Description
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.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | The Manor House |
|---|---|
| Site location | Friern Barnet Lane, Whetstone |
| Postcode | N20 0NL |
| What3Words | ///aspect.coats.drop |
| Type of Site | Private Open Land |
| Borough | Barnet |
| Open to Public | No |
| Opening Times | private, golfers use only |
| Public Transport | Tube: Totteridge & Whetstone (Northern) then bus. Bus: 234, 383. |
| Research Updated | 1 May 2009 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The golf clubhouse was originally a C19th manor house adjacent to a former farm; it is on the site of an older manor house where Lord Chief Justice Popham once lived, visited by Queen Elizabeth I when she hunted in the neighbourhood. The estate was sold in 1906 to the North Middlesex Golf Company. The course was designed by William (Willie) Park Junior (1864 -1925), a well-known golfer and golf course architect who designed many parkland golf courses in the UK, including Sunningdale in Berkshire in 1901, as well as courses in Europe, US and Canada. Son of another famous Scottish golfer, Park had won the Open in 1887 and 1889 and was author of 'The Game of Golf' in 1896, the first book on the game written by a professional.
In 1928 the land was acquired as open space by the local Council who then leased it to the North Middlesex Golf Club, which remains here. Two lakes to the south west of the clubhouse are shown on the OS map of 1894. A small circular hedged area with a World War I memorial in the centre is located on the edge of the golf course. There is a wooded area between the golf course and Friern Barnet Lane with paths through it, some beds and shrubs.
In 1928 the land was acquired as open space by the local Council who then leased it to the North Middlesex Golf Club, which remains here. Two lakes to the south west of the clubhouse are shown on the OS map of 1894. A small circular hedged area with a World War I memorial in the centre is located on the edge of the golf course. There is a wooded area between the golf course and Friern Barnet Lane with paths through it, some beds and shrubs.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ270930 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 29.97 |
| Site Ownership | LB Barnet, leased to North Middlesex Golf Club |
| Site Management | North Middlesex Golf Club |
| Dates | C19th; C20th |
| Designers | William Park Junior (Golf Course) |
| 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 | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | Yes |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Area of Special Archaeological Significance |
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
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.
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.
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.
