Description
New Barnet was developed gradually from the 1850s, after the arrival of the railway but it was not until the end of the century that it was fully built. The War Memorial is on an island surrounded by busy roads and has a bronze winged figure on a tall obelisk surrounded by a small landscaped area of evergreen trees, raised flower beds.
Practical Information
| Site location | Station Road/Great North Road, New Barnet |
|---|---|
| Postcode | EN5 1QR |
| What3Words | ///camera.healthier.games |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Barnet |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Tube: High Barnet (Northern) then bus. Bus 34, 234, 263. |
| Research Updated | 1 April 2002 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
New Barnet began to be developed in the 1850s after the arrival of the railway but was not fully developed until the end of the century. The railway company had to purchase the entire Lyonsdown estate through which the line was to pass at the insistance of the estate owner. Land not needed for the railway was then sold on to The British Land Company in 1850 who began laying out houses and streets, many of whose names recollected the Battle of Barnet. In 1869 a new parish of Lyonsdown was created and the town hall for the local board was built in 1892, by which time New Barnet had established itself as the political centre of the parish of East Barnet. Opposite the town hall, the War Memorial was erected by 1920 in memory of the 278 men of East Barnet who were killed in WWI. It was built at a cost of c.£1,000, a tall obelisk surmounted by a bronze winged figure representing victory. It was unveiled in March 1921 by Lord Hampden, Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire. Today it is on an island surrounded by busy roads, within a small landscaped area of evergreen trees, raised flower beds.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ255957 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.01 |
| Site Ownership | LB Barnet |
| Site Management | Leisure and Youth Services, Green Spaces Division |
| Dates | 1920 |
| 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 | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | Yes (part) |
| 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
Highlands Gardens was formerly the garden of Highlands House, built in 1897 for Bevan Braithwaite, who probably laid out the gardens. When he sold the property in 1930 the house was converted into 8 flats, although it later reverted to a family home after 1951. It gradually deteriorated and was eventually demolished in 1972 when the current flats were built. During WWII the garden was dug up for vegetable plots. Now open to the public, the gardens retain features from the old layout, including terraced lawns and water-gardens up the western side, with C19th rock-works, cascade, rustic bridges and an octagonal wooden summer house.
Greenhill Gardens is on land originally part of a large country estate known as Pricklers. The ornamental lake that dominates the park dates from the parkland landscaping. By the C16th the estate was called Greenhill but was split up in the C19th when Thomas Wyatt built Willenhall in the southern part. Most of the Greenhill land was developed for housing from 1926, and the public park represents the small portion that survived, with its lake, mature trees and perimeter walk.
In the C19th the land was owned by the Rumball family and leased for pasture, a brewery and stables, and two houses. In 1912 the brewery site was purchased by Barnet UDC, who later purchased the freehold of the Old Court House Estate in 1923. The recreation ground on the south side of the gardens opened in 1924 and Barnet Bowls Club was founded here in 1926. The park was formally laid out with an ornamental pond, rockery, shrub and flower beds, and a fine variety of specimen trees.
