News from The Barnet Society

Jimmy Greaves, the legendary English footballer who has died at the age of 81, is held in great affection by fans of Barnet Football Club who remember seeing him play at Underhill in the 1977-78 football season.

Fog of War, a play written around the life of a community of local women living through the sound and fury of the 1471 Battle of Barnet, had its premiere in the historic setting of the garden of Monken Hadley Church.

A welcome return of his annual garden fete -- together with rides for children around his miniature railway track -- were another sign of life returning to normal at the Wood Street home of retired Barnet family practitioner Dr Ian Johnson.

A plan to construct as many as six blocks of flats over the car park and storage yard at High Barnet tube station appears to have been abandoned -- at least for the foreseeable future.

After its cancellation last year, Barnet Medieval Festival returned with a superb display of medieval history and a stylish re-enactment of Wars of the Roses combat which provided a magnificent in-character celebration of the 550th anniversary of the Battle of Barnet.

After the cancellation of so many social events during the last 18 months because of the Covid.19 pandemic, the welcome return of the Barnet Medieval Festival with its battlefield re-enactments kicks off what promises to be a packed programme of weekend attractions for the rest of September.

A visit by a planning inspector to the Whalebones woods and farmland rounded off a week-long public inquiry into the future of a large open space that provides a green buffer between Arkley and High Barnet.

A determined campaign has been launched by the Hadley Wood Association to fight plans for 160 homes to be built on Green Belt land -- one of a series of Green Belt housing developments being proposed by Enfield Council.

A spirited plea to preserve one of High Barnet's prominent green spaces was heard at the opening day of a public inquiry into plans to build 152 houses and flats on the Whalebones fields and woodland.

An open day at the Grow Farm at Totteridge Academy in Barnet Lane was a chance to see the transformation of an empty field into a community farm where local school children are taught the practicalities of food cultivation and have an opportunity to build up agricultural skills.

On the eve of a critical public inquiry, Barnet Council has withdrawn its main objection to plans to build 152 homes on fields and woods in the Whalebones estate, Wood Street, Barnet. Nearby residents and amenity groups say they are shocked by the sudden U-turn.

Six iron arrowheads recovered from the site of the 1471 Battle of Barnet are on display for the very first time at the recently re-opened Barnet Museum -- a must see exhibit for anyone hoping to attend the Barnet Medieval Festival in mid-September A display of medieval archery will be part of the re-enactment of the

After missing out last year, members of the Barnet Classic Car Club are raring to go -- ready to parade up Barnet Hill and along the High Street to the annual vintage and classic car show which has grown from strength to strength in recent years.

After months of agonising uncertainty, Barnet Medieval Festival is definitely going ahead for a re-scheduled weekend of events and attractions on Saturday and Sunday 11-12 September at the Byng Road playing fields.

After closing its doors to the public four years ago, High Barnet Police Station is to disappear altogether from the High Street. Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, has announced that the station is to close completely, and the building will be sold.

A research project at University College London into the role of slavery in shaping British history has highlighted unlooked for -- almost accidental -- reminders of the slave trade in some of the historic street names of High Barnet.

JCDecaux, which claims to be the world's largest outdoor advertising contractor, is promising local authorities it wants to help declutter town centres -- and then promptly abandons this pledge by pressing on with its controversial application for two advertising and communication hubs on the recently widened High Street pavements of High Barnet.

Gary Murphy, High Barnet's most celebrated licensee of recent times, has given up his lease after having spent the last 13 years establishing The Mitre as a public house recognised across North London for its real ales and craft beers.

On Tuesday 13 July, the Barnet Society held its first Open Meeting on topical local issues via Zoom. Around 50 members of the Society and general public participated. This is what we discussed.

Simon Smith who spent the last 16 years managing over 60 of High Barnet's historic almshouses has taken early retirement from his role as clerk to the trustees of the Jesus Hospital Charity.