Discover Barnet: History and Green Spaces

For a trip to Barnet, you can focus on two things: local history and the green spaces around High Barnet. Historic sites range from a collection of artefacts spanning several periods to buildings with medieval and early modern connections. Outdoors, Hadley Green, Monken Hadley Common and a section of the London Outer Orbital Path are among the options. If you’re looking for a hotel in Barnet, you can plan your stay around whether you want to focus on local history or time outdoors.

Local History and Buildings

Barnet Museum is a free local history museum in North London, run by volunteers. Its collection includes hundreds of artefacts relating to the history of Barnet and its residents. It spans the period from the Bronze Age to the present day, providing a broad overview of local history.

Barnet Physic Well combines a historic mineral spring with a layered building history. The spring was once believed to have healing properties. In 1937, the Council built a Tudor-style structure over a 17th-century underground well chamber. Here, the former belief in healing water meets a much later architectural addition.

The Church of St John the Baptist can also be understood through its different historical periods. It was built in the 13th century as a chapel of ease for the Church of St Mary the Virgin in East Barnet. A double north aisle dating from the mid-15th century is incorporated into the church. Hadley Green and the adjoining grounds offer another historical point of reference: they are traditionally considered the site of the Battle of Barnet, fought on 14 April 1471 during the Wars of the Roses. The battle is considered one of the most significant of that conflict.

Tudor Hall is the original building of Queen Elizabeth’s School, which opened in 1573. An even earlier dated reference point for Barnet’s market history is Barnet Market, which received its royal charter in 1199. These dates show how far apart the recorded local history spans.

Green Spaces and Trails Around High Barnet

Barnet Environment Centre is located on the northern edge of High Barnet, near the lower end of Byng Road. It is set in a 7.5-acre protected area designated a “Site of Interest for Nature Conservation.” Ravenscroft Park adds to the area’s history of green spaces: it was established in 1883 as High Barnet’s first public park.

Hadley Green lies between High Barnet and Monken Hadley and is used for informal outdoor recreation. Monken Hadley Common consists of green spaces and woodland, extending from High Barnet to Cockfosters. The Barnet section of the London Outer Orbital Path (LOOP) Metropolitan Walk runs from Monken Hadley Common through Hadley Green and beyond the nature reserve. These details serve different purposes for visitors: Hadley Green is described as a place for recreation, while the LOOP gives a specific route.

Planning Waypoints

To get to Barnet Museum, walk north up Barnet Hill, turn left at Barnet Church and continue along Wood Street. As local directions may change, check the route before your visit. High Barnet Tube station, at the end of the Northern line, is suggested as the starting point for the Barnet and Hadley Walk. Check the latest station information before planning your journey, too.

Discover more destinations: Golders Green.

Back to the main travel guide: Barnet.