Lockdown Walks from East Finchley

Home , Avenue House, Big Wood and Little Wood, Cherry Tree Wood, College Farm, Golders Hill Park, Kenwood House

Lockdown walks from Sedgemere Avenue Contents Avenue/Stephens House Avenue/Stephens House...... 1 Long Lane, Victoria Park...... 2 Coppett’s Wood, Coldfall Wood...... 3 Hampstead Garden Suburb...... 4 0.5 kilometres Golders Green and part of H G Suburb...... 5 College Farm, Church End, Nether Street, Victoria Park..6 length 4.2 km / 2.6 miles Golders Hill Park, part of H G Suburb, H Extn...... 7 West Heath, Sandy Heath and Heath Extension...... 8 A place where you may need to Highgate Wood, Queen’s Wood...... 9 manoeuvre to avoid oncoming people Hampstead Heath...... 10 Alexandra Park, Bluebell Wood...... 11 Pavement Walk Kenwood Estate...... 12 H Extn Golders Hill Park, West Hampstead, V.O.H. .... 13 Hampstead Heath Highgate (lockdown relaxed -1)..... 14 Hampstead Heath Highgate (lockdown relaxed -2)..... 15 Monkey Hill Hampstead Heath Highgate (lockdown relaxed -3)..... 16 Belsize Primrose extension (lockdown relaxed -4)..... 17 AVENUE Notes on landmarks...... 18 HOUSE These walks are shown in order of increasing distance

1 Distancing on the Avenue depends on the lower green Bothy Gardens cooperation of others - the risk is yours 2 Only two entrances are open at present - from 10.00 am until 4.00 pm 3 For a longer walk, take in the cemetery; for map see: http://www.tonero.me.uk/walkmaps/T&Swalks118.pdf

SYLVAN CL 2

AVENUE THE AVENUE ROSEMARY AVE HOUSE SQUIRES LA 1 BRI ARFIELD AVE

EAST END ROAD FCC FIELD MOUNTFIELD

CAVENDISH

EAST END ROAD AMBERDEN

CECILIA BASING W

HAMILTON WINDERMERE AVE 3 SEDGEMERE AVE These lock-down walks aim to avoid busy retail areas and blind passageways as well as Parkland Walk and Dollis Brook Walk for distancing reasons. 1 Long Lane, Victoria Park 1 kilometre length 5.8km / 3.6 miles A place where you may need to manoeuvre to avoid oncoming people

1 Subway under the Northern Line avoided for distancing reasons. 2 The passageway here allows the walk to be shortened. 3 If preferred, continue on down Long Lane, retracing the beginning of the walk 4 For a slightly longer walk return via Oakfield Road, Hervey Close etc.. 5 Distancing at bridge crossing is difficult because of heavy traffic. 6 Avenue/Stephens House grounds are open for limited hours (08.00 - 16.00 at present) - check web site before walking. FALLOW COURT AVE

CHISLEHURST RD FINCHLEY MEMORIAL HOSP COMMUNAL SPACE

HOLDENH’ST A 2

QUEENS AVECLIFTON RD VICTORIA PARK LONG LANE

CADOGAN 5 HERVEY CLOSECLAIGMAR

BALLARDSSTATION LANE RD OAKFIELD4 3 SQUIRES LANE AVONDALE RD

CROMWELL RD

6 SYLVAN CL SQUIRES LA LONG LANE AVENUE ROSEMARY AVE HOUSE DUDLEY RD BRI ARFIELD AVE

MOUNTFIELD FCC FIELD

CAVENDISH

EAST END ROAD TRINITY RD AMBERDEN

BASING W MOAT CRES SEDGEMERE 1 AVENUE CrematoriumWINDERMERE AVE fenced off and open only at times of cremation so a return via the cemetery not possible For better walks, in better times, visit: Pavement Walk http://www.tonero.me.uk/walksfromfinchley.htm

2 1 kilometre Coppett’s Wood, length 6.6km / 4.2 miles Coldfall Wood A place where you may need to manoeuvre to avoid oncoming people steps

1 The second half of Pumphandle Path is wide enough for distancing 2 A rough path into the scrub will take you to the main path 3 Take time to explore the wood but return to this point to continue the walk 4 Tp return to Sedgemere Avenue via cemetery visit walk http://www.tonero.me.uk/walkmaps/T&Swalks118.pdf 5 Once on the higher level of the playing field, strike out diagonally for the wood, to a distant red notice. 6 The entrance to the wood can be muddy; keep the boundary fence in distant view; eventually the path reaches the back of houses on Creighton Avenue COPPETT’S WOOD

PORTERS WAY 3

GLEBELANDS footbridge playing 4 COPPETTS fields ROAD

childs play area ST PANCRAS & 2 ISLINGTON 5 CEMETERY CLOSED EXCEPT 10am-3.00pm playing SATURDAY & fields TARLING ROAD SUNDAY

6 1 COLDFALL WOOD

NEW OAK ROAD

TRINITY ROAD

All these walks are to the same scale

3 1 kilometre Hampstead Garden length 7.1 km / 4.5 miles Suburb A place where you may need to manoeuvre to avoid oncoming people 1 If you have time on your hands visit the areas with the buildings shown in pink; SEDGEMERE they are listed II* or 1. DENISON AVENUE CLOSE

NEALE EAST END ROAD CLOSE

DEANSWAY HILL TOP ABBOTS LUDLOW WAY A DDISON WAY GARDENS HILL BRIM HILL BRIM HILL

WESTHOLM MIDHOLM EDMUND’S HOGAWR ITLHL HIFIELD Little FALLODEN WEASTHOLM AY HILL RISE WALK Wood Mutton Brook DEVON RISE

ERSKINE VIVIAN W HILL

DENMAN OAKWOOD ROAD WIDECOMBE WAY HILL Mutton Brook LYTTELTON DRIVE TEMPLEHAMPSTEAD FORTUNE W LANE AY ROAD Big Wood NORTHWAY

ASMUNS Lyttelton Fields ‘Crickmer Circus’ MIDDLEWAY TEMPLE FORTUNE HILL LINDEN LEA WI LLIFIELD NORRICE LEA WAY CHURCH NORTH NORRICE L MOUNT Lucas SOUTHWAY Square SQUARE former LYTTON Institute CLOSE CENTRAL HOLNE SQUARE St Judes RAEBURN CHALTON SOUTH CLOSE DRIVE SQUARE TURNER CLOSE MEADWAY EMOTT CHASE HEATH GATE CONSTABLECLOSE KINGSLEY WAY ‘Baillie NEVILLE DR Scott LINNELL CLOSE Corner’ CLOSE TURNER DRIVE

LINNELL

87/8 DRIVE 9

CORRINGHAM Heath Extension 1

INGRAM AVENUE ROTHERWICK ROAD HEATH CL

Heathcroft

Pavement Walk

4 1 kilometre Golders Green and length 7.6 km / 4.7 miles part of H G Suburb A place where you may need to manoeuvre to avoid oncoming people

To avoid the shopping street, take Golders 1 CHURCH LANE Green Crescent or Golders Way SEDGEMERE 2 By the utilities block take the horse ride DENISON AVENUE TRINITY AVENUE through into the first open field CLOSE EAST END ROAD NEALE CLOSE

DEANSWAY HILL TOP ABBOTS LUDLOW WAY A DDISON WAY GARDENS HILL BRIM HILL BRIM HILL

WESTHOLM MIDHOLM EDMUND’S HOGAWR ITLHL HIFIELD Little FALLODEN WEASTHOLM AY HILL RISE WALK Wood Mutton Brook DEVON RISE

ERSKINE VIVIAN W HILL

DENMAN OAKWOOD ROAD WIDECOMBE WAY HILL Mutton Brook LYTTELTON HAMPSTEAD WAY DRIVE TEMPLE FORTUNE LANE ROAD Big Wood

NORTHWAY ASMUNS Lyttelton Fields ‘Crickmer Circus’ MIDDLEWAY TEMPLE FORTUNE HILL LINDEN LEA WI LLIFIELD NORRICE LEA WAY NORRICE L CHURCH NORTH MOUNT Lucas SOUTHWAY Square SQUARE former LYTTON Institute CLOSE CENTRAL

SQUARE St Judes HOLNE CHALTON RAEBURN SOUTH DRIVE CLOSE SQUARE TURNER CLOSE MEADWAY EMOTT CHASE HEATH GATE CONSTABLE KINGSLEY WAY ‘Baillie CLOSE Scott LINNELL CLOSE Corner’ CLOSE NEVILLE DR TURNER DRIVE

LINNELL

87/8 DRIVE HOOP LANE 9 FINCHLEY ROAD CORRINGHAM Heath Extension 2 1 HOOP LANE GOLDERS INGRAM AVENUE ROTHERWICK ROAD HEATH CL GREEN ROAD Heathcroft

5 1 kilometre College Farm, Church End, length 8km / 5 miles Nether Street, Victoria Park A place where you may need to For better walks, in better times, visit: manoeuvre to avoid oncoming people http://www.tonero.me.uk/walksfromfinchley.htm 1 Head up and across to The Grove to reduce walk to 7 km 2 Head up the passageway to shorten walk to 7.5 km 3 To avoid Park take Seymour Road ARGYLE ALEXANDRA 4 Passage avoided for distancing reasons

CHESTERFIELD Recommended walk 8.1 km

Longest walk 9.7km FURSBY AVE MOSS HALL GROVE THYRA WEST AVE Pavement Walk ESSEX PARK BRENT WAY MONTROSE CRESCENT

LANSDOWNE

NETHER ST WENTWORTH AVE 3 SEYMOUR RD WENTWORTH PARK ELM PARK ROAD Lodge2 HOLDENH’ST A Cottage DOLLIS ROAD Victoria Park QUEENS AVECLIFTON RD DOLLIS PARK PRINCES AVE

THE GROVE LONG LANE BALLARDS LANE 1 HERVEY CLOSE

CHURCH STATION RD LYNDHURST GARDENS CLAREMONT PARK CRESCENT OAKFIELD St Mary’s Church SQUIRES LANE HENDON AVENUE AVONDALE RD

VILLAGE ROAD

Finchley Village CROMWELL RD GRAV.HILL SYLVAN CL

SQUIRES LA LONG LANE Avenue House ROSEMARY AVE CYPRUS AVENUE HENDON LANE

LORNE BRI ARFIELD AVE

AVE

ARDEN ROAD

CAVENDISH

FITZALAN ROAD SALISBURY EAST END ROAD AMBERDEN 4 College Farm BASING W SEDGEMERE HOLLY PARK AVENUE

WINDERMERE AVE

8 9 6 5 7

4 3 1

earlier site of village pond 2

6 1 kilometre Golders Hill Park, part length 8.3 km / 5.2 miles of H G Suburb, H Extn A place where you may need to manoeuvre to avoid oncoming people

Extend the walk around the Park 1 CHURCH LANE Cross the road at the crossing and skirt SEDGEMERE 2 DENISON AVENUE TRINITY AVENUE round the bus station CLOSE EAST END ROAD NEALE CLOSE

DEANSWAY HILL TOP ABBOTS LUDLOW WAY A DDISON WAY GARDENS HILL BRIM HILL BRIM HILL

WESTHOLM MIDHOLM EDMUND’S HOGAWR ITLHL HIFIELD Little FALLODEN WEASTHOLM AY HILL RISE WALK Wood Mutton Brook DEVON RISE

ERSKINE VIVIAN W HILL

DENMAN OAKWOOD ROAD WIDECOMBE WAY HILL Mutton Brook LYTTELTON HAMPSTEAD WAY DRIVE TEMPLE FORTUNE LANE ROAD Big Wood

LINNELL

87/8 DRIVE HOOP LANE 9 FINCHLEY ROAD CORRINGHAM Heath Extension

HOOP LANE GOLDERS INGRAM AVENUE ROTHERWICK ROAD HEATH CL GREEN ROAD Heathcroft

garden 1 Golders zoo Hill Park

deer enclosure

Pavement Walk (avoid park at weekends)

7 1 kilometre West Heath, Sandy Heath length 8.6 km / 5.4 miles and Heath Extension A place where you may need to manoeuvre to avoid oncoming people

1 On entering the Heath Extension, make your way diagonally into the next field and cross the brook by the bridge into the large cricket field. make for a large spreading oak in the hedgerow opposite. WAY From there continue upwards and to the right, to the track crossing east-west. Navigate through two

fields and exit into Hampstead Way. LUDLOW 2 Inside Golders Hill Park cross the open grassy slopes to the deer pound. Skirt around to the right

of this to exit the park at Leg o Mutton pond. HILL RISE 3 Follow Sandy Road across the bottom of the pond and strike off diagonally left up the slope and over the brow, across a ditch, keeping in sight of the 6 stream. It is difficult to give precise instructions but eventually you exit into a meadow. Turn left along the track across the top, and then left again along the main track that runs below Jack Straw’s Castle. 4 Immediately after passing the pergola, take the track off right that passes between pergola and Hill Garden and follow it to North End Road. Turn MEADWAY COTMAN CLOSE right and cross at the refuge into Sandy Heath. Pass two meadows (look out for a kestrel) and take the path left that eventually comes to a 1 plantation of gorse. 5 Take the left fork through the gorse and emerge by the ponds. Keep them on your left as you make for the main east-west track. Plunge HEATH straight forward, down the winding slopes of a EXTENSION shallow valley to the Heath Extension 6 To avoid the gruelling walk up Ossulton Way, turn up North Way and return the way you started.

ponds

Waterfield fountain HAMPSTEAD WAY

SANDY 2 HEATH GOLDERS two HILL PARK tree hill5

gorse THE HILL meadow GARDEN & PERGOLA 3 WEST REOPENED HEATH 4

meadow

8 1 kilometre Highgate Wood, length 8.5km / 5.4 miles (or Queen’s Wood pavement walk 7.3km / 4.6 miles) A place where you may need to manoeuvre to avoid oncoming people 1 Continue forward past the water fountain and turn off the main track right, just before a bench 2 There are so many paths in Queens Wood it is impossible to show them all. Explore the southern slopes of the Moselle tributary down to the bottom of the wood and return back up the northern slopes 3 On the return, ignore a path that slopes off up to the right; after a major path crosses, take a lesser path up to the right shortly before the main path crosses a gulley and bows to the left. 4 An alternative route back via Talbot Road and Bancroft Avenue 5 A shorter walk via Church Crescent and Grand Avenue 6 The blue route is a pavement walk for when the other routes are too muddy. 7 Cross Aylmer Road at refuge opposite Bancroft Ave

DURHAM ROAD

TWYFORD AVE

CROMWELL EAST LYNMOUTH CLOSE ENDF ORTIS GRPARK HEALL RD E N

ROAD SUMMERLEE AVE GRAND AVENUE LAURADALE CHURCH DIPLOMA CRESCENT passage SOUTHERN ROAD 6 AVE BARONSMERE way ABBOTS GARDENS

DEANSW AY Cranley Gate

LANCHESTER R Bridge Gate Bluebells Site of pottery kilns 5 BANCROFT AVENUE Earthworks Cherry Tree Wood Onslow Gate 3 1 Highgate Wood Lodge Gate A YLMER ROAD New 2 7 Gate

4 Archway Blue route is a pavement walk Gate TAL BOT ROAD Gypsy QUEEN’S WOOD ROAD Gate Queen’s Wood DENEWOOD ROAD SHELDON AVENUE 6

THE PARK

BROADLANDS ROAD To HIGHGATE (0.6km)

STORMONT ROAD 9 1 kilometre Hampstead Heath length 8.8 km / 5.5 miles 1 Look out for a minor path which follows the road Marks a place where you may need to and is rarely used. manoeuvre to avoid oncoming people 2 On entering Sandy Heath find a low fence protecting a gully. Make your way up a windy slope free of undergrowth to the path that runs along the top. 3 Continue forward along a minor path with the main ponds on your right and a fenced off tree on your left. The path continues through gorse and eventually brings you out on Spaniards Road CROMWELL 4 Cross the road and take some makeshift steps CLOSE down to join a major path. When the path curves down and to the right, continue forward instead, across dips and slopes until you meet the boundary fence of Kenwood. Follow close to the boundary. ABBOTS 5 Eventually the path opens out. GARDENS Continue down to a gap between the ponds. Immediately opposite are makeshift steps up the field and to the left. The track leads up then down to a gap in the hedge and a ‘bridge’ over a ditch. Continue up the slope towards the stables and the exit to Hampstead Lane

ponds rhododendrons Kenwood House The reopening of Kenwood raises many interesting possibilities 2 KENWOOD SANDY for walks these will be HEATH REOPENING 27 reviewed after opening 3 MAY! two tree hill 5 gorse meadow WEST HEATH 4 4

10 1 kilometre Alexandra Park, length 9 km / 5.6 miles Bluebell Wood

(10.2km/ 6.4 miles with extn) A place where you may need to 0 Return via Parkland Walk & Highgate Wood manoeuvre to avoid oncoming people was rejected for reasons of distancing 1 The walk can be extended variously in the Park; illustration shown adds about 2km 2 For a slightly shorter walk, continue to the boating lake, and take the route via Pages Lane, as indicated. CONTINUES BELOW 3 Optionally divert via Bluebell Wood,adding 1.2 km to GOODWINS VALE the walk.

WILTON ROAD ALEXANDRA PK RD GREENHAM ROAD Coldfall Wood EVERINGTON RD

P AGES Start LANE

M P R DURHAM RD MUSWELL ROAD CONTINUES BELOW HERTFORD RD

SEDGEMERE AVE T WYFORD AVE QUEENS AVE CHURCH LANE

BROADWAY

WROXHAM

Bluebell Wood WINTON

1287- DURNSFORD ROAD

BIDWELL CRESCENT RISE 3 ALBERT RD AVENUE CLYDE RD OUTRAM RD

RHODES

GOODWINS VALE

WILTON ROAD ALEXANDRA PARK ROAD ROSEBERY ROAD EVERINGTON RD GREENHAM ROAD 2 PARKHAM WY CONTINUES New River ABOVE 1 CREIGHTON AVENUE pitch METHUEN P and putt MUSWELL ROAD DONOVAN WE LLFIELD DUKES AVENUE sports club AVE railway bridge

T WYFORD AVE

Pavement Walk (the basic walk)

11 1 kilometre Kenwood Estate length 9.2 km / 5.8 miles Marks a place where you may need to Just opposite a brown door make your way onto manoeuvre to avoid oncoming people 1 the Heath Extension; look out for a minor path which follows the road and is rarely used, eventually merging with the horse ride. When the ride swings round to the right, continue forward and cross the road.

CROMWELL WAY CLOSE

LUDLOW

ABBOTS GARDENS

HILL RISE

MEADWAY COTMAN CLOSE

HEATH EXTENSION 1

old kitchen garden car park ponds rhododendrons Kenwood House Waterfield fountain dairy HAMPSTEAD WAY

SANDY HEATH

two tree hill

gorse meadow WEST HEATH

12 CHURCH LANE

H Extn Golders Hill Park, SEDGEMERE DENISON AVENUE TRINITY AVENUE West Hampstead, V.O.H. CLOSE EAST END ROAD NEALE CLOSE A place where you may need to 1 kilometre manoeuvre to avoid oncoming people

DEANSWAY length 11 km / 6.8miles HILL TOP ABBOTS 1 Extend the walk around the Park LUDLOW WAY GARDENS Cross the road at the crossing and skirt BRIM HILL 2 BRIM HILL round the bus station WESTHOLM MIDHOLM EDMUND’S Little FALLODEN WEASTHOLM AY HILL RISE WALK Wood Mutton Brook DEVON RISE

ERSKINE VIVIAN W HILL

DENMAN OAKWOOD ROAD WIDECOMBE HILL Mutton Brook LYTTELTON DRIVE ROAD Big Wood NORTHWAY Lyttelton Fields MIDDLEWAY TEMPLE FORTUNE HILL LINDEN LEA WI LLIFIELD NORRICE LEA WAY NORRICE L CHURCH NORTH SOUTHWAY MOUNT SQUARE former LYTTON Institute CLOSE CENTRAL

1 Look for a winding path off LINNELL DRIVE the main track as it dips 87/8 9 down sharply into the Heath ‘valley’. Follow until it Extension brings you out in a meadow. Cross over to the INGRAM AVENUE Kenwood boundary and find the gate. HEATH CL 2 Continue forwards through Heathcroft the gate, keeping close to the boundary all the way until you exit the Kenwood Estate.

Pavement Walk (avoid park at weekends) garden Sandy Golders Heath zoo Hill Park 2

deer enclosure

West meadow Heath

VALE OF HEALTH

PLATT’S LANE

HOLLYCROFT ROSECROFT AVENUE CANNON PLACE

WELL ROAD REDINGTON RD FENCROFT

WELL WALK

HEATH DRIVE CHURCH ROW GAYTON ROAD 13 FROGNAL

PERRINS LANE Hampstead Heath Highgate (lockdown relaxed -1)

A place where you may need to manoeuvre to avoid oncoming people 1 kilometre slightly shorter return route length 11.1 km / 7 miles

CROMWELL LYNMOUTH CLOSE FORTIS GREEN

SUMMERLEE AVE

PARK HALL RD

LAURADALE

ABBOTS GARDENS

DEANSW AY

Cranley LANCHESTER R Gate Bridge Look out for a minor path which Gate Bluebells Site of 1 follows the road and is rarely used. BANCROFT AVENUE pottery kilns Earthworks Cherry Tree Wood 2 On entering Sandy Heath look for a low fence protecting a gully. Strike up a Onslow Gate steep slope to the path that runs along the top. Continue forward along a minor path with the Highgate Wood 3 A YLMER ROAD Lodge main ponds on your right and a fenced off tree Gate on your left. The path continues through gorse and eventually brings you out on Spaniards Road New Gate 4 Cross the road and take some makeshift steps down to join a major path. Queen’s When the path curves down and to the right, continue forward instead, across Wood dips and slopes until you meet the boundary fence of Kenwood. When the Archway fence turns left, keep on down the main path. Gate Gypsy 5 Eventually the path opens into open land. Make your way to the tumulus, where there TALBOT ROA D Gate are benches for you to stop and have your coffee. Continue down towards the boating pond. Before reaching it swing left, cross a major path, 6 between trees into another meadow. Bare half right and make for another major track and an exit between ponds 7 Look for a gate into a fenced path which leads into a cul de sac with houses on one side 1 8 Look for a side road into Pond Square and take the steps up to the road THE GROVE

ponds 8

SOUTHWOOD LANE

7 FITZROY 2 KENWOOD PARK POND SANDY SQUARE HEATH SEE SEPARATE 3 WALK 6

2 tree hill

gorse meadow

Highgate ponds WEST 4 4 6 HEATH 5

tumulus

14 Hampstead Heath Highgate (lockdown relaxed -2)

A place where you may need to manoeuvre to avoid oncoming people 1 kilometre slightly shorter return route length 13 km / 8.1 miles

CROMWELL LYNMOUTH WAY CLOSE FORTIS GREEN

SUMMERLEE AVE

PARK HALL RD

ABBOTS LAURADALE LUDLOW GARDENS

1 On entering the Heath Extension, make your way diagonally into the DEANSW AY next field and cross the brook by the HILL RISE Cranley bridge into the large cricket field. LANCHESTER R Gate make for a large spreading oak in the Bridge Gate Bluebells Site of hedgerow opposite. From there BANCROFT AVENUE pottery kilns Earthworks continue upwards and to the right, to Cherry Tree Wood the track crossing east-west. Onslow Navigate through two fields and exit Gate into Hampstead Way. Highgate Wood Inside Golders Hill Park cross the open grassy A YLMER ROAD Lodge 2 slopes to the deer pound. Skirt around to the right of Gate this to exit the park at Leg of Mutton pond. New Just to the left of the pond take the path forward , turning right Gate 3 after a short while, and keep upward. Eventually the path Queen’s MEADWAY bends right and takes you to the main path. Wood COTMAN CLOSE Archway Turn right, then left onto the path that takes you up between Gate

4 pergola and hill garden. At North End Road cross at the refuge Gypsy 1 and plunge into a meadow, then a second meadow and a TALBOT ROA D Gate winding path up out of Sandy Heath Cross the road and take some makeshift steps down to join a major path. 5 When the path curves down and to the right, continue forward instead, across dips and slopes until you meet the boundary fence of Kenwood. When the fence turns left, keep on down the main path. HEATH EXTENSION Eventually the path opens into open land. Make your way to the tumulus, where there 6 are benches for you to stop and have your coffee. After coffee, take the path down and along the ponds, turning left below the men’s 7 bathing pond.

ponds HIGHGA TE HILL

Waterfield SOUTHWOOD LANE fountain HAMPSTEAD WAY FITZROY WATERLOW KENWOOD PARK SANDY PARK 2 HEATH SEE SEPARATE GOLDERS WALK HILL PARK 2 tree hill

THE HILL GARDEN & gorse PERGOLA meadow 3 WEST REOPENED HEATH dip OAKESHOTT AVENUE slope 5 dip 5 Highgate ponds hill 4 Viaduct 6 Pond tumulus LANGBOURNE AVENUE meadow Vale of 8 Health 7

An alternative to ring the changes. After the V.o.H pond, the route is complex: keep the steep valley on 8 your right until you reach a more major path, turn down right, which takes you down to the Viaduct pond. 15 Hampstead Heath Highgate (lockdown relaxed -3)

FORTIS GREEN 1 kilometre

SUMMERLEE AVE

PARK HALL RD length 13.5 km /8.5 miles length 14.6 km /9.2miles *

Cranley Cherry Tree Wood LANCHESTER R Gate Bridge Gate Bluebells Site of pottery kilns Indicates a place where you may need to Earthworks manoeuvre to avoid oncoming people Onslow * via West Heath Gate Highgate Wood (See the previous two maps for the route Lodge Gate from Sedgemere Avenue to the tumulus) Queen’s New For the start of the walk there are two alternatives - see Gate Wood 0 previous two sheets

From the tumulus make your way back to the ridge and Archway 1 continue gently down, eventually making a left turn to reach Gate Parliament Hill Gypsy QUEEN’S WOOD ROAD Gate Take a right turn just after the toilets which are currently PRIORY GARDENS 2 closed Immediately before the library take a path left. You are now 3 3 on the route of Capital Ring back to East Finchley SHEPHERDSARCHW AY ROAD HILL An alternative route to visit Hampstead Ponds and return 4 via Fitzroy Park

HIGHGA TE HILL

CHOLMELEY PARK

KENWOOD WATERLOW Lauderdale PARK House SANDY SEE SEPARATE HEATH WALK

FITZROY PARK

DARTMOUTH PARK HILL

2 tree hill

gorse meadow

dip OAKESHOTT AVENUE slope dip Highgate ponds 0 hill

Vale of Viaduct BRAMSHILL benches tumulus LANGBOURNE AVENUE Health Pond GARDENS 1 DARTMOUTH 4 PARK AVE 2 YORK RISE LAURIER THE GROVE Parliament Hill HIGHGA TE ROAD Hampstead ponds

DARTMOUTH PARK RD

CHETWYND ROAD

16 1 kilometre length 13 km / 8.1 miles

For start of walk follow first Hampstead Heath walk

1 Belsize Primrose extension (lockdown relaxed -4) WILDWOOD ROAD

ponds HIGHGA TE HILL

Waterfield SOUTHWOOD LANE fountain

FITZROY WATERLOW KENWOOD PARK SANDY PARK HEATH SEE SEPARATE WALK

2 tree hill

THE HILL GARDEN & gorse PERGOLA meadow REOPENED 2 Highgate ponds dip OAKESHOTT AVENUE slope dip hill Start the walk as per the first Heath walk, up the 1 side of the HeathViaduct Extension and on up Sandy WEST Pond men’s Heath tumulus bathing LANGBOURNE AVENUE HEATH pond Vale of At the Kestrel glade, take the right path, through Health 2 the two meadows to North End Road. Cross WHITESTONE then left and continue south to Whitestone Pond 5 POND Facing the former Mount Vernon Hospital (now 3 flats) take a narrow road up a slope in front of the hospital HAMPSTEAD GROVE Over the railway footbridge, bare right and at 4 the grass strike diagonally across in the direction of Holy Joe’s, whose distinctlive tower is visible in the far distance. Eventually over the brow pass a Trig Point painted white. 4

HOLLY HEATH From here follow the extended Heath walk WALK 5 called lockdown relaxed 2 STREET SAVERNAKE ROAD CHURCH LISBURNE ROW AGINCOURT ROAD ROAD FLEET ROAD LYNDHURST FITZJOHN’S ROAD AVENUE AKENSIDE ROAD PARK BELSIZE HILL BELSIZE LANE ROAD CRESCENT BELSIZE AVENUE BELSIZE SQUARE HAVERSTOCK HILL LAMBOLLE PLACE ETON PRIMROSE COLLEGE ETON AVENUE HILL ETON ROAD ROAD ROAD

ADELAIDE ROAD

REGENTS GLOUCESTER AVE PARK ROAD 1 kilometre CHALCOT SQUARE length 17.5km / 11 miles Marks a place where you may need to manoeuvre to avoid oncoming people

17 mainly early C18. Fine 3 storey, 7 bay brown Notes on landmarks brick house. Severe and regular; stone quoins Church End and coping with 4 urns. Flat stone rusticated door surround with flight of steps. Part Avenue House submerged cellars which may be part of an Avenue House was built on land originally earlier house. Garden front similar with steps belonging to the Knights Templar, the fields and iron balcony at entrance level. Interior: eventually being incorporated into the C17 and C18 panelling. Staircase with turned Bibbesworth estate in 1732. In 1859 a villa was balusters. Adam style and floral style ceilings. built on the site, by 1865 known as Avenue Several good visible chimney pieces. Two House, after the Avenue down which the Lords sides of Homestead moat to the south-west. of the Manor had progressed to church. In 1874 On the opposite side of East End Road there it was bought by Henry Charles (Inky) Stephens, were fish ponds 40 yards long, known as the son of the inventor of the world famous indelible moat, thought to date back to 1692 and filled ink. Stephens continued to develop and exploit in in 1928?. the ink from here, building a laboratory and significantly extending the house as a 40- Convent of The Good Shepherd bedroom pile in a 'reactionary Italianate' style, In 1864 the Sisters of the Good Shepherd incorporating much elaborately carved bought East End House on the north side of woodwork and some Art Nouveau ceilings. East End Road, where until 1948 they Stephens also installed a water pump and a maintained a refuge for distressed Roman water tower, and constructed the Bothy, whose Catholic women, including former prisoners. In castellated walls, at its location acts as an eye 1900 they aided 180 'poor penitents' and 130 catcher at the top of the cascade, in line with younger girls. New buildings on the site romantic landscape tradition. The Bothy was included a wing for the novitiate in 1886, when conceived to allow the whole estate to be self- East End House became the provincial house sufficient, through provision of glasshouses, fish for the order. It contained an infamous ponds and forcing pits within the garden, Magdalene laundry. After a fire in 1972 land storage (for seed, food, tools and machinery), a was sold for housing and most of the buildings dairy, an abattoir, room for farriers, and housing were demolished, although the original house for the principal estate workers all being found remains. within it. Highland cattle were introduced in the St Marylebone Cemetery adjacent field and the Estate also maintained a When land in central London got scarce, the flock of sheep and a stable of Cleveland Bay boroughs bought land on the outskirts. Two Horses. cemeteries sprang up on farm land in Finchley Left to the people of Finchley, the estate with its and were opened within a year of each other, 10 acres of gardens is run by a trust, who designed by Barnett and Birch. changed the name to Stephens House and In 1854, St Marylebone Burial Board bought Gardens. It contains 5 grade II listings. 47 acres of land adjacent to East End Road on Manor House what had previously been known as The manor of Finchley belonged to the Bishop Newmarket Farm, and the first interment took of London, and was consequently let out. place in 1855. The crematorium followed in Bibbesworth Manor House is first mentioned in 1937. 1335. The present II* listed Manor House was Notable ‘residents’ include: built for Thomas Allen, Lord of the Manor, ca Sir Henry Bishop – Professor of Music at 1723. When he died in 1764, the building was Oxford and operatic composer sub-let by his heirs, being used as a private Keith Blakelock – Police Constable murdered house, a Boys’ School, then a Girls’ School in Tottenham riot before becoming a private house again. In 1905 Sir Austen Chamberlain – Foreign Secretary it was the residence of AW Gamage, until in Thomas Skarratt Hall - foundation investor in 1918 the Sisters of Marie Auxiliatrice purchased Mount Morgan mine, Queensland, Australia the Manor House, initially as a home for Girls Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe – employed in business and Government and Founder of the Daily Mail later as a convent school. In 1981 the Manor Sir Robert Harmsworth – Newspaper House estate was sold to the Sternberg Centre Publisher with a memorial by Edwin Lutyens for Judaism. Humphrey Lyttelton - English jazz musician Historic England describes the building as a and broadcaster (cremated) 2 18 Thomas H Huxley – Scientist, Darwin’s bulldog Finchley; much of the park was originally part Sidney Paget - Illustrator of Arthur Conan of Colby's Farm, where Charles Dickens wrote Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories part of Martin Chuzzlewit. In 1887 Henry C W. Heath Robinson – Artist and cartoonist Stephens proposed converting the area to a Henry Charles Stephens – Ink magnate, park to commemorate Queen Victoria's philanthropist and local MP Golden Jubilee, and partially financed it, but it Leopold Stokowski – Conductor was not opened until 1902, a year after Queen William Bernhardt Tegetmeier - English Victoria's death. naturalist, bee keeper Victoria Park covers 17 acres. It is mainly George Barham & son Titus, -owners of Express grassland, with playgrounds, ornamental Dairies, creator of College Farm gardens, playing fields, public tennis courts, a Hertford Lodge Bowling and Croquet Club, and a café. Grade II House, later used as municipal offices. There used to be a small lake in the south An 1867 villa in Italianate style, probably east corner, as evidenced by early postcards. extended c1880. The Finches Holy Trinity Church On the small green at the junction of Oak Lane Until the early 1800s the only C of E church in and New Oak Road were two buildings of Finchley was the original St Mary at Finchley note, side by side: Oak Lodge and The almost two miles walk away from the East End Grange. community, quite a hike each week for the In 1749 Oak Lodge existed as three inhabitants of East Finchley. In 1842 tenements, united and probably rebuilt by Congregationalists started a school, a British 1780. In 1863 Edward Sayer of Oak Lodge school, at their chapel. This draw on their built The Grange next door on land he had congregation prompted C of E goers to raise leased to ensure his tranquillity. In 1916 Oak funds for a local church and school in East Lodge became a special school. In 1919 The Finchley, which they did. Holy Trinity church was Grange became a piano factory. In 1920 built in 1846 to a design by Anthony Salvin, who Frederick Simms bought The Grange and built headed the campaign. a factory in the grounds, making dynamos & magnetos,retaining the house as offices. In Finchley Memorial Hospital 1937, plans for Grange/Red Lion Estate were The need for a local hospital had been identified passed by Council. In 1968 Simms Motor during the Queen's Jubilee in 1897. A 2-acre Units merged with CAV Lucas and by 1980s site was acquired from the Ecclesiastical employed 1600 people. In 1973 Oak Lodge Commissioners for £1,000. moved to Heath View. In 1991 the factory The Finchley Cottage Hospital was officially closed and was replaced by The Finches. opened on 28th May 1908 by Mr Homan, the President of the Hospital and major benefactor. The Glebelands It had 10 beds for men in one ward and 8 for The glebelands was a portion of Finchley women in another, 2 separate rooms for Common allocated on enclosure to provide isolation cases and a small operating theatre. income for the Rector. It stretched either side After WW1 the council decided to build an of Summers Lane. The area today known as extension to the Hospital as a War Memorial to Glebelands is to the south, and was known as those local men who had died in the war. the Rough Lots. To the east was a common Complete by 1922 the hospital now had 47 beds gravel pit and north east was from 1879 until and a Nurses' Home, and was renamed the early 20th century of John Lawford's brick Finchley Memorial Hospital. works. Between the sports facilities and the Further expansions occurred from time to time, North Circular Road together with Coppetts until in 1974, following a major reorganisation of Wood is a nature reserve. the NHS, facilities started to be transferred to Coppetts Wood & Scrublands Barnet General Hospital. Coppett’s Wood was once part of a forest In 2008 NHS Barnet purchased the 9-acre known as Finchley Wood, then became the disused Bow Lane Playing Fields from London easternmost fringe of Finchley Common, but Borough of Camden and built a new hospital unlike most of Finchley Common, appears to funded by PFI to the south, before demolishing have avoided deforestation. Scrublands was in the original facility, and opened in 2013. Hornsey. An outbreak of typhoid in 1872, led Victoria Park to the installation of a sewage works on either The first public park in the former Borough of side of the woodland, connected by the raised 2 19 path you see today. After a period of private cremations. The original anglican chapel ownership, the wood was purchased by the served both parishes until 1896 when Islington Council in 1900. The sewage works were closed built a new chapel for themselves, an Arts and in 1963 and the sludge digester in the wood Crafts Gothic building in brick and stone with a itself, was demolished in 1988. The 14.5 hectare timber cupola, designed by Forsyth and area including part of Glebelands was Maule. The Crematorium was built in 1937, designated a Local Nature Reserve by the designed by Albert Freeman London Borough of Barnet in 1997. The main, Hampstead Garden Suburb mature, trees are oak and hornbeam, and Raymond Unwin was chosen as master ground flora include bluebell and garlic mustard. planner of the new Suburb, following his Breeding birds include woodpeckers, tawny experience with a model village at New owls and sparrow hawks. A small pond has a Earswick near York, and then Letchworth, the clump of yellow iris, and common frogs and first garden city. He continued this trend here, smooth newts. Scrublands, to the east of the avoiding monotony and uniformity, making use woodland, has a different variety of habitats. of existing contours, curves and natural The concrete cylinders probably came from the features, giving the feeling of living in a village. sewage works. Coppetts Wood Festival is held His first plan is dated February 1905. However here every year in May. he didn’t have things all his own way and the Coldfall Wood plans changed several times, becoming more The name Cold Fall implies former management formal with time. Edwin Lutyens was chosen for making charcoal. This 14 hectare wood is for the important buildings around the high north facing, draining into the Bounds Green point, with its geometric layout and religious Brook and was until the 1930s much bigger, buildings. He had very different views from having stretched south as far as Fortis Green. Henrietta Barnett and the result was a stormy Little light penetrates to the woodland floor. compromise. The tall tiled church roof of St The tree cover is dominated by oak standards, Jude’s of 1909, stretching down to low eaves with an understorey of multi-stemmed, was one result. He had some fun, however. If overgrown hornbeam coppice. Beech, hazel, you look at the terrace on the North Square, mountain ash and wild service are all rare. In notice all the different ways he designed the few natural glade areas caused by the windows on the second floor. collapse of an occasional canopy tree, and by The suburb was to be a social as well as the recent clearance around the brook on the architectural experiment. North of the high northern side, the flora is of considerable ground was to be the artisan quarter, around interest. Erskine Hill and Willifield Way, while the plots Its western and northern boundaries are to the south, adjacent to the Heath Extension demarcated by the remains of an ancient wood were for the rich. The social experiment was a bank with a ditch on the outer side, separating it failure. Most working class people could not from Finchley common. afford the charges and were eventually St Pancras and Islington Cemeteries squeezed out. Two cemeteries sprang up on farm land in The suburb expanded with time, and under Finchley and were opened within a year of each less rigorous design constraints, down the hill other, designed by Barnett and Birch. into Finchley. For more information about the In 1853 the Parish of St Pancras bought 87 suburb its development and architecture visit acres of former Horseshoe Farm alongside the walk118 High Road and the first interment took place in http://www.tonero.me.uk/walksfromfinchley.ht 1854. Some of this land was sold to Islington, m but in 1877 a further 94 acres was bought and The Heath Extension shared between them. It was fear of developers on her doorstep that Some of the cemetery occupies land originally precipitated Henrietta Barnett to form the destined as a reservoir for the Regents Canal Hampstead Heath Extension Council in 1903. Company until the Company drained it and At that time the land, the Wyldes Estate, moved to the Welsh Harp. belonged to Eton College, having been St Pancras and Islington cemeteries together granted to the new foundation in 1481. The form the third largest single cemetery serving proceeds from building high value houses London and in burial numbers, is the largest in around the extension brought the net cost of the UK with around one million interments and acquiring the land within budget. The rest of

2 20 the Wyldes estate was bought for Hampstead Farm was subsequently sold to the Garden Suburb, over which there are fine views. Department Of Transport. It later became a Big Wood trust and its future is uncertain. George and Big Wood and Little Wood are remnants in Titus are buried in East Finchley. Finchley of more extensive woods that used to Finchley Village cover the area thousands of years ago and Finchley Garden Village was built on land became known as Middlesex Forest. The shape previously belonging to Grass or Groates of the remaining woods is recognisable as far Farm. Influenced by Letchworth, The Finchley back as John Roques map in 1754, although the Co-Partnership Society was formed in 1908 to shape was trimmed when the Suburb was “meet the increased demand of the less constructed. The gate at the Temple Fortune Hill wealthy of the middle classes who wish for entrance to the wood was donated by residents small houses with more open and artistic to commemorate the 29 suburb residents who surroundings than are afforded by the present died in the Second World War. It replaces an day stereotyped suburban development.“ earlier gate that stood on an ancient 8th century An area of about nine acres was secured, of boundary that became the boundary between which two and a half acres were to be devoted Finchley and Hendon.The wood is home to Wild to common land, and a further two acres to a Service trees, Hazel, Treecreepers and village green. The houses were to be arranged Woodpeckers, Nuthatches, Bluebells, Yellow round the green and would range in price from Archangel, Speckled Wood butterflies and much £350 to £650. The architects selected were more. Messrs. Walter Bennett and Frank E. Stratton Mutton Brook of the Broadway, Finchley. Frank Stratton was The Mutton Brook begins on the western slopes the principal architect and one of the first of Highgate Wood. An area within Cherry Tree residents. The first 13 houses were built and Wood used to be known as the Quag, and there occupied by the end of 1909 and the were watercress beds. The brook now surfaces remainder by 1914, with the exception of Nos. in Lyttleton Playing Fields, part of the design for 39 and 40. Note the War Memorial. Hampstead Garden Suburb. The water Grass Farm Lodge eventually drains via the Brent Brook into the The lodge was commissioned by John Heal, Thames at Brentford. son of Heal & Son, owner of Grass Farm, in College Farm 1859 on the approach to his property. Grass or Sheep House Farm was acquired by George Grotes Farm was one of the largest in Barham in1868 to create a London-based dairy Finchley, stretching from Church End farm for prestige and development purposes for westwards to the Dollis Brook. The farm can his firm Express Dairies, replacing sheep with be traced back to the 14th century. Much of Guernseys, Shorthorns and Kerry cows. He the estate, including Hendon Avenue, was demolished the original buildings in 1882 and developed in 1906 and in 1908, part of the used Frederick Chancellor, an ecclesiastical estate was sold to The Finchley Co- architect and diocesan surveyor, to create a Partnership Society for Finchley Village. The model dairy farm. With Christ’s College’s farm was demolished in 1911 and is distinctive tower in sight the name was later commemorated in Grass Park, close to the changed to College Farm. It marks the end of an original farmhouse location. era in the dairy trade and was one of the last of Church End its kind to be built. With the dairying now carried 1 Park House out elsewhere industrially, the dairy became a is one of the few C18 buildings still standing in centre for cream teas and a day out for Finchley. Built by John Odell in1739 with Londoners, and the farm a showplace for the Roman Doric style front door surround, well newest and best in livestock and equipment. On proportioned windows with false arcading. his death the wholesale end of the business Note the fire insurance plaque by the Hand in went to son Arthur, while son Titus retained the Hand Company. retail, including College Farm. Arthur would go 2 Gothic &Flora Cottage on to form United Dairies, absorbing local Manor To the left of these distinctive cottages was the Farm dairies and its depot in East Finchley in village pond, which ran alongside Hendon 1932 while Titus created his own wholesale Lane in a north-easterly direction. business. Express Dairies was bought up by 3 Royal Terrace Grand Metropolitan in the 1960s and College William Royal in 1882 started the terrace we 2 21 see today. He bought the adjoining plots and Roberts with the distinctive tower with green extended Royal Parade (later Terrace) copper roof and was named Christ’s College. northwards, together creating no’s 1 to 6, known Its distinctive feature is the pattern of Tudor today as 44-54 Hendon Lane. By 1904 it was diaper decoration in blue-black bricks. The later the home of Finchley Fire Brigade when they buildings were constructed in 1926. The acquired one of the first motor powered fire- Grammar School became comprehensive, in engines. Finchley’s new Merryweather fire 1978, amalgamating with part of Alder School, engine was the first in the world to have its fire and moved out to new premises on East End pump driven by a power take-off from the road Road in 1990. engine. The engine was later recognised in a 8 Former site of Finchley Hall postage stamp and the engine itself is kept in This location, together with Clerk’s House, was the Science Museum’s reserve stock. The fire an anonymous gift to the Finchley Charities. brigade moved out to its current home to Long Since at least the 16th century it had been the Lane in 1935/6. The old firemen’s cottages can site of The Queen’s Head Inn. It was used be seen up an alleyway. variously as the village post office, coroners 4 Hamilton Hall court, and auction room. The timber 42 Hendon Lane was once known as Hamilton construction was razed to the ground in an Hall after FA Hamilton of Brent Lodge, a enormous conflagration in 1836 and an elegant merchant banker who one of Finchley’s 3 storey brick building replaced it. The Inn was benefactors. It was opened as a working men’s squeezed out by the Rector in 1857 and used club in 1899. for the precursor to Christ’s College before 5 The Clerk’s House becoming Council Offices until bombed in Part of the Finchley Charities anonymous WW2. It was replaced by the current building, donation, it was formerly the home of the Vestry built as a library in 1955. Clerk. Divided into two dwellings in 1725 and 9 King Edward Hall rebuilt in 1851, the dwelling closest to the Built on former Clements Nurseries in 1911-12, church was replaced by a Workmen’s Hall and King Edward Hall is a prominent grade II listed Reading Room, became a Parish Room, building, built as a private banqueting hall renamed the Blue Beetle when renovated in the above retail units, to the designs of Turner and 1960s Higgins of Finchley. This brick building with 6 St Mary at Finchley stone dressings has 3 storeys plus attics, with is the original parish church, and is said to have 11 windows towards Regent’s Park Road and been founded in CE 675 for the timber fellers. 13 towards Hendon Lane, a circular corner Remaining fragments of 12th century Norman tower of 4 storeys, with clock face and copper stonework include a lancet window, a stone dome. The ground floor shop fronts have sink, stone clergy seats, cabinet and fresco of St original fascias, pilasters and brackets and George and the Dragon. some shop fronts are original. During the First The oldest parts of the church are the north wall World War the building was used as temporary and the chapel, as well as the base of the tower. hospital. The chapel, in the north aisle of the church, was Lodge Cottage built in 1334 by the Lord of the Manor to serve A glance at the 1865 Ordnance Survey Map as a chantry chapel and has a later window by shows the building just inside the entrance of Harcourt Doyle. an estate called The Elms, containing two main The nave of the church, including the roof, houses (or house and separate stables), and mostly dates from the 15th century, though the was presumably the estate’s gatehouse; a east end of the church was restored after WW2. driveway passes it to each main building, either The nave was expanded in 1872 by the addition side of the porch. By 1895, the map shows the of the inner south aisle; and in 1932 with the railway had arrived, truncating the estate and outer south aisle. demolishing one of the dwellings. The The octagonal font dates from the 12th century. remaining dwelling became labelled as Elm The organ is a two-manual Henry Willis organ Grange. By 1927 the estate had been taken (1878). St Mary’s has a full octave of eight bells over by a developer, Mr Arnell, and was sold off in its tower, dating from 1770 onwards. for development in two tranches, the house 7 Old Christ’s College being demolished in 1929. Fortunately, the Rev. Thomas Reader White founded a school delightful lodge remains. for the middle classes in 1857. It moved across the road in 1861 to the tall building by Edward Brent Lodge Gatehouse/Finchley Way OS 2 22 The land that in 1767 composed three fields soap magnate Lord Leverhulme purchased a between Nether Street and the brook was Georgian house called The Hill which he Waren’s First Gift to the Finchley Charities. demolished to build what is now Inverforth By 1810 the estate had grown to just over 2 House. The idea of the pergola was to extend acres, with a house and stables, coach house the level area outside the house and at the and yard, and advertised as a beautiful villa and same time provide privacy from the public on estate ornamented with stately timber wearing the Heath below. He enlisted the help of the appearance of a park. ‘The approach is Thomas Mawson, landscape architect. He had through a handsome drive with two ornamental no need to purchase spoil for the construction. lodges, stabling for seven horses’. He offered to transport and dispose of the Twenty years later, the property was put up for spoil from the construction of the Northern sale as Brent Lodge with 24 acres. Line nearby for a fee! Progress was quick, and From 1865 until his death in 1907 it was the Pergola was finished in 1906 occupied by local benefactor FA Hamilton. Golders Hill Park In 1922 August Cooper bought the site, by In 1767 a colourful and somewhat shady which time much had been sold off for the character by the name of Charles Dingley development of Finchley, Brent and Hamilton carved out an estate for himself north of Ways and Cedar Court. Cooper left it to the Golders Green at Golders Hill. Landscaping by people of Finchley, but by 1962 the house, John Coore with advice from Humphrey converted into flats, was in considerable Repton. By 1897 the estate was put up for disrepair and demolished, leaving this gate auction and after various battles it was bought house on the opposite side of Lover’s Walk. to prevent developers building flats and Much of the site is now known as Finchley Way opened as a public park. The Victorian pile of Open Space. Within the site there are distinct a house, on the highest point of the land, was areas known as The Orchard, The Copse and bombed out in the Second World War. The Green Field. Highgate Wood occupies 28 hectares and Hampstead Heath has evidence of human activity dating back to See walk 92 for notes on the Heath generally. prehistoric times. It drains westwards into the Sandy Heath Mutton Brook. was so named because it lay over a large During the Medieval period, the wood was part deposit of Bagshot sands and gravels. The Lord of the Bishop of London’s hunting park. of the Manor, Thomas Maryon Wilson, exploited Between the 16th and 18th centuries the this as an income. When the Midland Railway church leased the wood to tenants, who extended its line to create a new terminus at St managed it as ‘coppice with standard’. Young Pancras he granted the company access to the Hornbeam was regularly cut and used for fuel, sands and 30 cartloads a day were extracted, and oak standards were left to grow to leaving pits up to 25 ft deep. Spaniards Road maturity, before being felled for construction. marks the original surface level.There are In the 1880s a high-profile campaign to save plaques for Unwin, Blake, Pevsner and Ventris the wood was led by Henry Reader Williams at North End. and in 1886 the wood was gifted to the City of The Hill Garden London and declared “open for the use and A well-known actress from Covent Garden recreation of the public forever” Theatre, Mrs Lessingham, applied for, and 362 moth, 353 fungi, 70 bird and seven bat obtained despite violent opposition from local species have been recorded. At least 28 copyholders, a grant of land on which she built species of bird regularly breed here, including Heath Lodge. Lord Leverhume subsequently great spotted woodpecker, nuthatch and bought the estate (next to his) and demolished treecreeper. There are more than 50 species the house with the aim of extending his garden. of trees and shrubs. His application to abolish the right of way Queen’s Wood between his two properties was rejected, so he This adjacent 21 hectare ancient woodland extended his pergola across the lane using a was once called Churchyard Bottom Wood. bridge. The walled Hill Garden was purchased Facing east, it is largely occupied by the valley by LCC and opened to the public in 1963 of a tributary of the Moselle Brook. This oak- The Pergola hornbeam woodland features occasional Hampstead Pergola is essentially a raised beech in a canopy above cherry, field maple, walkway, set amidst some wonderfully dramatic hazel, holly, hornbeam, midland hawthorn, gardens. Its history goes back to 1904 when mountain ash and both species of lowland 2 23 birch. The scarce Wild Service Tree is scattered when it was used exclusively for news throughout. It has a large population of wood broadcasts. anemone, goldilocks buttercup and wood sorrel, Just six months after the transfer of trusteeship yellow pimpernel and square-stemmed St to Haringey Council, in 1980, the Palace caught John's wort. fire again. An area comprising the Great Hall, Bluebell Wood Banqueting Suite, and former roller rink Bluebell Wood is a small remnant of one of the together with the theatre dressing rooms was ancient woodlands of London. Just over an acre completely destroyed. Only Palm Court and the in size, it is dominated by sessile oaks but has area occupied by the BBC escaped damage. midland hawthorn and wild service trees. Birds Development and restoration work began soon include song thrush, chaffinch and magpie. after and the Palace was re-opened on 17th Despite its name, there are no native bluebells. March 1988. It continues as a Charitable Trust Fortis Green administered by the London Borough of What became Fortis Green Road was just a Haringey and parts continue to be restored and track across Hornsey Common until the early reopened, most recently the theatre. 1800s. In 1815 the Hornsey Enclosure act Railway to the Palace resulted in the land to the south of Coldfall The GNR branch line from Highgate to Wood being portioned out as compensation to Alexandra Palace was constructed to coincide copyholders, who built villas of Georgian design with its opening in 1873. It was extremely along Fortis Green, many of which still exist popular – nearly 60,000 passengers visited on today. the bank holiday but on 9 June calamity, the In 1853, anticipating the coming of the railway, palace burned down! To help combat the two men bought land on the south side of Fortis flames, the GNR sent two of their own fire Green on the edge of East Finchley and laid it engines by rail and these arrived before the out with roads (Southern, Western and Eastern) local ones. Some traffic was generated by and divided it into 70 plus plots for sale to local people coming to see the ruins but then the line builders. Demand, however, was slow and the closed until the palace was rebuilt. The fortunes resulting Harwell Park estate took several of the branch line closely followed those of the decades to complete; the resulting buildings of palace, despite the growth of Muswell Hill many styles together present a pleasing commuters. The last passenger train ran in appearance. 1954 but the station building is still visible Alexandra Palace behind the palace in the traditional GNR livery. In an attempt to mirror the recently relocated Muswell Hill Crystal Palace to the south, the Alexandra Park Situated on the northern heights, the suburb we Company bought the land of Tottenham Wood know as Muswell Hill emerged slowly from the Farm from the Rhodes family and made use of Middlesex Forest in the Manor of Hornsey, part building materials remaining from the 1862 of the Bishop of London’s Stepney estate. In International Exhibition of South Kensington, the twelfth century the Bishop granted 65 acres greatly influencing the design. Opened as “The to an order of nuns recently established in People’s Palace” in 1873, Alexandra Palace Clerkenwell. Situated east of Colney Hatch provided the Victorians with a great environment Lane, this land contained a natural spring and recreation centre. Just sixteen days after [adjacent to today’s 40 Muswell Road]. opening, it was destroyed by a fire. Less than 2 In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the years later, a new, uglier Palace opened, area was home to rich residential estates, covering 7 acres and centred on a Great Hall, attracted by the fresh air, rural tranquility and with its mighty Willis Organ driven by two steam fine views. engines and vast bellows. After a sporadic appearance of smaller After further financial difficulties, an Act of Victorian dwellings, much of the land was Parliament in 1900 created the Alexandra bought up by two developers. In a short space Palace and Park Trust, requiring the Trustees to of time, J Edmondson [The eight parades, maintain the Palace and Park and make them Queens, Princes and Dukes Avenues] and WJ “available for the free use and recreation of the Collins [Church Crescent, Grand Avenue and public forever”. Rookfield Estate] created between them the In 1935, the BBC leased the eastern part of the homogenous and unique suburb of building from which the first public television commodious elegant red brick Edwardian transmissions were made in 1936. It was the buildings with white paintwork, pargeting and main transmitting centre for the BBC until 1956, elaborate woodwork we see today. . 2 24