Description
Sunny Hill Park was formerly Sunnyhill Fields and belonged to Church Farmhouse, whose garden abuts the south end of the park, which also includes an area that was once part of the churchyard of Hendon parish church of St Mary. In 1921 Hendon local council purchased 16 acres for a public park, which opened in 1922. It was enlarged in 1929 when further land was added. The park retains the rural character of the older landscape, with hedgerows denoting former field boundaries and mature trees.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Sunnyhill Fields |
|---|---|
| Site location | Church End, Hendon/Sunnyfields Crescent/Sunny Gardens Road/Watford Way/Great North Way |
| Postcode | NW4 4NA |
| What3Words | ///always.aims.salsa |
| Type of Site | Public Park |
| Borough | Barnet |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Facilities | Sports pitches, playground, café |
| Public Transport | Tube: Hendon Central (Northern) then bus. Bus 113, 143, 183, 271, 326. |
| Research Updated | 1 May 2009 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Sunny Hill Park was once Sunnyhill Fields, lands belonging to Church Farmhouse (q.v.) whose garden the park abuts at the south end. In 1921 Hendon local council purchased 16 acres for a public park, which opened in 1922. It was later enlarged in 1929 when further land was added. It was popular in the 1930s as a place to view air displays at Hendon Aerodrome, which was built in 1910 and famous for its spectacular air displays by early aviators. The aerodrome later became the RAF base and is now the site of the RAF Museum. The south-east part of the park includes an area once part of the churchyard of Hendon parish church of St Mary's (q.v.). The park retains the rural character of the older landscape, with hedgerows that once formed field boundaries and some fine old trees. Sports fields were added and a network of paths laid out. The park has areas of rough grassland managed with nature conservation in mind as well as more formal landscaping with mown grass and scattered trees, including mature oak, ash, willow, birch and avenues of horse chestnut trees.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ226900 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 21.56 |
| Site Ownership | LB Barnet |
| Site Management | Leisure and Youth Services, Green Spaces Division |
| Dates | 1921-29 |
| 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 | Church End Hendon (small area in south-east/formerly churchyard) |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Local Importance |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | Yes |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - (south) Area of Special Archaeological Significance |
| Other LA Designation | Premier Park. Article 4 Direction (small area in south-east/formerly churchyard) |
Gallery
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Nearby parks and gardens
There may have been a Saxon church here as early as the C9th, and a carved C11th Norman font is still in use. The current building retains some C13th, C15th and C16th elements but the church was extended substantially in 1914/15. The large churchyard has a number of fine monuments and trees including yew and cedar. In his history of Hendon in 1890 E Evans notes the earliest surviving grave as that of Thomas Marsh, 1624; he describes the churchyard's pretty location and trees shading the graves, a scene little changed today.
Church Farmhouse, situated next to Hendon parish church, is one of the oldest surviving houses in Barnet, built c1660 with C18th/early C19th additions. It was in use as a farm until 1944 when it was purchased by Hendon Borough Council. The house was restored and opened as a museum in 1955, and in its grounds are vestigial features of an earlier garden, including at the back a pond, mature yews, horse chestnut and fruit trees, and four beds adjacent to the central pathway. The garden abuts the graveyard of St Mary's Church on one side.
Hendon Hall was built in the mid C18th, reputedly as the manor house of Hendon Manor, and once had extensive grounds. In 1765 actor-manager David Garrick purchased it and made alterations to house and grounds, including building a memorial to Shakespeare and a temple, neither of which survive. Subsequent owners made further alterations and it was twice used as a school, but in 1911 it became a hotel. By the 1930s much of estate had been built over, the Great North Way cutting off the house from the lake in 1926. The remains of the grounds at the back of the hotel were laid out with lawns, gravel paths and ornamental beds, with perimeter trees and shrubs. Hendon Hall is now a residential care home.
