IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Bells Hill, BARNET, EN5 2RY

This land once formed part of Barnet Common, which was partly enclosed in 1729 and fully in 1815. In the 1880s, when a new road, Ravenscroft Park, and new housing were being built here, a small area of the remaining open land, between Ravenscroft Park and Wood Street, with a pond was converted into this public park. It was originally called Barnet Recreation Ground, but it was later named after James Ravenscroft, a leading benefactor of Barnet. Serpentine walks formed part of the original layout. There used to be two ornamental ponds in the park, one in the corner shown in this view, but these were drained in 1992. Some current versions of the Ordnance Survey mapping still show the location of this pond.

Another group of Almshouses on Wood Street, Barnet. The Eleanor Palmer Charity was set up when she died in 1585 leaving two acres of land in Kentish Town for the use of the poor. The gift allowed these almshouses to be built on, what was then, Barnet Common in 1820. They were rebuilt in 1930 with a further two houses being added to the original Six.

The pub closed down and it looks like it being converted into residential use.

Looking east along Wood Street towards the Alexandra public house.

Please see Martin's Image for a description and a view from a virtually identical location, on the A411 Wood Street. The Trust's website is here http://www.eleanorpalmertrust.org.uk/history.html

On the right the brick pier marks the entrance to Ravenscroft Park, while the white Portland Stone in front is an old boundary stone, now a Grade II Listed Structure. The carved inscription is now so worn that the photographer is indebted to the English Heritage website for providing this transcription:- ""This stone stands on the pre-historic landmark Grimsdyke, which forms part of the boundary of the Parish of Chipping Barnet" and "This stone was originally a boundary stone of the Whetstone and Highgate Turnpike trust which built Barnet Hill about 1823"."

This land once formed part of Barnet Common, which was partly enclosed in 1729 and fully in 1815. In the 1880s, when a new road, Ravenscroft Park, and new housing were being built here, a small area of the remaining open land, between Ravenscroft Park and Wood Street, with a pond was converted into this public park. It was originally called Barnet Recreation Ground, but it was later named after James Ravenscroft, a leading benefactor of Barnet. Serpentine walks formed part of the original layout. There used to be two ornamental ponds in the park, but these were drained in 1992.