Description
St Peter's Church was built in 1840 at the expense of Enoch Durant of High Canons, Shenley as a private chapel. Durant died in 1848 and a wall tablet in the church commemorates him. After Durant's death the advowson was later transferred to the rector of Barnet. The chapel was consecrated, and an ecclesiastical parish was formed in 1905. The church grounds consist of a garden with shrubs, seats and lawn. Near the church is the War Memorial.
Practical Information
| Site location | Barnet Road, Arkley, Hertfordshire |
|---|---|
| Postcode | EN5 3JF |
| What3Words | ///forgot.shins.glare |
| Type of Site | Churchyard |
| Borough | Barnet |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Bus: 107 |
| Research Updated | 1 September 2000 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The meaning of the village name of Arkley is unclear, although 'ley' probably refers to a clearing. Throughout the C19th the village was commonly referred to as Barnet Common or West Barnet but later the older name was revived. St Peter's Church is a large red-brick church with part flint facing, which was built in 1840 to designs of George Beckett. It was built at a cost of £5,000 at the expense of Enoch Durant of High Canons as a private chapel. Durant died in 1848 and a wall tablet in the church by Westminster Marble Company commemorates him. The flint-faced chancel was added in 1898 by J C Traylen. After Durant's death the advowson was later transferred to the rector of Barnet. The chapel was consecrated, and an ecclesiastical parish was formed in 1905. It is now a perpetual curacy, the patronage having been transferred by the rector to the bishop of St Albans.There are memorial slabs with some 150 names inscribed affixed on the back wall of the church. The church grounds consist of a garden with shrubs, seats and lawn. Near the church is the War Memorial commemorating the war dead from the village, erected in 1920.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ224957 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | Diocese of St Albans |
| Site Management | Church |
| Dates | 1840 |
| Designers | Church: George Beckett |
| Listed Structures | LBII: St Peter's Church |
| 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 | 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
Rowley Green Common was formerly within the Manor of Shenleybury and remained as such until 1934 when Barnet UDC purchased it for public open space. The ponds were created through gravel and sand extraction in earlier times and the common was used for grazing up until the 1940s. It was used for military manoeuvres in WWII. The common today has areas of grass and woodland, mainly birch and oak, and it is particularly unusual in having a sphagnum bog, rare in south-east England and the only bog in Barnet.
Remnants of the rural landscape of Barnet Gate are still found among the private houses in the area. The Windmill is an early C20th Arts and Crafts style house in landscaped grounds adjacent to a preserved disused windmill with a circular tower. The Arkley Windmill was built between 1822 -40 and was in use until 1916; it was repaired in 1930 and 1974. Nearby a timber-framed barn of 1788 is in the grounds of another private house. This 3-bay timber-framed building with weather-boarding and a tiled room was used to store grain before it was milled at Arkley Windmill.
Bells Hill Burial Ground was consecrated in 1895 by the Bishop of St Albans, and was established to provide for the parish of Chipping Barnet. Entered through a small lych-gate, older monuments are found to the north east of the cemetery where there are mature cedar, yew and other species of trees; more recent graves are to the west. The main path from the entrance gate has been narrowed in some places where new graves have been provided.
