Finchley
Encyclopedia
Finchley is a district
in Barnet
in north London
, England. Finchley is on high ground, about 11 km (6.8 mi) north of Charing Cross
. It formed an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex
, becoming a municipal borough in 1933
, and has formed part of Greater London
since 1965. It is predominantly a residential suburb, with three town centres.
Finchley probably means Finch's clearing or finches' clearing in late Anglo-Saxon; the name was first recorded in the early 13th century. Finchley is not recorded in the Domesday book, but by the 11th century its lands were already included in those of the Bishop of London.
In early medieval period the area was sparsely populated woodland. During the 12th and 13th century proper farming began, and by the 15th and 16th century the woods on the eastern side of the parish were cleared to form Finchley Common
. The medieval Great North Road
, which ran through the common, was notorious for Highwaymen
until the early 19th century.
In the 1270s the parish church of St Mary is first recorded. The settlement at Church End grow up around it. Near the northern gate to the Bishop of London's park the hamlet of East End, later East Finchley had begun to develop by 1365.
The Edgware, Highgate and London Railway
(later the Great Northern Railway
) reached Finchley in 1867. The route ran from Finsbury Park
via Finchley to Edgware
. The High Barnet
branch opened from Finchley in 1872.
In 1905 tram
services were established in Finchley, and extended shortly after to Barnet. They were eventually replaced by trolley buses
.
In 1933, the Underground New Works Programme, 1935-1940
was announced, to electrify the lines through Finchley, and connect the Underground from Archway
to East Finchley
, via a new tunnel.
Much of the work was carried out, with East Finchley station being completely rebuilt, until stopped by the Second World War
. All passenger services from Finchley to Edgware ended in September 1939. Nevertheless, Underground trains began running from central London to High Barnet in 1940, and to Mill Hill East
, to reach the large army barracks, in 1941.
After the war, the introduction of London's Metropolitan Green Belt
undermined pre-war plans, and the upgrading between Mill Hill East and Edgware (the 'Northern Heights' project) was abandoned, although the line continued to be used by steam trains for goods traffic through Finchley, until it closed completely in 1964.
, which became a local board in 1878, an urban district
in 1895, and finally a municipal borough
between 1933 and 1965. It is now subsumed into the London Borough of Barnet
.
Finchley was from 1959 to 1992 the Parliamentary constituency
of Margaret Thatcher
, British Prime Minister
from 1979 to 1990. Finchley is now covered by the new constituency of Finchley and Golders Green.
In February 2010, The Green Party
held their spring party conference
at the artsdepot
in North Finchley.
and about 6 km (3.7 mi) south of Barnet
. To the west is the Dollis valley formed by Dollis Brook
which is the natural western boundary of Finchley. Mutton Brook
forms the southern boundary, joining the Dollis Brook to become the River Brent
. Geologically, Finchley is formed of three layers. Most of Finchley is on Boulder clay
or glacial moraine, skirted by a layer of gravel, then the underlying layer of London clay
. This roughly triangular gravel line was the most fertile area, hamlets grew at the three corners, which evolved into Finchley's early population centres corresponding to the three town centres in the area:
The residential areas West Finchley in postcode district N3 and Woodside Park
in postcode district N12 are centred on their respective tube stations to the west of the area.
The area of London known as Finchley Road, around Finchley Road tube station
, is not part of Finchley, but instead refers to a commercial district in Swiss Cottage
, Camden
. The area is named after a section of the A41 road
, which eventually runs north to Finchley.
is a large Victorian house (Grade II listed) situated on East End Road. College Farm
is the last farm in Finchley, it was a model dairy farm, then a visitor attraction. The Phoenix Cinema
in East Finchley with its 1930s art deco facade is one of the oldest purpose-built cinemas in the UK.
The Sternberg Centre
for Judaism
at 80 East End Road in Finchley is a Jewish cultural centre. It was founded to facilitate a number of important Reform and Liberal Jewish institutions, attached to the Movement for Reform Judaism.
The Archer is a 10 feet (3 m) statue by Eric Aumonier
of a kneeling archer captured as if having just released an arrow. Located on East Finchley tube station. The statue La Délivrance
depicts a naked women holding a sword, it stands at the approach to Finchley from the south, in Regent's Park Road, just north of Henly's Corner.
Being in Greater London Transport for London
is responsible for transport in Finchley.
Finchley is served by four London Underground
stations, all on the High Barnet branch of the Northern Line
.
Two of London's major roads, the east-west A406 North Circular Road
and the north-south A1 meet and briefly merge at Henly's Corner at the southern edge of Finchley.
North Finchley serves as a major bus hub with nine buses using bus stops around Tally Ho Corner.
There are 17 primary schools in the district.
There are six secondary schools. Three are voluntary aided schools, all Catholic: Bishop Douglass Catholic, Finchley Catholic High
and St Michael's Catholic Grammar
. Two are community school
s: Christ's College Finchley
and The Compton
. One is an academy, the 'Wren Academy', named after Sir Christopher Wren, and sponsored by the Church of England
.
There is also a special school, Oak Lodge Special.
Woodhouse College in North Finchley is one of two colleges in the borough.
, supplies Finchley's water; the area is in the south-east corner of the company's water supply area. EDF Energy Networks
is the Distribution network operator
licensed to distribute electricity from the transmission grid to homes and businesses in Finchley.
The Finchley Memorial Hospital, on Granville Road North Finchley, is a small NHS hospital administrated by NHS Barnet, a primary care trust
. Built with local donations in 1908 it was originally called Finchley Cottage Hospital, but renamed and expanded after the First World War as a war memorial. London Ambulance Service
responds to medical emergencies
in Finchley. Home Office
policing in Finchley is provided by the Metropolitan Police Service
. Statutory emergency fire service
is provided by the London Fire Brigade
, which has a station on Long Lane.
, a community arts centre including a gallery, studio and theatre, opened in 2004, at Tally Ho Corner, North Finchley.
Victoria Park is located off Ballards Lane between North Finchley and Finchley Central. It was proposed in 1887 to mark Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee, and opened in 1902 to become Finchley's first public park.
William Hogarth
painted his satirical 'March of the Guards to Finchley' in 1750. It is a depiction of a fictional mustering of troops on the Tottenham Court Road
to march north to Finchley to defend the capital from the second Jacobite rebellion of 1745.
A number of fictional characters have been associated with the area, including:
, the first Roman Catholic judge
to sit in England and Wales
since the Reformation
lived in Finchley. The novelist Charles Dickens
wrote Martin Chuzzlewit
whilst staying at Cobley Farm near Bow Lane, North Finchley. Octavia Hill
, a social reformer and a founder of the National Trust
, Kyrle Society and the Army Cadet movement
. She lived at Brownswell Cottages on the High Road in East Finchley just south of the junction with the North Circular Road today. Harry Beck
, an engineering draftsman
who created the present London Underground
Tube map
in 1931, lived in Finchey. There is a plaque commemorating him along with a copy of his original map on the southbound platform at Finchley Central tube station.
Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher
, 1979–1990, was Conservative
MP for Finchley from 1959 to 1992, although she never lived in the area, instead preferring to live in Dulwich
and Chelsea
before and after her time in Downing Street
. Spike Milligan
, the comedian who was the chief creator and main writer of The Goon Show
, lived in Woodside Park from 1955 to 1974. He was president and patron of the Finchley Society. Private John Parr, the first British soldier and the first soldier of the Commonwealth
killed in World War I
was born in Church End Finchley, and lived at 52 Lodge Lane, North Finchley.
Since 1963 Le Raincy
, France Since 1962 Montclair
, United States Since 1945 Siegen-Wittgenstein
, Germany Since 1951
District
Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...
in Barnet
London Borough of Barnet
The London Borough of Barnet is a London borough in North London and forms part of Outer London. It has a population of 331,500 and covers . It borders Hertfordshire to the north and five other London boroughs: Harrow and Brent to the west, Camden and Haringey to the south-east and Enfield to the...
in north London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England. Finchley is on high ground, about 11 km (6.8 mi) north of Charing Cross
Charing Cross
Charing Cross denotes the junction of Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square in central London, England. It is named after the now demolished Eleanor cross that stood there, in what was once the hamlet of Charing. The site of the cross is now occupied by an equestrian...
. It formed an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, becoming a municipal borough in 1933
Municipal Borough of Finchley
Finchley was a local government district in Middlesex, England, from 1878 to 1965. It formed part of the northern suburbs of London and was within the Metropolitan Police District and London Passenger Transport Area. Its former area now forms part of the London Borough of Barnet.-Formation:The...
, and has formed part of Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
since 1965. It is predominantly a residential suburb, with three town centres.
History
| 1881 | 11,191 |
|---|---|
| 1891 | 16,647 |
| 1901 | 22,126 |
| 1911 | 39,419 |
| 1921 | 46,716 |
| 1931 | 58,964 |
| 1941 | war # |
| 1951 | 69,991 |
| 1961 | 69,370 |
| # no census was held due to war | |
| source: UK census | |
Finchley probably means Finch's clearing or finches' clearing in late Anglo-Saxon; the name was first recorded in the early 13th century. Finchley is not recorded in the Domesday book, but by the 11th century its lands were already included in those of the Bishop of London.
In early medieval period the area was sparsely populated woodland. During the 12th and 13th century proper farming began, and by the 15th and 16th century the woods on the eastern side of the parish were cleared to form Finchley Common
Finchley Common
Finchley Common was an area of land in Middlesex, and until 1816 the boundary between the parishes of Finchley, Friern Barnet and Hornsey.- History :...
. The medieval Great North Road
A1000 road
The A1000 is a main road in the United Kingdom, running north from Highgate, North London for approximately to Welwyn where it joins the A1 motorway. It incorporates part of the main medieval route out of London, and runs through Finchley, Whetstone, Chipping Barnet and Monken Hadley...
, which ran through the common, was notorious for Highwaymen
Highwayman
A highwayman was a thief and brigand who preyed on travellers. This type of outlaw, usually, travelled and robbed by horse, as compared to a footpad who traveled and robbed on foot. Mounted robbers were widely considered to be socially superior to footpads...
until the early 19th century.
The Edgware, Highgate and London Railway
Edgware, Highgate and London Railway
The Edgware, Highgate and London Railway was a railway in north London. The railway was a precursor of parts of London Underground's Northern Line and was, in the 1930s the core of an ambitious expansion plan for that line which was thwarted by the Second World War...
(later the Great Northern Railway
Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)
The Great Northern Railway was a British railway company established by the Great Northern Railway Act of 1846. On 1 January 1923 the company lost its identity as a constituent of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway....
) reached Finchley in 1867. The route ran from Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park, London
Finsbury Park is an area in north London, England which grew up around an important railway interchange at the junction of the London Boroughs of Islington, Haringey and Hackney...
via Finchley to Edgware
Edgware
Edgware is an area in London, situated north-northwest of Charing Cross. It forms part of both the London Borough of Barnet and the London Borough of Harrow. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
. The High Barnet
High Barnet tube station
High Barnet tube station is a London Underground station located in High Barnet in North London. The station is the terminus of the High Barnet branch of the Northern line and is in Travelcard Zone 5. It is the northernmost station on the Northern line and is situated 10.2 miles north north-west...
branch opened from Finchley in 1872.
In 1905 tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
services were established in Finchley, and extended shortly after to Barnet. They were eventually replaced by trolley buses
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
.
In 1933, the Underground New Works Programme, 1935-1940
New Works Programme
The "New Works Programme, 1935 - 1940" was the major investment programme delivered by the London Passenger Transport Board , commonly known as London Transport, which had been created in 1933 to coordinate underground train, tram, trolleybus and bus services in the capital and the surrounding areas...
was announced, to electrify the lines through Finchley, and connect the Underground from Archway
Archway tube station
Archway tube station is a London Underground station in north London, underneath the Archway Tower, at the intersection of Holloway Road, Highgate Hill and Junction Road in the area known as Archway....
to East Finchley
East Finchley tube station
East Finchley is a London Underground station in East Finchley in north London. The station is on the High Barnet branch of the Northern Line, between Highgate and Finchley Central stations, and is in Travelcard Zone 3.-History:...
, via a new tunnel.
Much of the work was carried out, with East Finchley station being completely rebuilt, until stopped by the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. All passenger services from Finchley to Edgware ended in September 1939. Nevertheless, Underground trains began running from central London to High Barnet in 1940, and to Mill Hill East
Mill Hill East tube station
Mill Hill East tube station is a London Underground station in Mill Hill in North London.The station is on the High Barnet branch of the Northern Line, and is the terminus, and only station, of a branch from Finchley Central station...
, to reach the large army barracks, in 1941.
After the war, the introduction of London's Metropolitan Green Belt
Metropolitan Green Belt
The Metropolitan Green Belt is a statutory green belt around London, England. It includes designated parts of Greater London and the surrounding counties of Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent and Surrey in the South East and East of England regions.-History:The...
undermined pre-war plans, and the upgrading between Mill Hill East and Edgware (the 'Northern Heights' project) was abandoned, although the line continued to be used by steam trains for goods traffic through Finchley, until it closed completely in 1964.
Governance and politics
From around 1547 Finchley had a parish vestryVestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
, which became a local board in 1878, an urban district
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
in 1895, and finally a municipal borough
Municipal borough
Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002...
between 1933 and 1965. It is now subsumed into the London Borough of Barnet
London Borough of Barnet
The London Borough of Barnet is a London borough in North London and forms part of Outer London. It has a population of 331,500 and covers . It borders Hertfordshire to the north and five other London boroughs: Harrow and Brent to the west, Camden and Haringey to the south-east and Enfield to the...
.
Finchley was from 1959 to 1992 the Parliamentary constituency
United Kingdom constituencies
In the United Kingdom , each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one or more members to a parliament or assembly.Within the United Kingdom there are now five bodies with members elected by constituencies:...
of Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
, British Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
from 1979 to 1990. Finchley is now covered by the new constituency of Finchley and Golders Green.
In February 2010, The Green Party
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
held their spring party conference
Party conference
The terms party conference , political convention , and party congress usually refer to a general meeting of a political party. The conference is attended by certain delegates who represent the party membership...
at the artsdepot
Artsdepot
The artsdepot is a multi-purpose cultural centre located in North Finchley, in the London borough of Barnet. It was officially opened on 23 October 2004 for the enjoyment and development of the arts in North London.- Activities :...
in North Finchley.
Geography
Finchley is situated on a plateau, 90 metres (300 ft) above sea level about 11 km (6.8 mi) north of Charing CrossCharing Cross
Charing Cross denotes the junction of Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square in central London, England. It is named after the now demolished Eleanor cross that stood there, in what was once the hamlet of Charing. The site of the cross is now occupied by an equestrian...
and about 6 km (3.7 mi) south of Barnet
Barnet
High Barnet or Chipping Barnet is a place in the London Borough of Barnet, North London, England. It is a suburban development built around a twelfth-century settlement and is located north north-west of Charing Cross. Its name is often abbreviated to Barnet, which is also the name of the London...
. To the west is the Dollis valley formed by Dollis Brook
Dollis Brook
Dollis Brook runs through the London Borough of Barnet in North London. It is a tributary of the River Brent, which is itself a tributary of the River Thames. The Dollis Valley Greenwalk follows almost all of Dollis Brook, apart from a short section at the beginning which passes through private...
which is the natural western boundary of Finchley. Mutton Brook
Mutton Brook
Mutton Brook is a stream which runs between East Finchley and Hendon in the London Borough of Barnet. It is a tributary of the River Brent, which is itself a tributary of the River Thames....
forms the southern boundary, joining the Dollis Brook to become the River Brent
River Brent
The Brent is a river within Greater London which is a tributary of the River Thames. It is 17.9 miles long, running north-east to south-west, and it joins the Thames on the Tideway at Brentford, Hounslow.- Hydronymy and etymology :...
. Geologically, Finchley is formed of three layers. Most of Finchley is on Boulder clay
Boulder clay
Boulder clay, in geology, is a deposit of clay, often full of boulders, which is formed in and beneath glaciers and ice-sheets wherever they are found, but is in a special sense the typical deposit of the Glacial Period in northern Europe and North America...
or glacial moraine, skirted by a layer of gravel, then the underlying layer of London clay
London Clay
The London Clay Formation is a marine geological formation of Ypresian age which crops out in the southeast of England. The London Clay is well known for the fossils it contains. The fossils from the Lower Eocene indicate a moderately warm climate, the flora being tropical or subtropical...
. This roughly triangular gravel line was the most fertile area, hamlets grew at the three corners, which evolved into Finchley's early population centres corresponding to the three town centres in the area:
- Church End, often known as "Finchley Central", (particularly since the tube station was renamed), the area north and west of the North Circular Road, centred around Ballards Lane and Finchley Central tube stationFinchley Central tube stationFinchley Central tube station is a London Underground station in the Church End area of Finchley, North London.The station is on the High Barnet branch of the Northern line, between West Finchley and East Finchley stations and is the junction for the short branch to Mill Hill East station...
, and in postal area N3N postcode areaThe N postcode area, also known as the London N postcode area, is the part of the London post town covering part of North London, England....
; - East FinchleyEast FinchleyEast Finchley is a suburb in the London Borough of Barnet, in north London, and situated north-west of Charing Cross. Geographically it is somewhat separate from the rest of Finchley, with North Finchley and West Finchley to the north, and Finchley Central to the west.- History :The land on which...
, roughly the area between HighgateHighgateHighgate is an area of North London on the north-eastern corner of Hampstead Heath.Highgate is one of the most expensive London suburbs in which to live. It has an active conservation body, the Highgate Society, to protect its character....
and the North Circular RoadA406 roadThe A406 or the North Circular Road is a road which crosses North London, UK, linking West and East London. It, together with the South Circular Road, forms a ring road through the inner part of Outer London...
, and in postal area N2N postcode areaThe N postcode area, also known as the London N postcode area, is the part of the London post town covering part of North London, England....
; and - North Finchley, the area surrounding Tally-Ho Corner, stretching west to and the Northern LineNorthern LineThe Northern line is a London Underground line. It is coloured black on the Tube map.For most of its length it is a deep-level tube line. The line carries 206,734,000 passengers per year. This is the highest number of any line on the London Underground system, but the Northern line is unique in...
, in postcode district N12N postcode areaThe N postcode area, also known as the London N postcode area, is the part of the London post town covering part of North London, England....
.
The residential areas West Finchley in postcode district N3 and Woodside Park
Woodside Park
Woodside Park is a suburban residential development in the London Borough of Barnet, in postal district N12.It is very varied in character. The area to the east of the tube station consists predominantly of large Victorian and Edwardian houses, many of which have been converted into flats...
in postcode district N12 are centred on their respective tube stations to the west of the area.
The area of London known as Finchley Road, around Finchley Road tube station
Finchley Road tube station
Finchley Road tube station is a London Underground station at the corner of Finchley Road and Canfield Gardens in the London Borough of Camden, North London. It is on the Jubilee Line, between West Hampstead and Swiss Cottage and on the Metropolitan Line between Baker Street and Wembley Park. It is...
, is not part of Finchley, but instead refers to a commercial district in Swiss Cottage
Swiss Cottage
Swiss Cottage is a district of the London Borough of Camden in London, England. Thedistrict is located north-west of Charing Cross. It is centred on the junction of Avenue Road and Finchley Road and is the location of Swiss Cottage tube station.-Etymology:...
, Camden
London Borough of Camden
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough were already developed and had a total population of 96,795. This continued to rise swiftly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 270,197 in the middle of the century...
. The area is named after a section of the A41 road
A41 road
The A41 is a formerly-major trunk road in England that links London and Birkenhead, although it has now largely been superseded by motorways. It passes through or near various towns and cities including Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Aylesbury, Solihull, Birmingham, West Bromwich, Wolverhampton,...
, which eventually runs north to Finchley.
Landmarks
St Mary's at Finchley is the parish church, with parts dating from 13th century. Avenue HouseAvenue House
Avenue House is a large Victorian house situated on East End Road in Finchley in the London Borough of Barnet.Built in 1859 on land formerly known as Temple Croft Field, it was acquired in 1874 by ink magnate Henry Charles Stephens who enlarged and improved the house and grounds with advice from...
is a large Victorian house (Grade II listed) situated on East End Road. College Farm
College Farm
right|thumb|300px|College Farm drivewayCollege Farm, a city farm and visitor attraction, is the last farm in Finchley, London. It is located in Regents Park Road, close to Henlys Corner. In 1868 George Barham, founder of Express Dairies, leased Sheephouse Farm, a property of about in Finchley...
is the last farm in Finchley, it was a model dairy farm, then a visitor attraction. The Phoenix Cinema
Phoenix Cinema
The Phoenix Cinema is an independent cinema in East Finchley, London, which was built in 1910 and opened in 1912 as the 'East Finchley Picturedrome'...
in East Finchley with its 1930s art deco facade is one of the oldest purpose-built cinemas in the UK.
The Sternberg Centre
Sternberg Centre
The Sternberg Centre for Judaism, in East End Road, Finchley, London, is a campus hosting a number of Jewish institutions, built around the 18th-century Finchley manor house....
for Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
at 80 East End Road in Finchley is a Jewish cultural centre. It was founded to facilitate a number of important Reform and Liberal Jewish institutions, attached to the Movement for Reform Judaism.
The Archer is a 10 feet (3 m) statue by Eric Aumonier
Eric Aumonier
-Life:Aumonier was born in Northwood, Middlesex . his family name is Huguenot . Eric's grandfather, William, founded the Aumonier Studios in 1876, an architectural sculpture firm in London, initially located at New Inn Yard off Tottenham Court Road, then at 84 Charlotte Street. His son, also called...
of a kneeling archer captured as if having just released an arrow. Located on East Finchley tube station. The statue La Délivrance
La Delivrance
La Délivrance is a 16-foot statue in bronze of a naked woman holding a sword aloft, and is the work of French sculptor Émile Oscar Guillaume . It is located at the southern edge of Finchley at Henly’s Corner, at the bottom of Regents Park Road...
depicts a naked women holding a sword, it stands at the approach to Finchley from the south, in Regent's Park Road, just north of Henly's Corner.
Transport
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
is responsible for transport in Finchley.
Finchley is served by four London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
stations, all on the High Barnet branch of the Northern Line
Northern Line
The Northern line is a London Underground line. It is coloured black on the Tube map.For most of its length it is a deep-level tube line. The line carries 206,734,000 passengers per year. This is the highest number of any line on the London Underground system, but the Northern line is unique in...
.
- East Finchley tube stationEast Finchley tube stationEast Finchley is a London Underground station in East Finchley in north London. The station is on the High Barnet branch of the Northern Line, between Highgate and Finchley Central stations, and is in Travelcard Zone 3.-History:...
in zone three, serves East Finchley and is 21 minutes from Charing Cross. - Finchley Central tube stationFinchley Central tube stationFinchley Central tube station is a London Underground station in the Church End area of Finchley, North London.The station is on the High Barnet branch of the Northern line, between West Finchley and East Finchley stations and is the junction for the short branch to Mill Hill East station...
in zone four, serves Finchley, Church End and is 25 minutes from Charing Cross. - West Finchley tube stationWest Finchley tube stationWest Finchley tube station is a London Underground station in the Finchley area of north London in the London Borough of Barnet.The station is on the High Barnet branch of the Northern line, between Finchley Central and Woodside Park stations, and in Travelcard Zone 4.-History:The station was...
in zone four, serves North Finchley and is 27 minutes from Charing Cross. - Woodside Park tube stationWoodside Park tube stationWoodside Park tube station is a London Underground station in Woodside Park, north London.The station is on the High Barnet branch of the Northern line, between West Finchley and Totteridge and Whetstone stations, and in Travelcard Zone 4...
in zone four, serves North Finchley and is 29 minutes from Charing Cross.
Two of London's major roads, the east-west A406 North Circular Road
A406 road
The A406 or the North Circular Road is a road which crosses North London, UK, linking West and East London. It, together with the South Circular Road, forms a ring road through the inner part of Outer London...
and the north-south A1 meet and briefly merge at Henly's Corner at the southern edge of Finchley.
North Finchley serves as a major bus hub with nine buses using bus stops around Tally Ho Corner.
Education
There are six secondary schools. Three are voluntary aided schools, all Catholic: Bishop Douglass Catholic, Finchley Catholic High
Finchley Catholic High School
Finchley Catholic High School for Boys is in North Finchley, part of the London Borough of Barnet.-Admissions:Finchley Catholic High School is, as its name declares, a faith school; it is also - up to the end of Year 11 - exclusively for boys...
and St Michael's Catholic Grammar
St. Michael's Catholic Grammar School
St. Michael's Catholic Grammar School is a Voluntary aided, Catholic Grammar School for girls, situated in North Finchley, London. The school was founded in 1908, when it became the first Roman Catholic school in Finchley. It was founded by, and is now under the trusteeship of, the Congregation of...
. Two are community school
Community school
The term "community school" refers to types of publicly funded school in England, Wales, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, Australia, Canada and New Zealand to a school that serves as both an educational institution and a centre of community life. A community school is both a place and a...
s: Christ's College Finchley
Christ's College Finchley
Christ's College is a state comprehensive secondary school in East Finchley, London, United Kingdom. It falls under the London Borough of Barnet Local Education Authority. It is a boys' school up to and including Year 11, and the sixth form is mixed, admitting up to 25% girls. The school presently...
and The Compton
The Compton School
The Compton School is situated on Summers Lane, North Finchley, London. It is a comprehensive school for boys and girls aged eleven to sixteen and the school years range from year 7 to year 11. It is located on the site of Finchley Manorhill School, which was progressively closed in the late 1980s...
. One is an academy, the 'Wren Academy', named after Sir Christopher Wren, and sponsored by the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
.
There is also a special school, Oak Lodge Special.
Woodhouse College in North Finchley is one of two colleges in the borough.
Sports
The local football team is Wingate & Finchley which plays in the Southern League Eastern Division. It was founded as a specifically Jewish football club in 1946. The local rugby team is Finchley RFC. Finchley Cricket Club (founded 1832), plays in the Middlesex Premier League, with a pitch at Arden Field, East End Road, N3.Public services
Veolia Water Central Limited, formerly Three Valleys WaterThree Valleys Water
Veolia Water Central is a privately owned company supplying water to Hertfordshire and parts of Surrey, North London and Bedfordshire, in England....
, supplies Finchley's water; the area is in the south-east corner of the company's water supply area. EDF Energy Networks
EDF Energy
EDF Energy is an integrated energy company in the United Kingdom, with operations spanning electricity generation and the sale of gas and electricity to homes and businesses throughout the United Kingdom...
is the Distribution network operator
Distribution Network Operator
Distribution network operators are companies licensed to distribute electricity in Great Britain by the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets....
licensed to distribute electricity from the transmission grid to homes and businesses in Finchley.
The Finchley Memorial Hospital, on Granville Road North Finchley, is a small NHS hospital administrated by NHS Barnet, a primary care trust
NHS Primary Care Trust
An NHS primary care trust is a type of NHS trust, part of the National Health Service in England. PCTs commission primary, community and secondary care from providers. Until 31 may2011 they also provided community services directly. Collectively PCT are responsible for spending around 80% of the...
. Built with local donations in 1908 it was originally called Finchley Cottage Hospital, but renamed and expanded after the First World War as a war memorial. London Ambulance Service
London Ambulance Service
The London Ambulance Service NHS Trust is the largest "free at the point of contact" emergency ambulance service in the world. It responds to medical emergencies in Greater London, England, with the ambulances and other response vehicles and over 5,000 staff at its disposal.It is one of 12...
responds to medical emergencies
Medical emergency
A medical emergency is an injury or illness that is acute and poses an immediate risk to a person's life or long term health. These emergencies may require assistance from another person, who should ideally be suitably qualified to do so, although some of these emergencies can be dealt with by the...
in Finchley. Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
policing in Finchley is provided by the Metropolitan Police Service
Metropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
. Statutory emergency fire service
Fire service in the United Kingdom
The fire services in the United Kingdom operate under separate legislative and administrative arrangements in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales...
is provided by the London Fire Brigade
London Fire Brigade
The London Fire Brigade is the statutory fire and rescue service for London.Founded in 1865, it is the largest of the fire services in the United Kingdom and the fourth-largest in the world with nearly 7,000 staff, including 5,800 operational firefighters based in 112 fire...
, which has a station on Long Lane.
Community Facilities
The artsdepotArtsdepot
The artsdepot is a multi-purpose cultural centre located in North Finchley, in the London borough of Barnet. It was officially opened on 23 October 2004 for the enjoyment and development of the arts in North London.- Activities :...
, a community arts centre including a gallery, studio and theatre, opened in 2004, at Tally Ho Corner, North Finchley.
Victoria Park is located off Ballards Lane between North Finchley and Finchley Central. It was proposed in 1887 to mark Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee, and opened in 1902 to become Finchley's first public park.
Cultural references
William Hogarth
William Hogarth was an English painter, printmaker, pictorial satirist, social critic and editorial cartoonist who has been credited with pioneering western sequential art. His work ranged from realistic portraiture to comic strip-like series of pictures called "modern moral subjects"...
painted his satirical 'March of the Guards to Finchley' in 1750. It is a depiction of a fictional mustering of troops on the Tottenham Court Road
Tottenham Court Road
Tottenham Court Road is a major road in central London, United Kingdom, running from St Giles Circus north to Euston Road, near the border of the City of Westminster and the London Borough of Camden, a distance of about three-quarters of a mile...
to march north to Finchley to defend the capital from the second Jacobite rebellion of 1745.
A number of fictional characters have been associated with the area, including:
- In Charles DickensCharles DickensCharles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
' The Old Curiosity ShopThe Old Curiosity ShopThe Old Curiosity Shop is a novel by Charles Dickens. The plot follows the life of Nell Trent and her grandfather, both residents of The Old Curiosity Shop in London....
Mr Garland, one of the principal characters, lives in "Abel Cottage, Finchley". - BluebottleBluebottle (character)Bluebottle is a comedy character from the Goon Show, a 1950s British comedy radio show. The character was created and performed by Peter Sellers....
, a character in the 1950s BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
radio series The Goon ShowThe Goon ShowThe Goon Show was a British radio comedy programme, originally produced and broadcast by the BBC Home Service from 1951 to 1960, with occasional repeats on the BBC Light Programme...
, hails from Finchley. - In the 20052005 in film- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2005...
film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the WardrobeThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the WardrobeThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a 2005 epic fantasy adventure film directed by Andrew Adamson and based on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the first published and second chronological novel in C. S. Lewis's children's epic fantasy series, The Chronicles of...
, Susan PevensieSusan PevensieSusan Pevensie is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia series. Susan is the elder sister and the second eldest Pevensie child. She appears in three of the seven books—as a child in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian, and as an adult in The Horse and His Boy...
says that she and her siblings, PeterPeter PevensiePeter Pevensie is a major fictional character in the children's fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. Peter appears in four of the seven books; as a child and a principal character in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian, and as an adult in The Horse and His Boy...
, EdmundEdmund PevensieEdmund "Ed" Pevensie is a major fictional character in C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia. He is a principal character in three of the seven books , and a lesser character in two others .In the live-action films, The...
, and LucyLucy PevensieLucy Pevensie is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia. She is the youngest of the four Pevensie children, and the first to find the Wardrobe entrance to Narnia in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Of all the Pevensie children, Lucy is the closest to Aslan...
, are from Finchley, despite no mention of Finchley being made in C. S. LewisC. S. LewisClive Staples Lewis , commonly referred to as C. S. Lewis and known to his friends and family as "Jack", was a novelist, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian and Christian apologist from Belfast, Ireland...
's bookThe Lion, the Witch and the WardrobeThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis. Published in 1950 and set circa 1940, it is the first-published book of The Chronicles of Narnia and is the best known book of the series. Although it was written and published first, it is second in the series'...
- it is only mentioned that they are from London. In the next film, Prince CaspianThe Chronicles of Narnia: Prince CaspianThe Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is a 2008 epic fantasy film based on Prince Caspian, the second published, fourth chronological novel in C. S. Lewis's epic fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia. It is the second in The Chronicles of Narnia film series from Walden Media, following The...
, Edmund, on discovering in the ruins of Cair ParavelCair ParavelCair Paravel is the fictional castle where the Kings and Queens of Narnia rule in The Chronicles of Narnia. It is the location of the four thrones of High King Peter the Magnificent, Queen Susan the Gentle, King Edmund the Just, and Queen Lucy The Valiant....
a gold ChessChessChess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
piece, says, "Well, I didn't exactly have a solid gold chess set in Finchley, did I?", saying that they are obviously in Narnia. - The Monty Python's Flying CircusMonty Python's Flying CircusMonty Python’s Flying Circus is a BBC TV sketch comedy series. The shows were composed of surreality, risqué or innuendo-laden humour, sight gags and observational sketches without punchlines...
comedy sketch, The Funniest Joke in the WorldThe Funniest Joke in the World"The Funniest Joke in the World" is the title most frequently used for written references to a Monty Python's Flying Circus comedy sketch, which is also known by two other phrases that appear within it, "Joke Warfare" and "Killer Joke", the latter being the most commonly spoken title used to refer...
, is set in Finchley.
Notable people
Sir William SheeWilliam Shee
Sir William Shee QS was an Anglo-Irish politician, lawyer and judge, the first Roman Catholic judge to sit in England and Wales since the Reformation.-Early life and legal career:...
, the first Roman Catholic judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
to sit in England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
since the Reformation
English Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
lived in Finchley. The novelist Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
wrote Martin Chuzzlewit
Martin Chuzzlewit
The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit is a novel by Charles Dickens, considered the last of his picaresque novels. It was originally serialized between 1843-1844. Dickens himself proclaimed Martin Chuzzlewit to be his best work, but it was one of his least popular novels...
whilst staying at Cobley Farm near Bow Lane, North Finchley. Octavia Hill
Octavia Hill
Octavia Hill was an English social reformer, whose main concern was the welfare of the inhabitants of cities, especially London, in the second half of the nineteenth century. Born into a family with a strong commitment to alleviating poverty, she herself grew up in straitened circumstances owing...
, a social reformer and a founder of the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
, Kyrle Society and the Army Cadet movement
Army Cadet Force
The Army Cadet Force is a British youth organisation that offers progressive training in a multitude of the subjects from military training to adventurous training and first aid, at the same time as promoting achievement, discipline, and good citizenship, to boys and girls aged 12 to 18 and 9...
. She lived at Brownswell Cottages on the High Road in East Finchley just south of the junction with the North Circular Road today. Harry Beck
Harry Beck
Henry Charles Beck , known as Harry Beck, was an English engineering draftsman best known for creating the present London Underground Tube map in 1931. Beck drew up the diagram in his spare time while working as an engineering draftsman at the London Underground Signals Office...
, an engineering draftsman
Technical drawing
Technical drawing, also known as drafting or draughting, is the act and discipline of composing plans that visually communicate how something functions or has to be constructed.Drafting is the language of industry....
who created the present London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
Tube map
Tube map
The Tube map is a schematic transit map representing the lines and stations of London's rapid transit railway systems, namely the London Underground , the Docklands Light Railway and London Overground....
in 1931, lived in Finchey. There is a plaque commemorating him along with a copy of his original map on the southbound platform at Finchley Central tube station.
Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
, 1979–1990, was Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
MP for Finchley from 1959 to 1992, although she never lived in the area, instead preferring to live in Dulwich
Dulwich
Dulwich is an area of South London, England. The settlement is mostly in the London Borough of Southwark with parts in the London Borough of Lambeth...
and Chelsea
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
before and after her time in Downing Street
Downing Street
Downing Street in London, England has for over two hundred years housed the official residences of two of the most senior British cabinet ministers: the First Lord of the Treasury, an office now synonymous with that of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and the Second Lord of the Treasury, an...
. Spike Milligan
Spike Milligan
Terence Alan Patrick Seán "Spike" Milligan Hon. KBE was a comedian, writer, musician, poet, playwright, soldier and actor. His early life was spent in India, where he was born, but the majority of his working life was spent in the United Kingdom. He became an Irish citizen in 1962 after the...
, the comedian who was the chief creator and main writer of The Goon Show
The Goon Show
The Goon Show was a British radio comedy programme, originally produced and broadcast by the BBC Home Service from 1951 to 1960, with occasional repeats on the BBC Light Programme...
, lived in Woodside Park from 1955 to 1974. He was president and patron of the Finchley Society. Private John Parr, the first British soldier and the first soldier of the Commonwealth
Commonwealth
Commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has sometimes been synonymous with "republic."More recently it has been used for fraternal associations of some sovereign nations...
killed in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
was born in Church End Finchley, and lived at 52 Lodge Lane, North Finchley.
Twinning
Finchley Borough had four twin towns, the London Borough of Barnet continues these links. Jinja, UgandaJinja, Uganda
Jinja is the largest town in Uganda, Africa. It is the second busiest commercial center in the country, after Kampala, Uganda's capital and only city. Jinja was established in 1907.-Location:...
Since 1963 Le Raincy
Le Raincy
Le Raincy is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. Le Raincy is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-Saint-Denis department and the seat of the Arrondissement of Le Raincy....
, France Since 1962 Montclair
Montclair, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,977 people, 15,020 households, and 9,687 families residing in the township. The population density was 6,183.6 people per square mile . There were 15,531 housing units at an average density of 2,464.0 per square mile...
, United States Since 1945 Siegen-Wittgenstein
Siegen-Wittgenstein
Siegen-Wittgenstein is a Kreis in the southeast of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Olpe, Hochsauerlandkreis, Waldeck-Frankenberg, Marburg-Biedenkopf, Lahn-Dill, Westerwaldkreis, Altenkirchen.-History:...
, Germany Since 1951