Description
When the windmill further to the west along the Ridgeway ceased operating in the late C14th, the houses at the top of Milespit Hill became the centre of the hamlet of Mill Hill, due to the location on this important route to Hendon. However it was not referred to as a village until the mid C19th. The village green is an informal area of grass with two ponds. The Nicholl's Almshouses of 1696 face onto it as do a number of C18th and C19th properties including the former Methodist Chapel. The High Street was once part of The Ridgeway but in 1793 the main road was routed slightly further north in order to bypass the village.
Practical Information
| Site location | Milespit Hill/High Street |
|---|---|
| Postcode | NW7 |
| What3Words | ///apply.loud.plus |
| Type of Site | Public Open Land |
| Borough | Barnet |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Tube: Mill Hill East (Northern) then bus. Bus: 240. |
| Research Updated | 1 April 2002 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The site of the windmill is now The Mill Field (q.v.). Facing the Green are C18th and C19th properties such as The Welches, Hillside, Parkfield Cottages, and the former Methodist chapel.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ228924 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | LB Barnet |
| Site Management | Leisure and Youth Services, Green Spaces Division |
| Listed Structures | LBII: The Welches, 1 & 2 Hillside Cottages, Parkfield Cottages, Nicholl's Almshouses |
| 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 | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Mill Hill |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | Yes |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
Gallery
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
The house was formerly Littleberries, built on the site of an earlier house that was altered and improved from 1712 following its acquisition by George Littlebury in 1691. The estate underwent numerous changes over the years and had fine grounds, including descending grass terraces leading to a temple. An estate survey of 1754 shows a series of ponds, walled garden, and square 'pleasure ground' with three variously shaped ponds and a mount. In the C19th J W Pawson made further improvements, probably planting monkey puzzle trees, a number of which survive. In 1885 it was acquired by the Order of St Vincent and although the ponds are filled in the landscaping between house and temple is not much changed.
Information about the site dates back to 1321 when it was owned by the Nicoll family. Ridgeway House was built in c.1525 and from 1702 was occupied by a series of Quakers, the most famous of whom was the foremost botanist, Peter Collinson, who lived here from 1749 to his death in 1768. The garden contained an extraordinary range of trees and plants collected from North America and elsewhere in the world. People came from all over Europe to visit his gardens here. In 1807 the property was bought by Mill Hill School who in 1826/7 built the present main school building and demolished Ridgeway House. Over the years additional lands were purchased and the site expanded to over 100 acres, with many school buildings and extensive sports fields. The grounds contain some of Collinson's original trees as well as fine trees planted over the years since. In front of the school is the Gate of Honour, a war memorial for ex-pupils who died in the two world wars.
St Paul's Church was consecrated in 1833, paid for by William Wilberforce, an important figure in the Anti-Slavery Movement. Wilberforce had moved to Highwood Hill in 1825 and gained permission to build the church on a gravel pit site on Belmont Estate. St Paul's became a parish church in 1926. The churchyard has yew in front, iron railings and flower beds to the road. Behind the church is a large churchyard with numerous trees including yews and other species.
