Description
Mount House was built in the C18th on rising land enclosed from Enfield Chase, a red brick house in its own grounds with a stable range to the west. In 1947 the Sisters of St Martha moved the senior wing of their school here from Wood Street, and additional buildings were added in the 1960s. Although little of the original grounds survive, there is a large circular pond in front of the house, partly surrounded by shrubs, with a statue of the Madonna on the south edge of the pond. Elsewhere are garden areas with lawns, paths, seating areas, some remains of old brick wall and mature trees. An elaborate gate retains the name 'Mount House' carved in the wood.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | The Mount House; St Martha's Roman Catholic Convent School |
|---|---|
| Site location | Camlet Way, Monken Hadley |
| Postcode | EN4 0NJ |
| What3Words | ///friday.risk.copy |
| Type of Site | Institutional Grounds |
| Borough | Barnet |
| Open to Public | No |
| Opening Times | private (casual visitors not welcome) |
| Facilities | The Mount House may be hired for functions (contact Events Team: 020 8449 6889) |
| Public Transport | Tube: High Barnet (Northern) then bus/walk. Bus: 84 then walk. |
| Research Updated | 1 November 2007 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Roque's map of 1754 shows Mount House with a circular ornamental pond on the south side. It was built in the C18th on rising land enclosed from Enfield Chase, a fine red brick house in its own grounds with a stable range with domed clock turret to the west. For many years it was the home of the Dove family, who were well known church builders. It remained within Enfield until 1882. It abuts Monken Hadley Common (q.v.), which remains public open space. In 1947 the Sisters of St Martha moved the senior wing of their school here from Wood Street, and additional buildings were added for the school in the 1960s. In Dury Road the school has another red-brick Georgian house. Although little of the original grounds of The Mount House survives, there is a large circular pond in front of the house, partly surrounded by shrubs. A statue of the Madonna stands in a gap in the shrubbery in the south edge of the pond, facing the main entrance of the house. Elsewhere are garden areas with lawns, paths, seating areas, some remains of old brick wall and mature trees. An elaborate wooden side gate to the school retains the name 'Mount House' carved in the wood.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ251975 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | The Congregation of St Martha's |
| Site Management | St Martha's Senior School |
| Dates | C18th |
| Listed Structures | LBII*: Mount House |
| 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 | Monken Hadley |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | Yes |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Article 4 Direction |
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
Monken Hadley Common was once part of the mediaeval hunting forest of Enfield Chase. When the Chase was enclosed in 1777, this area of land on the western edge was given to the villagers of Monken Hadley in compensation for their loss of grazing and other rights. It was used for cattle grazing until 1950 when it became a public open space. The village attracted well-off London merchants who began to build fine houses here. The common today is mostly wooded, with some grassland, two ponds and an artificial lake. A war memorial stands on the west, north of Camlet Way. Entrance to the common was through five sets of gates, each having a gatekeeper.
A church has existed here since the C12th and the present building dates from 1494, the date given unusually in Arabic numerals over the west door, which was renovated in 1956. The copper beacon on the tower was set up in the C18th, possibly to celebrate the return to health of George III; this was lit for Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation in 1953. The churchyard contains a number of wooden 'bedhead' memorials and historic C19th tombs such as those of Emily Trollope, sister of Anthony Trollope, and W M Thackeray's grandparents.
Hadley Green is an ancient tract of commonland now bisected by roads. The land was secured as public open space for the people of Hadley parish in 1818. It is reputedly the site of the Battle of Barnet in the War of the Roses when the Earl of Warwick died with many of his men on Easter Sunday 1471. This historic occasion is marked by an obelisk erected in 1740 but moved further north of its original position in 1840. Houses were increasingly built around the Green from the C17th, and from 1770-1938 the Hadley Brewery was situated adjacent to Brewery Pond, one of five ponds on Hadley Green.
