, are fronted on The Burroughs by a strip of ornamental planting. Between the Town Hall and Library is a sculpture, 'Family of Man' by Itzhak Ofer, a gift to the borough by the Rayne Foundation to commemorate the borough's twinning with the Israeli municipality of Ramat Gan. It was unveiled by Mary Robinson in 1981.
The Grove is entered rather inauspiciously by way of a rusty iron gate leading to a short tree-lined approach avenue from The Burroughs, now with only a few of the original trees remaining. The site is laid out as two lawns in a slightly sunken area to which there are the remains of steps down, with perimeter paths and cast iron benches and surrounded by mixed planting of mature trees, including species of exotic fir, holly, beech and horse chestnut, which are survivals from the earlier garden.
Hendon Town Hall, designed by T H Watson in 1900 (its name mysteriously changed to Finchley Town Hall on election nights in the 1980s), the adjacent Public Library by T M Wilson of 1929 and the Fire Station of 1911 by Herbert A Welch, are fronted on The Burroughs by a strip of ornamental planting. Between the Town Hall and Library is a sculpture, 'Family of Man' by Itzhak Ofer, a gift to the borough by the Rayne Foundation to commemorate the borough's twinning with the Israeli municipality of Ramat Gan. It was unveiled by Mary Robinson in 1981.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ227892 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | LB Barnet |
| Site Management | Leisure and Youth Services, Green Spaces Division |
| Dates | C18th; C19th; C20th |
| Listed Structures | LBII: Hendon Town Hall |
| 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 |
| Conservation Area Name | abuts The Burroughs Hendon CA |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Area of Special Archaeological Significance |
| Other LA Designation | Small Local Park |
Gallery
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Nearby parks and gardens
Hendon War Memorial was unveiled on 23 April 1922 and was originally located near St Joseph's Convent. In 1923 Watford Way was built and Hendon Central station opened, as the area was increasingly developed. The War Memorial was moved to its current location in 1962 when the road was widened. It now stands within a landscaped area that is effectively a traffic island on Watford Way near the junction with The Burroughs. The Memorial is set within cruciform paving with lawn either side.
Church Farmhouse, situated next to Hendon parish church, is one of the oldest surviving houses in Barnet, built c1660 with C18th/early C19th additions. It was in use as a farm until 1944 when it was purchased by Hendon Borough Council. The house was restored and opened as a museum in 1955, and in its grounds are vestigial features of an earlier garden, including at the back a pond, mature yews, horse chestnut and fruit trees, and four beds adjacent to the central pathway. The garden abuts the graveyard of St Mary's Church on one side.
There may have been a Saxon church here as early as the C9th, and a carved C11th Norman font is still in use. The current building retains some C13th, C15th and C16th elements but the church was extended substantially in 1914/15. The large churchyard has a number of fine monuments and trees including yew and cedar. In his history of Hendon in 1890 E Evans notes the earliest surviving grave as that of Thomas Marsh, 1624; he describes the churchyard's pretty location and trees shading the graves, a scene little changed today.
