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The Editor offers apologies to all members who have suffered altered dates and venues for lectures recently. It has been impossible to give adequate notice on many occasions, since we ourselves were subjected to last-minute instructions. However, one of our problems has been solved — the Library at The Burroughs is at last free from the builders. Lectures can once more be given under that roof. Power restrictions in the area of Hendon now allow a return to Tuesday evenings. The lecture for 5 March will be on “The Documents and Manuscripts in the Westminster Abbey Library”. This should be a fascinating talk for which we hope there will be a large audience — at 8.00p.m. for 8.15p.m.

There are several items in this Newsletter that require very careful attention — this is the last newsletter before the Society’s Exhibition is mounted at Church Farm House Museum on 23 February, and a special note about this is included below. There is also an Appeal from the Fund-raising Committee for the Mini Mart that is to take place on 6 March — please do come and support this effort to set the Society more firmly on its feet financially. Finally, do read the report on the progress of the Church End Excavation, noting the requests for “diggers”.

Lectures

February 13th. — “History of Pillar Boxes”, by W. R. Wellsted, at 8.00p.m. — Council Offices, Wood Street, Barnet. (Barnet and District Local History Society)

5 March — “Documents and Manuscripts in the Westminster Abbey Library”, N. H. McMichael at 8.00 for 8.15p.m. Hendon Library, The Burroughs, NW4 (our own lecture).

28 March — “Industrial Archaeology” Brian Bracegirdle at 8.00p.m. East Finchley Library, N2 (Finchley Society)

MINI MART

This will be held on Saturday 9 March 1974, at the Henry Burden Hall, Edgerton Gardens, NW4 (opposite Hendon Town Hall and behind the Methodist Church), from 10.00a.m.-12.00. Please do come and support us. Coffee and biscuits will be served during the morning, so bring your friends and have a chat. We have several ideas that you may be able to help us with: —

1. There will be a collecting box for USED stamps; please separate English from foreign. The Society can sell these to raise funds.

2. There will be a stall for old paper-backs and old records.

3. There will be stalls selling jam, marmalade, cakes and scones.

4. We welcome your old bric-a-brac — your holiday souvenirs — your small white elephants.

5. We hope to have a “Nearly New Boutique” for garments in good repair, and a hat bar.

6. There will be a garden stall.

All we need is your help, co-operation and CONTRIBUTIONS!!

Contact either: Christine Arnott, Daphne Lorimer or Dorothy Newbury.

Finally — notices can be stuck on a board at the Minimart so that you can advertise items you may wish to sell for yourself. A small charge will be made for this service.

Excavation, Church End, Hendon

SOS, SOS, SOS. We need your help if we are to complete this excavation. Weather permitting, digging takes place on Wednesdays from 10.30a.m. to dusk and on Saturdays and Sundays from 10.00a.m. to dusk. Ted Sammes reports that much of interest is coming to light and making the possibility of Saxon Hendon a reality…

Roman — three sherds of possible Roman origin, but we still need to find more before we can claim Roman settlement on the spot.

Late Saxon — we have the beginnings of a ditch system cut into the natural clay of the area. These Roman ditches are producing animal bones and, more importantly, late Saxon grass-tempered pottery sherds, dated by experts to 700-1050 AD.

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Post-Medieval period — this has also received a numismatic boost in the shape of a second silver penny. This was found in the house area, and after cleaning was identified as a base penny of Henry VIII, part of the posthumous coinage of 1549-50, minted at Canterbury. We also have a merchant’s bail sale in lead, and a quantity of pins, probably hand-made.

For the eighteenth century, bottle bases, tops and pipe-bowls continue to be found, and we have one very nice seal from a glass bottle marked with a Crown and the initials G.R.

Archaeology in the Borough Exhibition

This display of our Society’s work opens at Church Farm House Museum on 23rd February 1974 and will continue until 31st March. There are fifteen sections, each showing a different aspect of HADAS activities. In the last newsletter we are asked members — particularly those not normally busy on the dig — to volunteer to steward the exhibition on Saturday and Sunday afternoons:

Saturdays (February 23rd, March 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th between 2.00-5.30p.m.)

Sundays (February 24th, March 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th and 31st between 2.30-6.00p.m.)

More volunteers for these days and times are still needed, and their help will really contribute to the exhibition’s (and the Society’s) success. Please don’t hesitate to offer because you think stewarding requires some special skill — it doesn’t. The questions you are likely to be asked by visitors will be simple ones about the Society (how much the subscription is, where and when we meet, etc); or possibly general questions about the exhibits. We hope to supply each steward in advance with an Exhibition Catalogue which will give the information needed for answers to this type of question. So please offer your help as soon as possible by ringing Bridgid Grafton Green and putting your name down as a steward.

The committee would like to take this opportunity of recording, on behalf of the whole society, its thanks to those members who have already contributed to the planning, assembly or mounting of this exhibition: —

Christine Arnott, Philippa Bernard, Paul Carter, Peter Clinch, Jeremy Clynes, David Cogman, Stella Colwell, Richard Deacon, Albert Dean, Helen Gordon, Brigid Grafton Green, Nigel Harvey, George Ingram, Alec Jeakins, Daphne Lorimer, Raymond Lowe, William Morris, Paddy Musgrove, Dorothy Newbury, Nell Penny, Anne Randall, Elizabeth Read, Percy Reboul, Edward Sammes, Mary Spiegelhalter, Margaret Taylor, Ann Trewick and Freda Wilkinson.

Catalogue — It was a matter of much regret to the Society that the Library, which kindly duplicates the Catalogues used at Exhibitions at Church Farm House Museum was unable to allow us more than sixteen pages for our Catalogue of the Archaeology in the Borough Exhibition. A large amount of interesting material connected with the exhibits had, therefore, to be omitted. The Newsletter hopes to publish some of this during the next few months. We start with the following account.

The History of Trade Tokens – by Raymond Lowe

Trade tokens were an unofficial currency issued by tradesmen at times when there was a shortage of regal coinage of small denomination. There have been three periods in British history when the legal coinage was so inadequate that tokens were countenanced by the government of the day: 1648-72; 1787-97; 1811-17.

The prosperity of the first Elizabethan age caused farmers and landowners to pay more of their workers in coin instead of, as hitherto, in kind. At this time, however, the mint struck only gold and silver pieces. To overcome the lack of small change, James I granted patents to his favourites, Torrington and Lennox to issue farthings. Charles I continued this practise with the issue of Richmond, Maltravers and rose farthings. Under this system the profit, instead of going to the people, was shared by the King and the patentee.

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In 1643 a regal coinage was agreed upon, but the Civil War, the execution of the king in 1649 and the rule of the Commonwealth deferred the scheme till 1672. In the 24 years before that an estimated 12,000 types of trade token were issued. They consisted of pennies, half-pennies and farthings, made of brass or copper — hence the term “a brass farthing”. The dies for these coins were mostly made by David Ramage of London. Over 20 tokens are known for this period in the Borough: Hendon (2), Finchley (2), Whetstone (2) and Barnet (15).

During the eighteenth century the American War, followed by the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, caused another dearth of small change. No copper coinage was issued between 1775 and 1797, when the first copper penny and tuppeny “cartwheel” machine-struck pieces were made by Matthew Bolton at the Mint, Birmingham. Again, to fill the gap before they appeared, tokens were used in an immense variety of types. For this period (1787-97) the Borough is represented only by Hendon, with tokens issued by Price, landlord of the Greyhound.

The third and shortest period for tokens – 1811-17 — was the result of shortages of coin caused by an increase in the labour force plus a rise in the level of wages, this situation being aggravated by the Napoleonic Wars. This time a large amount of token silver came into circulation and even a small issue of gold appeared. The Borough of Barnet is not represented at all in this final period (1811-17) — a sure sign of the pastoral and the rural nature of the area at the time.

The January Lecture

A report contributed by Brian Favell.

Bernard Johnson of the Surrey Archaeological Society spoke on the “Recognition and Problems associated with Motorway Construction”. He is at present investigating the mesolithic, bronze and Roman age sites discovered during the construction work on of the M25 between Egham and Chertsey.

He outlined the five stages (and the part played by the local societies) of dealing her with a proposed motorway construction and showed slides of actual work carried out on the M25 route, as follows:

1. Reconnaissance: research of documentary evidence, aerial and geophysical (resistivity and proton magnetometer) surveys.

2. Ground survey of area: field walking, trial excavations, examination of preliminary drainage ditches, recording of surface finds and buildings destined for demolition.

3. Full-scale excavation of any suspected important sites.

4. Observation throughout construction work of motorway: checking boundary post holes and transverse drainage ditches (kindly supplied by contractor).

5. Conclusion: investigation of sites shown up adjacent to motorway and not fully destroyed; publication of results.

Mention was also made of the need not to omit the investigation of prepared sites for engineers’ offices, construction workers’ camps and foundation trenches for ballast trains, etc., all of which provide a source of “trial trenches” for the archaeologists.

The lecture was brought to a conclusion with a few words from Harvey Sheldon on the differences between the previous or “rural” problems and his own “urban” problems in London, for example cellar building and man-made level changes destroy the natural stratifications. Ann Trewick gave a vote of thanks to both speakers for the insight they had given into the trials and tribulations encountered in both rural and urban archaeology; Hendon, she added, had its share of both!

The Railway that never was

Paul Carter contributes this — the first instalment. ) Edgware-Aldenham: a brief history. Shortly after being set up in 1933, the London Passenger Transport Board announced its 1935-40 New Works Programme. This included in the North London Scheme, part of which proposed the building of a tube link between Archway (on the Hampstead tube) and East Finchley (L.N.E.R); the electrification for tube train working of the L.N.E.R. branches from East Finchley to High Barnet and to Edgware; and the construction of an extension from Edgware northwards to Aldenham.

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The tube link from Archway to East Finchley was brought into use on 3rd July 1939 and the line from East Finchley to a High Barnet opened to electric tube train working on 14 April 1940. Work on the other part of the scheme, with electrification from Finchley Central through to Edgware and the extension on to Aldenham had started in 1937-8, but the second World War caused work to be stopped. The Edgware Branch closed to L.N.E.R. passenger services on 11 September 1939, and reopened as far as Mill Hill East with electric traction on 18 May 1941, but work on the rest of the scheme was suspended until after the war. A number of bridges on the Edgware branch had been rebuilt in readiness for the changeover, and the embankment to divert the branch into the other Edgware (L.T.) Station partly constructed. This branch will be the subject of a later investigation.

From Edgware northwards a considerable amount of work had already been done when work was suspended. On the extension it was proposed to have intermediate stations at Brockley Hill and Elstree, and because of local pressure the intended name of the terminus at Aldenham was changed to Bushey Heath. After the war the position of the uncompleted section was reviewed as circumstance had changed, including the proposal for the setting up of a Green Belt around London. In November 1950, London Transport announced entire abandonment of the whole of the unfinished sections. (For more information see “Sixty years of the Northern”, by Charles E. Lee, published by London transport, 1967.)

Edgware-Brockley Hill, December 1973- a preliminary investigation;

I have not yet examined the northern platform ends at Edgware (L.T.) Station for traces, but the proposed extension is first clearly seen in Rectory Lane Edgware (TQ194920); at the rear of the Prestige Wooden Kitchen Furniture shop in Station Road is bridge NT3 carrying Rectory Lane over the railway. The cutting beyond is now filled in and the site occupied by the Friends’ Meeting House and its car park, but clear traces remain. Beyond this going northwards the proposed route ran across land now occupied by recently built garages and some of the houses at the northern end of Herons Gate.

In fact it is this subsequent development that makes the proposed route easily traceable. The area north of Edgware to Brockley Hill appears to have been developed in the mid to late ’30s, and through this runs the postwar development of the line of intended railway. NW from Herons Gate (TQ193291) to Purcells Avenue (TQ192924) the route runs between Edgwarebury Gardens and Savoy Close, Princes Close and Queen’s Close, on land now occupied by Campbell Croft, with a number of postwar houses and bungalows. In Purcells Avenue(TQ192924) it is the two postwar houses adjacent to, and facing Shelley Close, that mark the route. There is no indication of how Purcells Avenue was to cross the line, the railway route and the road being at approximately the same level. Presumably a road overbridge was intended, but there is no trace of this having been started. From Shelley Close the intended route continues NW and becomes Sterling Avenue. Here only the later development gives any clue. At the northern end of Sterling Avenue the road descends into the valley south of Edgware Way and turns sharp left. Between this point(TQ188928) and the Edgware Way there is no trace of the route. No doubt the intended embankment at the South end of Brockley Hill viaduct was never started.

On the north side of Edgware Way at TQ187930 to TQ186923 in open pasture land survive the remains of the partly constructed Brockley Hill viaduct. Nine half-built piers of red brick and concrete infill construction remain, in a steadily deteriorating condition. When finished, the viaduct of a brick and plate girder construction, would have been 530 yd long, and would have carried the railway across Edgware Way through the proposed Brockley Hill Station. A short distance to the northwest at TQ185933 are traces of a partly constructed embankment to bring the railway down off the viaduct. The route from here to Aldenham will be described in Part 2 of this report.

The Editor wishes all members a happy New Year. These lines are being written at a time of crisis, with restrictions on heating and lighting. Nevertheless the conventional wish is all the more sincere for it was seldom more necessary than now.

Lectures

The February lecture will be given by Malcolm Colledge “Rome and the East” at the Hendon Library, The Burroughs, NW4 at 8.00 for 8.15p.m. Dr Malcolm Colledge is a lecturer at Westfield College, University of London. He studied Classics at St. John’s College, Cambridge, and has spent several years travelling in Mediterranean and Middle East countries. He has excavated at a Lullingstone Roman Villa and at Petra and Tazekand in Iran. He is a specialist in Roman Art and sculpture; he is also particularly interested in the development of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern civilisation. In 1967 he published “The Parthians” — an account of one of the first Middle Eastern civilisations.

Report on the December lecture on Industrial Archaeology contributed by Alec Jeakins.

Paul Carter chose to examine the premise put forward by R. A. Buchanan that “Industrial Archaeology is at the crossroads” and that after a period of self-analysis it must decide in which direction it is going.

In some parts of the country, industrial archaeology has still not been accepted by many of the county societies, with the result that people interested in this field have formed themselves into local groups which are, as yet, unorganised by any national body. The publications produced by these societies are of a very variable quality, only a few being up to the standard of papers published in the county journals. The Greater London Industrial Archaeology Society (GLIAS) is about to produce its own Journal, and proof pages were on show. As an introduction to the work GLIAS is attempting to carry out, the “Chronicle” film was shown and brought up to date by showing a number of slides. While showing the slides, Paul Carter attempted to open the audience’s eyes to the industrial remains that are all around. He also pointed out the dangers of over-selection, using the example of two original diesel-electric locomotives that came into service in 1947; at the end of their life British Rail tried to give these important locomotives to various preservation societies, but because these engines were not stream-driven nobody was interested and they were then surely sold for scrap.

The final item of the lecture was the showing of the “Abbey Mills Pumping Station” made by Dennis Smith and a team from West Ham Technical College. This was a magnificent example of the right media being used for the right job; no number of still photographs and plans can really give a true impression of a pumping station at work.

N.B. Our own industrial archaeology project still needs help us. Some of the areas the organisers are hoping to look at in the early stages are the remains of farming in the Borough, the aircraft industry around Hendon and along the Edgware Road, and the hospitals. If you want to help with these projects and others please contact Alec Jeakins.

Christmas Party

Whereas it would be difficult, if not impossible, to mention individually all those who worked very hard to achieve the friendly evening that was enjoyed by many, the Editor feels that Richard Deacon should be thanked for his stage-managing of the overall arrangements, Joan Bird for her responsibility for catering and Dorothy Newbury for her successful Tombola that raised £15 for the Society’s funds.

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One of the party guests contributes the following: —

The HADAS Christmas party was held on 14 December at 166 Station Road, Hendon, festively decorated for the occasion by Eric Grant. A postcard picture of an “antiquity” was pinned on each guest on arrival, plus the person’s name, to ensure conversational openings.

Early in the evening excellent hot punch was served, and everyone clearly appreciated the delectable and ample food. This disappeared steadily — and the company was ready for mince pies and coffee at the end. The Tombola was a huge success, especially as it was engineered that every ticket won a prize. There was plenty of opportunity for people to chat and get to know new members, so that social relaxation rather than brain work was the keynote, apart from the historical-literary quiz. Many thanks are due to the organisers for such a happy and successful evening.

Excavation – Church End Hendon

Reasonably good December weather has helped to the Church End dig, although we were rained off once or twice and frozen out on other days. On one occasion two keen diggers, before settling down on their kneeling mats in the trenches, could be observed removing ice half an inch thick from one trench, in pieces that looked like to plate-glass. That’s true devotion to digging!

At the moment we plan to continue digging from now on to the end of March on Wednesdays 10.30 to dusk, Saturdays 10.00 to dusk and Sundays 10.00 to dusk weather permitting. It may be however that in view of the three-day working week, some members will like to dig at other times. Any member who wants to dig outside the announced times is asked to let Mrs. Dorothy Newbury know. If enough members want it, we shall try to arrange other digging sessions.

Brockley Hill Weekends

Another successful work-in on the Brockley Hill Pottery took place on December 1-2, through the kind co-operation of Mr John Enderby and the Hampstead Garden Suburb Institute, who lent the Teahouse for the occasion. On average nine members turned up to every session, and as almost all were experienced in handling of Roman pottery, a good deal of solid work was done.

The material represents the finds from the early excavations at Brockley Hill Roman kiln-site, which took place at varying intervals between 1937 and 1954. In the main, finds from the earliest digs are all vessels and large pieces (which suggests that some smaller sherds from these years were discarded at the time of excavation). From the later years — particularly the 1953 and 1954 digs — there are large numbers of small sherds, which take longer to study, categorise and record.

The Society’s aim is, in time, to build up a complete index of all the material. This is a large undertakings since, in addition to information about the vessels or sherds which appears on the front of each index card, there is also a photograph or measured drawing on the back. During the December weekend the index grew appreciably in size and members made good inroads into the study and differentiation of pottery types, particularly in the “difficult” 1953-4 years. Further weekends are planned for the future — the next is likely to be in April.

Book Box

Last year, thanks to the initiative and hard work of Philippa Bernard, HADAS began building up its own book box, from which members may borrow at any time. The box makes a regular appearance at monthly meetings during the winter. Mrs. Bernard, having got the venture off the ground, is now handing over responsibility to George Ingram, one of keenest diggers and research workers, who has kindly agreed to act as the Society’s Librarian for an experimental period. Members have been generous in donating books to the box which, as a result, is rapidly assuming the proportions of a small library. Indeed, so weighty is the box itself that Mr Ingram does not propose to bring the whole collection to each monthly lecture.

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Instead, he will show a selection of the more popular volumes plus a full list of the books now owned by HADAS. Members can then reserve any book which is not on show. And should you want an archaeological book which you suspect may be in the box, don’t forget that a phone call to Mr Ingram will tell you whether or not it is available.

HADAS exhibition at Church Farm House Museum

Last August Newsletter No. 30 announced plans for the next big HADAS exhibition. This is to take place, by kind invitation of the Borough Librarian, between February 23rd and March 31st next at Church Farm House Museum. The subject is the various activities of our society, and the title is “Archaeology in the Borough”.

During this winter a team (its backbone is the Research Committee, but other members are helping) has been working on the various displays. Moats have been surveyed, tombstones have been scrubbed and photographed, documents have been deciphered, photo-copies collected, engravings tracked down and, at the moment, titles are being lettered, maps drawn, captions typed and the whole run-up to an exhibition is under way.

The Committee hopes that all members who can, will give a little time at Weekends to help steward the exhibition. The contribution of non-digging members to this work will be it especially valuable, since our diggers will still be trying to keep the Church End excavation open. During previous HADAS exhibitions at Church Farm House it has been very helpful to have two members on duty as stewards on Saturdays and Sundays, when visitors are plentiful. Many people like to ask questions about the Society or about the exhibits.

What we are aiming at is to have to steward on duty on Saturdays from 2.00-5.30p.m. and on Sundays from 2.30-6.00 from February 23rd to March 31st inclusive. If you are prepared to help, even for a short time, in this way, will you please let a Brigid Grafton Green know as soon as possible, so that a stewards rota can be worked out.

New booklet on Mill Hill

Many members will have seen and enjoyed the booklet of old photographs — “Hendon as it was” — which was published last summer by Clive R. Smith. Mr Smith, a member of HADAS, has now produced a second booklet, “Mill Hill as it was”. This too is a collection of old and interesting photographs with brief captions. Its full selling price is £0.65, but Mr Smith very kindly offers HADAS members a special price of £0.50. Members who would like to avail themselves of this offer should send their orders to our Librarian, Mr George Ingram with a remittance for the copies required.

The Minimart

Excavations cost money, and in order to enable the Society to fulfil this, one of our prime functions, it is necessary to raise funds. It is proposed, therefore, that HADAS should hold a Mini Mart on Saturday 6 March from 9.00a.m. to 1.00p.m. at the Henry Burden Hall, Hendon. Coffee will be served, and it is hoped to have stalls to sell your home-made cakes, jams and sweets; paperbacks, old records and unwanted odds and ends. It is also proposed to have a notice board for Exchange and Mart. Members are entreated to bear all this in mind and make that extra pot of marmalade in January, salvage their Penguins for the Jumble Sale, and turn out to the old 78s from the attics. The Unwanted mink or Rolls Royce may well find a purchaser on the Notice Board and the unwanted Christmas present be snapped up on the stall!

Details will follow in the February Newsletter, but do write the date in your diary now.

Contributed by Daphne Lorimer.

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Whetstone Fire Station – preliminary note

Daphne Lorimer sent us this report:

Quite by accident, in May 1973, I learnt that the headquarters of the Whetstone branch of Toc H had, originally, been the local Whetstone fire station.

This building (No. 1232, High Road, Whetstone) is a small, narrow wooden hut, sandwiched between the public lavatories and the new offices of the General Accident Insurance Company, opposite the Ever Ready building (grid reference TQ2648 9390). It is over 120 years old and originally belonged to 35HIX Division, who relinquished it in 1932.

It was the custom for the parish fire-engine to be located in sheds adjacent to the premises of the Chief Fireman and records at Lambeth Museum on the Fire Service indicated that, at some period, this was Trounsen and Knight’s garage in Whetstone. Local Fire Services were, however, frequently the responsibility of the Parish Council, and the stations, in this instance, were situated near the Parish Church. This hut is, in fact, nearly opposite St. John’s Church, Whetstone and several of the older members of the congregation remember it in use. (Examination of the minutes of the Parish Council meetings is in the course of being arranged.)

The machine used in Whetstone was thought to have been an old Bedposter Manual Fire Engine, and a spare machine was kept in the house of a Mr. Randell, the Chief Fireman, who lived in one of the small group of cottages known as St. John’s Close (now demolished to make way for Swan Court). A Bedposter Manual Fire Engine, 1930 vintage, was transferred to the Lambeth Museum when 9 Middlesex boroughs were incorporated in the GLC. The Museum authorities consider that it is within the bounds of possibility that this machine may have originated in Whetstone.

The Whetstone Fire Brigade was nationalised in 1941, denationalised in 1948 and incorporated in the GLC went the Greater London Borough of Barnet was formed.

The old helmets of Parish firemen were frequently regarded as treasured possessions and became family heirlooms (knowledge of the whereabouts of any of them would be much appreciated). The original type of helmet was leather and made in the “merryweather” pattern with leather crossed axes or L.F.B. in front. Inspired by the brass helmets of the special Army Fire Corps of France, these were replaced, in 1868, by brass helmets with a silver one for the Fire Chief. However, these were found to act as conductors of electricity and were the occasion of several severe shocks to firemen dealing with live cables and were gradually replaced by fire helmets during the period between 1936-1939.

It is hoped that, as well as an examination of the Parish Records, the scrutiny of contemporary issues of the local press will reveal more information and, possibly, sketches and photographs of the Whetstone Fire Brigade in action.

This newsletter has been edited by Christina Arnott.

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As this is the December Newsletter, the Editor wishes to present Christmas greetings and good wishes to all members in the deep hope that all the present economic and political problems can be kept in check sufficiently to enable us all to enjoy respite and refreshment over the holiday period.

Christmas Party

This will be held, as previously announced, on Friday 14 December 1973 at 166 Station Road, NW4 from 7.30 to 10.00p.m. tickets at £0.50 (or 30p for juniors) available from Richard Deacon or at the door.

Will everyone please bring a pen or pencil with them. Dorothy Newbury will be happy to receive contributions for her Tombola either at her home or telephone her so that she can arrange collection.

In view of the difficult transport situation, it is hoped that any member able to use his or her car will contact Jeremy Clynes. Any member requiring transport should do the same so that attempts can be made to ensure that all those requiring lifts can be given them.

Lectures

The Editor is very hopeful that at long last the Society can use Hendon library premises again and that the lecture on 8 January on “FIELD ARCHAEOLOGY — Recognition of Sites and problems associated with Motorway Building”, given by Harvey Sheldon and Bernard Johnson, will be held at The Burroughs, NW4 at 8.15 for 8.30 p.m. please note that it is 8th January, as the lecture has been postponed from 1 January which has been declared a public holiday.

Conferences

January 4th – 6th, 1974 — organised by the Department of Archaeology, University of Newcastle, on HADRIAN’S WALL. Friday evening, 4 January, to Sunday lunchtime 6 January. Cost: £8. A new interpretation of many aspects of Hadrian’s Wall: the chronology, the garrisonning and its destruction, to name but a few, will be presented, and the implications discussed. Details from the Hon. Secretary, or from Hadrian’s Wall Conference, Department of Archaeology, the University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7HU.

29th-31st March, 1974, at the University of Lancaster, on “The Effect of Man on the Landscape — the Highland Zone”. Fee £10, payable to the CBA.

Society News

The Press and Publicity Committee invite your suggestions as to where the new A4 size poster, advertising the Society, can be exhibited. Libraries, schools and colleges in the Borough have already been contacted.

Members with Christmas present buying problems may be reminded that “Blue Plaques of Barnet” which has been reprinted, is available from the Hon. Secretary, price £0.34 (post paid). Supplies of the “Chroniclers of the Battle of Barnet” at £0.21 and of the commemorative Brochure for the Quincentenary of the Battle at £0.20 are also still available (prices include postage).

The Royal Air Force Museum has brought to notice their very interesting Illustrated Guide of the Museum, which costs £0.29 (including postage). Also being sold in aid of the Museum funds are two very attractive Christmas cards, portraying early aircraft flying over snow covered country. These cost £0.05 each and are available from the Museum at Aerodrome Road, NW9 5LL.

Members may like to know that the working hours for the Church End Site have been extended to include Saturday mornings, as the light goes so early in the afternoons during the winter.

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This means that Saturday and Sunday digging will operate from 10.00a.m. to dusk; Wednesdays from 10.30a.m. to dusk. If members can arrange to share cars sufficiently it is hoped that the petrol restrictions will not prevent numbers keeping steady.

Reports

A thought provoking lecture on “The Changing Face of the English Countryside” was given on Tuesday 6 November at St. Mary’s Church House by Dr. E. M. Yates, Lecturer in Geography at King’s College, London, when those present heard his analysis of three key topics: how the English landscape was formed, the present day forces that are changing the landscape fast, and what can be done to preserve the landscape. The lecturer dealt in depth with a sector of West Sussex and East Hants. He showed how the geology of the landscape had determined the siting of villages in the area and how the same features gave rise to areas of cultivation, heathland, and so on.

Dr. Yates also discussed the interesting paradox of “the privileged few” of past ages who, unwittingly, preserved the landscape by building enormous private estates for their own enjoyment. It was today’s more egalitarian society in which more and more people are exploiting the countryside for their own ends that had given rise to the ever-increasing destruction of the landscape. “The landscape,” he said, “shows the sort of society we are and we get the landscape we deserve.”

The final part of the lecture dealt with changes in towns and villages. As living standards go up, Dr Gates observed, there is a demand for more space. Multiple stores, and the stereotyped fascias and shopfitting styles, are replacing the more individualistic small shops. Village markets are being replaced by car parks. Differences and character are disappearing fast and the time is coming, in Dr Yates’ view, when the villages and small towns of England will become similar in appearance not only to each other, but to their counterparts on the mainland of Europe.

Contributed by Percy Reboul.

Local History Conference

Local history is, as anyone who has dabbled in it knows, a wide-ranging subject that can lead its practitioners down many unexpected and intriguing alleys, as was made abundantly clear at the 8th Local History Conference sponsored at Guildhall by the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society on 17 November. The keynote of variety was first struck by the exhibits around the hall. They ranged from a splendid show of Local guidebooks of the 18th-19th century, collected by an individual historian, Robert Harrison, to a group of clay tobacco pipes from East London and displays of official publications from the GLC and LAMAS. HADAS was there too, thanks to the efforts of Eric Grant, who transported exhibit of booklets plus some material from the Hendon St. Mary’s tombstones survey, and set it up, incidentally selling a good number of booklets in the process.

The conference speakers offered variety too. To start with Dr J. H. Dyos of Leicester — he holds the only Chair in Urban History at any British University — spoke on the Exploration of Victorian London, taking as his text “the Dark ages are at their darkest just beyond the age of living memory”. Then Mr W. J. Smith, the beautifully lucid keeper of Middlesex records, described the information available in a clutch of inventories from the Probate Court of the Archdeacon of Middlesex between 1669-1737 — everything from details of debts and standing crops through to the minutiae of kitchen implements and feather mattresses.

Finally Mr Keith Bailey, of the Wandsworth Historical Society, talked of their work on the operation of the Poor Law in Putney from Elizabethan times to 1834, and his audience entered upon the world of penniless sailors trying to get back to rejoin their ships at Portsmouth, foundlings on doorsteps, workhouse inmates, expectant mothers being hastily hurried on their way lest their imminent offspring should enter the world in Putney and become a charge upon the parish, indigent soldiers back from the Napoleonic Wars and itinerant paupers — the whole spectrum of the underprivileged from the past.

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Perhaps the most thought provoking of these three speakers was Dr Dyos. Here is one of the most stimulating of his many ideas. He divided the approach to the local history of a Victorian district into three avenues: (a) the business and commercial network; e.g. records of solicitors, builders, land agents, tramway undertakings; (b) the public aspect: local authorities, political parties, etc. (c) private worlds: family networks, leisure groups. None of the three, in his view, has been properly explored in London; but the third has hardly been touched. He recommends it particularly to local historians. He thinks the history of small local clubs and groups should be explored in depth — use all sorts of sources, church magazines, local newspapers, posters, play-bills, school and old boys’ magazines, postcards, photographs and prints. “It’s an historians job to explore — and explore we must. Don’t just follow in other people’s tracks.”

Contributed by Bridgid Grafton Green.

Friern Barnet

A preliminary report on the history of the Friary of the Knights of St. John which gave Friern Barnet its name. The main object is to pinpoint the area and on which had stood the Friary buildings, of which no trace now survives, in order to provide a possible site for a HADAS dig.

The parish of Friern Barnet lies east of the Great North Road, near Finchley and Whetstone and includes Colney Hatch. Through it runs Friern Barnet Lane, an ancient road, older than the fourteenth century “New Road” (later the Great North Road). About half way along, Friern Barnet Lane curves sharply to circumvent the churchyard of the parish church, St. James the Great.

This church was restored and enlarged in 1853; but the South porch preserves an original Norman doorway and there is little doubt that a church or chapel stood on the site in the twelfth century. Today Friern Barnet is a highly residential area, but in 1801 the population was 432 and in 1901 it was still only 11,566. Until well after the coming of the Great Northern Railway in the second half of the nineteenth century, the parish still preserved its rural nature with large estates and farms.

The Knights of St. John of Jerusalem were given South, or Sarnes (?), Barnet (modern Whetstone and Friern Barnet) by a Bishop of London during the twelfth century, the Charter being confirmed by King John, as was the custom, when he came to the throne in the 1199.

Can we take the history of Friern Barnet back before 1199? There is, I am afraid, little firm documentary evidence. Friern was not mentioned in Domesday Book, though that does not necessarily mean that there was no settlement there. The area may have been under the jurisdiction of the Abbey of St Albans at the time of the Norman Conquest. Fritheric, Abbot of St Albans, defied William the Conqueror and fled to Ely; so the King confiscated all the Abbey lands. Friern was granted by William to the Bishop of London, and its omission from Domesday may be because it was considered as a detached part of the Bishop’s Manor of Fulham.

Until the Dissolution of the monasteries in 1539 the Manor remained in the hands of the Knights. After 1539 Henry VIII granted it to the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul’s.

The above brief account shows that many pieces are still missing from the early history of Friern Barnet; this is equally true of his later history after the Dissolution. Various references give flashes of information. Sir John Popham is said to have lived, while Lord Chief Justice of England (1592-1607), at the Manor House; Queen Elizabeth may have stayed there on her travels between London and Hatfield; important people such as Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Francis Bacon have traditionally been linked with the Manor, but as yet I have not proved these connections.

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The tenancy picture becomes a little clearer in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, but a new problem arises. A large landowner, John Bacon, leased the Manor from St. Pauls in 1783. Plans showed his house to have been south of the parish church. Why, then, is a building to the north of the church (today it is the clubhouse of the North Middlesex Golf Club) labelled as the Manor House from the mid nineteenth century onwards?

We know that the friar’s hospice, near the church, became the Manor House and that Bacon leased and lived in the Manor House, called Friern House. A Field Book and Plan 1780-3 shows his property as lying south of the church. His obituary in the “Gentleman’s Magazine” of 1816 states that he died “at the Manor House of the Old Priory at Friern Barnet.” Lysons, in his “Environs of London” (1795) describes the Manor house as “a very ancient structure” which had undergone many alterations while still retaining vestiges of ecclesiastical buildings, particularly cloisters. Therefore the Manor House, the original home of the friars, was south of the church, in the grounds of the present Friary Park.

What then was the other Manor House, north of the church? The Field Book and Plan suggest an answer. They show that the main building north of the church was called Manor Farm House, occupied at the time of John Bacon’s death in 1816 by his son, John William Bacon. After 1816 the estates were held in chancery and much litigation occurred; there was even a special Act of Parliament. Some time between 1816 and about 1830 John Bacon’s Manor House was destroyed. It seems probable that, the real Manor House having gone, the word “Farm” was dropped from the name of the building north of the church, and this became known as “the Manor House”. The change was probably perpetuated when John Miles, a man of wealth and a public benefactor, bought the Manor Farm property in 1851. It is his lands that now form the North Middlesex Golf Club. The publication of the Ordnance Survey 25 ins. map of Middlesex, surveyed in 1862-3, completed the change of name, by showing the Golf Clubhouse, then the home of Miles, in clear outline, labelled “Manor House”.

This is as far as research has gone at the moment. What I have not mentioned is the number of historical side-tracks which have had to be investigated, in order to ensure that they were not, in fact, part of the main highway of the story. One such, for instance, was the recurring tale of an underground passage, built originally by the friars, from the Manor House to the Church of St. James. This sounded a feasible story, but the so-called “evidence” for it turned out to be that the bricked up entrance to the passage was said to have been seen years ago in the cellars of the Golf Clubhouse — i.e., in the cellars of a house that didn’t exist when the Friars were active.

Although many gaps still remain in the Friary’s story, one important fact has been established — that the site of the Medieval buildings should be sought in Friary Park, not elsewhere. In due course, if the Borough of Barnet agrees, HADAS hopes to carry out a resistivity survey in the Park, and thus to establish further evidence for the monastic site.

Meanwhile, if anyone has knowledge of the whereabouts of manuscripts, plans, maps or other sources of information about Friern Barnet — either Manor or Church — I would be most grateful to know of it.

Contributed by Ann Trewick.

Bowes Park Methodist Church

(At the junction of Bowes Road and Palmerston Road, Bowes Park) The registrar of this church, Mr A. J. New has written to ask if any of our members have had links in the past with the Church. Recently completely rebuilt, the church is anxious to regain contact with scattered friends; further information can be obtained by sending a stamped addressed envelope to Mr New.

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As the Newsletter goes to press we learn that of the Borough has granted HADAS an extension on the Church End site until March 1974. This is good news, although the vagaries of an English winter may cut digging time considerably. This is all the more reason for welcoming all volunteers that can come to help at this excavation, bearing in mind that fog, heavy and persistent rain or snow will cause cancellation. Otherwise the dig will be open on Saturdays from 2.00p.m. to dusk and on Sundays from 10.00a.m. to dusk. For those of you who are free mid-week it will be open on Wednesdays from 10.30a.m. to dusk. Because of special commitments there will be no digging on 17 November nor on 1st or 2nd December.

Christmas Party

Special announcement. There was such a successful social evening last December, that many requests have been received for a repeat occasion this year. The committee have arranged that a Christmas Party will be held on Friday 14 December 1973 from 7.30 to 10.00p.m. at 166 Station Road, NW4 as last year. We hope that the food, drink and games will be as enjoyable as before.

Tickets will cost £0.50 (30p for juniors) and be obtainable from Richard Deacon or at the door on the night. Transport to and from the party can be arranged if requested. Dorothy Newbury will be running a Tombola during the evening and will be very grateful for suitable gifts for this.

Brockley Hill Weekend

Last winter’s two weekend work-ins on pottery from the Brockley Hill Roman kiln site proved so useful and popular that on 1st/2nd December next a further working week end will be held at the Tea House, Northway, NW11. We must record again how greatly indebted HADAS is to Mr John Enderby and the Hampstead Garden Suburb Institute for the use of the Tea House, an ideal venue for this kind of project.

Members who are interested in helping to sort, collate, index and study these finds are invited to attend between 10 and 1 and 2.30 and 5.30 on both Saturday and Sunday 1st/2nd December. Experienced and inexperienced workers will be welcome, but as accommodation is limited would you kindly inform the Hon. Secretary beforehand if you propose to take part, so that if necessary a rota system can be introduced.

Lectures

Our lecture on 4th December will be on “Developments in Industrial Archaeology” and will be given by Paul Carter, a dedicated worker in the field of Industrial Archaeology. At the end of this newsletter is an article describing his new project in the Borough of Barnet. Once again we regret that the Hendon Library is not able to house us, so that this lecture will be given at St. Mary’s Church House, Church End, NW4 at 8.15p.m.

On 6 December HADAS Chairman, Councillor B. A. Jarman will be presiding over a lecture given by Lady Wheeler on “The Egypt of the Pharaohs” at 8.15. Entrance is free. This engagement is noted as being held in the Hendon Library, but alternative arrangements will be made if the building is not yet available for public use.

Exhibition

At Church Farm House Museum from 20 October until 25 November, there will be on show “Police Uniforms of the World”. Part of a private collection, this material has been featured on television in several countries and ranges from very early material such as uniforms of Bow Street Runners and “Peelers”, manacles, leg-irons from the eighteenth century down to the more recent uniforms of British and foreign police forces.

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News from HADAS

Recently HADAS passed a landmark in its history. We acquired our 200th member. Membership today is the highest we have ever had. The Society offers a warm welcome to all who have joined since last May, and hopes that they will enjoy their membership and find many opportunities for taking part in the Society’s various activities. New members are: —

Mrs. Janet Abrey, Hendon; Michael Bird, Finchley; John Bowman, Edgware; P. J. J. Corrigan, Edgware; Albert Dean, Hendon; Mr & Mrs de Launay, Edgware; Christopher Doe, Hendon; Angela Fine, Hendon; Francesca Frachi, Golders Green; Mr. & Mrs. Hadley, Kenton; Miss Una Hall, Hendon; Miss Barbara Hobden, Finchley; Charles and Mark Howard, Hampstead; Miss Ann Kimber, North Finchley; Miss Rebecca Klein, Hendon, Hendon; Mrs. Sophia Kroll, Golders Green; Jonathan Jones, Woodside Park; A. J. Lamport, Hendon; Gerard Leonard, Cricklewood; Dr. Ruth Lever, Elstree; Mrs. Lissack, Garden Suburb; Miss Linda McKiernan, Hendon; Anthony Maddison, Hendon; Miss Nina Mallett, Hendon; Jonathan Martin, Hendon; Dermot Musgrove, Finchley; Miss Hilary Nicholls, N2; Miss Fiona Plumley, Barnet; Clive Smith, Hendon; Mrs. A. Smullen, Hendon; Miss C. Stavrou, Balham; Arther Stutt, Golders Green; Miss Dorothy Thomas, Finchley; Mr. A. V. Turner, Garden Suburb.

The Treasurer is going through the lists of present members and will be most grateful if anyone who has not yet paid their subscription for the current year will immediately post it to him. It will save postage money and a great deal of time if he does not have to send reminders out to all members to renew their subscriptions.

It has been suggested that if members collect all British and Overseas stamps that come into their hands, it would be a way for the Society to make a small profit. Stamps can be carefully torn off envelopes and brought to lectures or meetings for Richard Deacon, the Treasurer. When a sufficient number has been acquired he will take them to a stamp dealer for realisation.

Autumn Book Feature

Contributed by Celia Gould.

“The Archaeology of the Industrial Revolution” Brian Bracegirdle and a distinguished list of contributors, published by Heinemann. This is the first photographic record in colour of the remains of our industrial past — canals, railways, docks, mines, factories and hundreds of other sites and artefacts. More of special interest to industrial archaeologists, the selling price £6.50 may all but the most enthusiastic! There will be a Paladin paperback published and the end of November on “Industrial Archaeology” by Arthur Raistrick for 75p.

Members whose curiosity concerning the mysterious Etruscan civilisation may have been aroused by the recent “Chronicle” programme on BBC2 may like to read “The Search for the Etruscans” by James Wellard, recently published by Nelson. Illustrated in black and white and full colour, the book brings together all the available evidence to reconstruct a picture of Etruscan society and achievement. (£4.50 hardback — Sphere paperback £1.95)

“Petra” by Ian Browning, published by Chatto and Windus at £5. With 200 photographs, drawings, maps and archaeological reconstructions, this book aims to offer general readers and archaeologists an introduction to one of the most remarkable cities of the ancient world.

The Illustrated Paladin paperback edition of V. Gordon Child’s “The Dawn of European civilisation” has been published at £1.

For a fascinating account of the Aztecs try “The Aztecs” by Nigel Davies (Published by Macmillan) or “The Ancient Sun Kingdoms of the Americas” by Victor Von Hagen.

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BUY-A-MAP for HADAS

The October Newsletter described the problem the Society faces in completing its collection of 25 ins. O.S. for maps of the Borough. A Finchley member, Margaret Musgrove, reacted quickly — and generously — to the emergency. She wrote:

I see the Society needs 25 ins. O.S. maps. I enclose a cheque for you to buy on my behalf a map of your choice for the Society to keep, with — if you think it a good idea — my name at recorded on it. Perhaps if other members had the idea of giving money for maps to be lodged in their name with HADAS, the Society could complete its collection of maps quite soon, in the same way as one buys a brick for rebuilding a church. The recording of the name of the donor would make one feel one had a personal interest in the collection. By the way, my “map offer” made no whole in my pocket; the money came from trading stamps redeemed by my friendly local grocer. Glory without sacrifice!

Hot on the heels of this letter two new members, Jules and Louise de Launay telephoned. “We’d like to make a donation as well as our subscription,” they said.”A sort of entrance fee to the Society. We suggest you use it to buy maps.” And along came the cheque for two maps.

The Committee, delighted with the idea, resolved to invite other members to join the scheme forthwith. If, therefore, you would like to “BUY-A-MAP” for HADAS, will you send the Hon. Treasurer £1 for the purchase of a single sheet of the 25 ins. O.S. somewhere in the Borough of Barnet. The O.S. 25 ins. maps are now published only in double sheets, so each double will be shared by two donors. In fact, if a single sheet were available alone, it would cost 82 1/2 p. But we suggest £1 as an easier contribution to send by post. The additional 17 1/2p will go to swell a general map-fund, and donations to this fund from those who wish to contribute less than £1 will be most welcome. An artist member, William Morris, has kindly offered to design a sticker which can be put on the corner of each subscribed map, recording the donor’s name.

Industrial Archaeology in Barnet Project

by Paul Carter.

One aspect of archaeology that has come to prominence in recent years is industrial archaeology. But many people are not too clear what is meant by industrial archaeology. There seemed to be a number of conflicting thoughts as to what is or is not within the realms of the subject. Dr. R. A. Buchanan in his book “Industrial Archaeology in Britain” says “… that industrial archaeology is a field of study concerned with investigating, surveying, recording, and in some cases, with preserving “industrial monuments”. For the purposes of this definition an “industrial monument” is any relic of an obsolete phase of an industry or transport system.” He then goes on to comment that although in some cases this could mean going back to Neolithic flint mines, in practice, and because of the sheer mass of material dating from the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, attention is mainly confined to the relics of the last 200-250 years.

Until now the Society has not looked in detail at industrial archaeology in Barnet, although a certain amount has been done, mainly by members of the Research Committee. Now the Society is to undertake, under the joint direction of two of our members, Alec Jeakins and Paul Carter, a systematic investigation of this aspect of the Borough’s archaeology. The Project which will be carried out over the next two to three years, has three main aims:

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1) to locate and compile an adequate record of the industrial archaeological remains within the London Borough of Barnet, and to understand their significance;

2) to house this record in the most satisfactory manner, so that it is both safe, and as accessible as possible to future researchers;

3) to collect enough material on the subject to enable the Society to produce a booklet, in line with previous Society publications.

Although from time to time it may be necessary for there to be Group field-work sessions, either because of imminent demolition, or because of the size of the feature, normally it will be the practice to encourage much of the work to be carried out by individuals working alone or in small groups. Provided there is adequate co-ordination and a general overall direction this method can be employed very successfully in a project of this type, for unlike the majority of archaeological activities in the field, work of this sort can be undertaken any time, when time permits. This is very important to those members who are engaged in other Society activities, such as excavation.

Quite a lot has already been done on aspects of Barnet’s industrial archaeology, and one of the first jobs of the Project Group is to find out what has been done and where the results of this fieldwork are published. In recent Society Newsletters there has been an article by Ted Sammes on Milestones within the Borough, and a William Morris reported an unusual post box. London Transport publications include “Sixty Years of the Northern” which includes quite a lot of material on the railway between Golders Green and Edgware, including several photographs of Golders Green and Hendon Central stations. All these, and many other sources have got to be indexed. The Group is obviously going to be busy!

Until the coming of the railways began to turn Barnet into part of Suburbia, the area was mainly agricultural, and this is one of the first areas of study the Project Group will look at, locating and recording the remaining farms or former farms and related industries. The Northern part of the Borough around Arkley and Totteridge still retains much of its rural character, and these areas should particularly be worth closer study. The Borough’s hospitals are another aspect that will be looked at, as many are likely to have their own electricity generating plant, and this is sometimes quite old.

Already the Project Directors have contacted some Society members who are known to have undertaken some work in the I.A. field, or expressed an interest in Post-Medieval Archaeology, but if you haven’t been contacted directly, but would like to help either contact the Project Directors, via Alec Jeakins, or come along to the first Project Group meeting, which will be on Friday 23 November at 8.00p.m. at 166, Station Road, NW4. Alec and Paul will be most happy to see you, and don’t worry if you think you know nothing about this aspect of archaeology – you will find out you will be able to help.

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After a long and dry summer that we hope will have given members a tonic climate, they will enjoy the winter programme that is planned. It has been a busy and energetic some for many members, since apart from the usual outings there was an extra one for which an account appears later in this newsletter. The Dig Has Been Proceeding Near St. Mary’s Church In Hendon, And It Is Hoped that Ted Sammes will give a report on this in our next newsletter. Details of the last outing for this season — to Middleton Stoney and Blenheim Palace — on 15 September are enclosed, and we do hope that members will join in force, thus continuing their splendid record for the current season.

Lectures

The important point for members to note is that we are now reverting to our 1normal practise of holding lectures on the first Tuesday of the month. This was in anticipation of are returning to the Hendon Library, but unfortunately the alterations there are not yet complete and our opening lecture will therefore be given in the lower hall at St. Mary’s Church House, Church End, Hendon, at 8.15 p.m of turned for 8.30 p.m. on Tuesday 2 October 1973, when one of our members, Mr Eric Grant, will speak on “The St. Ninian’s Isle Treasure” — the discovery of an eight century silver hoard in Shetland. Subsequent lectures are set out below and it is hoped that they will be held at the library from November onwards at 8.15 p.m. for 8.30 p.m.

1973 November 6 The Changing Face of the English Countryside, by Dr. E. M. Yates

December 4 Developments in Industrial Archaeology, by Paul Carter

1974 January 1 Field Archaeology – Recognition of Sites and Problems Associated with Motorway Building, by Harvey Sheldon and Bernard Johnson

February 5 Rome and the East, by Malcolm A. R. Colledge

March 5 Documents and Manuscripts in the Westminster Abbey Library, by N. H. MacMichael

April 2 Verulamium, by D. Gareth Davies.

The Railway and Canal Historical Society have sent us notice of a Public Lecture entitled “Road Transport and its relevance to Waterway and Railway History” to be given by Professor T. C. Barker, M.A., Ph.D., in the Lecture Hall of the Science Museum, SW7 on Saturday 6 October at 5.30 p.m. Admission free but by ticket only, obtainable from: A. C. F. Hadfield.

Study Courses

1. Diploma in Archaeology

Early Man (Year 1). This course is primarily concerned with the hunting peoples of the Pleistocene epoch and their natural background. It also provides a broad introduction to archaeology (Weds. 7.30-9.30 – Desmond M. Collins, M.A.)

The Archaeology of Western Asia (Year 2). From the beginnings of settlement and early farming communities through the period leading up to the first cities in the Near East. (Tuesdays 7.30-9.30 – D. Price Williams, B.A.)

2 Geneaology and Palaeography – an introductory course discussing early examples of pedigree, Census Returns, Parish Registers, Wills, etc. Palaeography and its sources will also be considered and a visit arranged to the College of Arms. (Thursday 8-9.30 p.m. – Stella Colwell, B. A.)

Golders Green Library

Roman Archaeology (Tuesdays 8 p.m. – Mrs. M. M. Roxan)

Barnet College

Certificate in Field Archaeology – Course 2 – Field archaeology and the Romano-British period in S.E. England. (J. J. Schwiese – Weds. 7 p.m.)

Institute of Classical Studies

Roman Pottery (Mons. From 24th September – R. A. H. Farrer, M.A.)

Institute of Archaeology

The European Early Ice Age (Mons from 7th January 1974 – J. A. Alexander M.A., Ph.D.) For

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The Diploma in Archaeology

Contributed by Liz Holliday

For the student of Archaeology, the London University Diploma course is both challenging and stimulating. A word of warning however — it is not a course to undertake lightly. Students are not obliged to sit for the examinations, but if you decide to do so eligibility is determined by the standards of completed written work, attendance at classes and visits arranged during the year. Preparation of written work necessitates a good deal of the reading and after the first year frequent visits to specialist libraries (e.g. Institute of Archaeology) are essential. Granting of the Diploma also depends on attendance at authorised training digs. Personally I have found the lectures most interesting and I have certainly learnt a great deal.

Visit to Woodchester Roman Pavement

Contributed by Anne Thompson.

Our party of 52 were among the 70,000 visitors this summer to the little village of Woodchester near Stroud, which is in the news this year for uncovering its fourth century Roman mosaic pavement, considered the finest example north of the Alps for its size and degree of elaboration. A rich 64-roomed courtyard villa once occupied the wooded site and much of it still awaits discovery. Only this one room is on view this year, a massive task in itself to remove the 2-3 feet of earth overlying it. The now disused churchyard covered the site and it is surprising that the pavement was not even more damaged by the operations of grave-diggers. Well known by tradition, it was excavated by Samuel Lysons in 1794 and only uncovered five times since (the last time in 1963). On each occasion it was filled in again as the most effective and economical means of preservation. 27 August will be the last opportunity to see this splendid work, open to the public daily.

The 48′ square pavement as a design of concentric circles, depicting birds and wild animals subdued by the music of Orpheus — a tantalising glimpse of his cloak, leg and lyre only are visible. Creatures such as a bear, tiger and tigress, lion, stag, leopard and wild boar are lovingly shown in the circular frieze, surrounded by a flowing circular design with a head of Neptune, and a whole wealth of elaborate abstract patterns in the surrounding square area. On the edge of the outside circle four pillars held up the roof, with two lively sea-nymphs shown on the mosaic.

Proceeding to Cirencester we were shown round the interesting Beeches Road site, where excavations over the past few years brought to light two 3rd/4th century Roman town houses. A delightful mosaic floor found here, depicting a hare in the centre of an abstract design, is in the Corinian Museum that we later visited. The style is similar to Woodchester, and Cirencester (Roman Corinium) is considered possibly the greatest of the three or four “schools” of mosaic, with craftsmen supplying the numerous villa’s of this very wealthy area. Mosaic work is an art of which Britain possesses some of the best examples in the Roman Empire.

In those days second only to London in size, Corinium was sited at the meeting point of three roads, and was once a walled fort with a grid street plan underlying the present town centre. Objects found over the years are well displayed. A beautiful mosaic floor depicting the Seasons was brought up from under the present day Dyer Street, which lies over the Roman Ermin street. A most enjoyable walk through the town was led by Miss Barker and Mr Jackson of the Cirencester Archaeological and Historical Society. I was attracted especially by the charming streets of this quiet town, such as Cicily Hill leading to Cirencester Park, and Coxwell Street with its stone-built would-staplers’ homes from the seventeenth century. Finally we were shown the very large fifteenth century Parish Church, built from the wealth of wool merchants. Of particular interest was a superb “wine glass” type pulpit of the period, unique for its open tracery and painted in pink, green and gold. There is much to see on further visits — time did not permit us to view the amphitheatre site where hundreds of Roman skeletons are being unearthed.

Our thanks are due to Jeremy Clynes whose hard work in preparation and cheerful guidance made it such an enjoyable outing, and one we shall remember with pleasure.

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The Neeld Saga

From notes compiled by George W. Ingrams.

The Saga began, as you may remember, in the last Newsletter, with the story of Philip Rundell, jeweller and one of England’s first millionaires, who was buried in Hendon St. Mary’s churchyard in 1827. He left much of his huge fortune, including land in Hendon, to a great-nephew, Joseph Neeld.

This Joseph Neeld — who will call Joseph junior — was one of five brothers, sons of and Joseph Neeld senior (1754-1828) and his wife, Mary, nee Bond (1765-1857). This couple had been married in Hendon Parish Church and brought up their family in Hendon. Joseph senior’s vault is in St. Mary’s churchyard, not far from that of Philip Rundell; the vault of his wife’s family, the Bonds, is nearby, and it contains, too, a Neeld grandson, Edward died in 1808, aged two.

Joseph junior was 38 when he inherited his uncle’s wealth. One of his first actions was to buy himself the Manor of Grittleton, near Chippenham, in Wiltshire, and to stand for Parliament. He became Member for Chippenham, and began to alter and enlarge the seventeenth century Manor House. Money, time, labour and thought were to be spent on this virtually new house over a period of 30 years. “It is really sad,” wrote a local historian years later, “that it should have resulted in the creation of something as hideous as Grittleton House.

Within three years of his inheritance, too, Joseph married Lady Caroline Ashley Cooper, eldest daughter of the 6th Earl of Shaftesbury and sister of the 7th Earl, the famous philanthropist who is commemorated by the statue of Eros in Piccadilly Circus.

The marriage seems from the start to have been ill-fated. In July 1831, this paragraph appeared in the Morning Herald: “Mr. and Lady Caroline Neeld. These distinguished parties, whose union has not turned out as happy as was expected, were united on 1 January of the present year at Warwick Castle in the presence of the nearest connections of the noble bride. The auspicious ceremony … had not long taken place e’er it was publicly rumoured that if a separation had not already taken place – it was on the eve of being effected.” There followed much washing in public of dirty matrimonial linen, in a series of court cases — one for restitution of conjugal rights by Lady Caroline, followed six months later by her suit for divorce on the grounds of cruelty. The Wiltshire Gazette headlined the revelations of the Neelds’ family life as “The Farce of Low Life above Stairs”. Lady Caroline failed in her divorce, but a separation was arranged.

A century later it had come down as a tradition in the Neeld family that the marriage began to break up on that day in January 1831 when Joseph and Lady Caroline arrived back at Grittleton from their honeymoon. She asked the name of the little girl who was playing about the place; he replied that she was Anne Marie Neeld, his natural daughter by a beautiful French woman. Whether or not that really did cause the break-up it is certain that the little girl was brought up at Grittleton — and she re-appears later in the Neeld story.

Joseph Neeld had no legitimate children. When he died in 1856, he left a Will which laid down specifically the future of the Neeld fortune. This went first to his brother John, by then the only survivor of the five brothers, who was M.P. for Cricklade and was later created a baronet.

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One John’s death the Neeld properties — now greatly increased, and still including a large part of Central Hendon — were to pass to the oldest of John’s six sons and his male heirs; then to the second son and his heirs, and so on. When John Neeld died in 1891, his heir was Algernon William Neeld, his eldest son. In 1900 the estate passed to Audley Dallas Neeld, John’s third son, who died in 1941, aged 92 — the last of John’s six sons.

There was then that no male Neeld heir; nor did Mrs. Boldero, Joseph junior’s sister, have any male issue; and under the terms of a Joseph’s will the properties past to the last person he named when he laid down the lines of descent — to the heirs of Anne Maria, the little girl who had played at Grittleton.

She had married, in 1844, Colonel Inigo William Jones (whether or not he was connected with the famous architect has not been established). She died in 1889. In 1942, Lionel Inigo-Jones (there was a hyphen by then), her descendant, succeeded to the property and changed his name to Neeld; and on his death in 1956, the property passed to his brother Ralph Inigo-Jones.

This story of inheritance and other links with a Manor in Wiltshire, has given modern Hendon many street names. The first Neeld residential property was a row of small terraced houses at the West Hendon end of Station Road, where an inset stone inscribed “Neeld Terrace – 1870” can still be seen. During the time of the extension of the Underground Railway from Golders Green to Hendon the Neelds developed a triangle of land between Station Road, Park Road and Hendon Way. A cluster of names commemorates the family:

Algernon Road, after Algernon William Neeld, John’ eldest son

Audley Road and Dallas Road, after Audley Dallas, the third son

Elliott Road, after Elliott Arthur, the 6th son

Graham Road, after Mortimer Graham, the 5th son.

Rundell Crescent, after Reginald Rundell, 4th son, named for Philip Rundell.

The only son who is not commemorated is the second, Edward John, who died in 1862 at the age of 17.

There are, too, Neeld Crescent and Vivian Avenue, after the Hon. Edith Vivian, wife of Sir Audley.

And carrying forward the links of the Neelds with Wiltshire, are these street names, all connected with places on the Grittleton Estate:

Alderton Crescent

Foscote Road

Sevington Road

Allington Road

At the foot of the bell-tower in Hendon St. Mary’s a gilt-lettered board refers to a codicil in the Will of Joseph Neeld of Grittleton, dated May 28, 1855. £500 was to be invested in 3% consols, the interest to go to the upkeep of the vaults of Philip Rundell, Joseph Neeld senior and the Bond family. Joseph junior was buried in a family vault at Leigh Delamere Church (on the Grittleton Estate) which he had rebuilt. Sir Audley and his wife are buried in Grittleton Parish Church.

Newsletter

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Church End, Hendon, dig

First news item this month comes from the Society’s current dig at Church End, Hendon. Even after only three weekends’ work the site begins to look interesting.

So far five trenches have been opened. From three of them – each time unfortunately in a disturbed level and therefore unstratified – have come four of the curious flat, grey-green bricks, smooth on one side, which turned up last year at Burroughs Gardens. The Burroughs Gardens bricks were identified by Guildhall Museum as of medieval date, about 13/14th century. Some small body-sherds of black-faced, shell-tempered ware, again similar to that found at Burroughs Gardens, and contemporary with the bricks, have also been found.

A number of clay pipes are among the finds. They seem on the whole rather older than the pipes at Burroughs Gardens, and they too come from disturbed levels and range in date from early 1600s to the end of the last century.

In the two trenches opened closest to Church End itself, the footings are already clearly visible of a house that stood on the site before the shops that were recently demolished (these latter were built before 1895). Three properties are constantly mentioned in 18th century documents as standing on the site. One is the Parish Clerk’s House by the gate of St. Mary’s on the north-west edge of the site. The present Clerk’s House, which has not been demolished, was built in the 1930s, almost certainly on the same spot as its various predecessors. In the 18th century there was behind the Clerk’s House a brewhouse and pigsty.

One of the other two brick-built properties, which are first mentioned in the field book accompanying James Crow’s 1754 map, stood at the corner of Church End and Church Terrace. The other was mid way along between Church Terrace and the Clerk’s House. This second building, from a 1796 description, sounds quite sizeable: “A dwelling house, with a yard and woodhouse with two cottages behind it and a stable in two parts, formerly a brewhouse.” The brewhouse-turned-stable may well be the old brewhouse that stood, 40 years earlier, behind the Clerk’s House. It is the footings of this second house which may now be showing in our trenches.

Last month’s newsletter mentioned the hut obtained by Dorothy Newbury. Now, through yet another member, Mr. E. H. Jack, we have a second. Warm thanks are due not only to them but also to Jeremy Clynes who made all the arrangements for collection with Mr. Jack, and to Raymond Lowe who adapted the shed to fit our needs. Both sheds have been re-floored.

Helpers – both diggers and pot-washers – are vitally needed on the site every Saturday afternoon (except July 14th when there is an outing) and every Sunday morning and afternoon: 2-6 p.m. on Saturdays, 10-1 and 2.30-6.00 on Sundays. Please come if you possibly can and it will help greatly if you let Mrs. Dorothy Newbury know before hand if you are coming.

Outings

Saturday July 14th – Wealden and Downland Museum (Application Form with this newsletter)

Saturday September 15th – Blenheim and Woodstock.

IMPORTANT NOTICE – An extra outing – Last month’s newsletter mentioned the Woodchester Roman pavement (near Stroud, Glos.), which is opened to the public once every 10 years. This being the tenth year, several members have asked if an outing could be arranged to the pavement. A tentative date – Saturday August 11th – is suggested. At least 30 members would be required to come to make the trip economic. Indeed it would be possible to combine Woodchester with a visit to another Roman site much in the news now – Cirencester, where excavation recently has produced altars. Sculpture of the Genii Cucllati and a large early 4th century town house with a bath suite.

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As well as a visit to a dig, which it is hoped could be arranged, there would be time to see Corinium Museum which has a very fine Roman collection. This would make it a long trip – probably leaving Hendon about 8.30 a.m. and not returning until the same time in the evening.

If you would be interested in coming, therefore, please let Jeremy Clynes know as soon as you read this (or drop him a note). Arrangements such as booking the coach, etc. must be finalised in the next few days, so if Jeremy has not had sufficient response in the next week, the trip will not be arranged.

New Vice-Presidents

The Society has been honoured recently by the acceptance by two eminent residents of the Borough of invitations to become Vice-Presidents of HADAS, and we are doubly fortunate as they are closely in sympathy with our interests. Members who attended the Reception for Mrs. Freedman will remember that one of our guests was the Rt. Rev. Alan Rogers, Bishop of Edmonton, who lives in Friern Barnet and is interested in the Borough’s history and associations. To our great pleasure, the Bishop later agreed to become a Vice-President.

More recently, Mr. Andrew Saunders, M.A., F.S.A, who was appointed in 1972 as the Department of the Environment’s Chief Inspector of Ancient Monuments and Historic Buildings, kindly accepted a similar invitation. He lives in New Barnet, so also has close links with our Borough.

As a footnote, the Newsletter noted with interest last Sunday, that after a Confirmation service at St. Mary’s Hendon, Bishop Rogers strolled across the road and spent quite a time studying the Church End site. Never before have HADAS diggers been watched by the splendour of episcopal purple.

The World of the Vikings

This is the title of a special exhibition of over 500 items of Viking archaeology from collections in Sweden, Norway and Denmark. This, the largest collection of Viking material ever shown in Britain, can be seen at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, from May to September. Open: 10.00-18.00 Monday to Saturday, and 14.30-18.00 Sundays. Admission 259 – children 15p. There are special connoisseurs evenings on Thursdays 17.30-22.00 (50p). An illustrated catalogue is available (50p). The exhibition will later be transferred to Kiel, Berlin, Vienna and New York.

Subscription

The Hon. Treasurer, Richard Deacon, will be very pleased to receive subscriptions from members who have not yet renewed their membership for 1973/4. He is also appealing for your surplus Green Shield or Pink Stamps in order that the Society can buy additional equipment – much needed now that the Burroughs dig is under way.

The Blue Plaques of Barnet

The Society’s Occasional Paper, “The Blue Plaques of Barnet” has been very well received. Have you obtained your copy yet? They are obtainable at 34p each (post paid) from Richard Deacon.

Street Names of Barnet

At the end of this newsletter is a paper on the Street Names of Barnet. Philippa Bernard will be glad to have any additional information on the street names of Barnet, whether in connection with the Battle of Barnet or not.

Stone Horse Troughs

Members are asked if they have any knowledge of any stone horse troughs still in existence in the Borough, apart from those at Nether Street (Ballards Lane) and Meadway; one is now in private hands, having stood formerly at Whetstone. Perhaps members may know of others that have been removed and of their subsequent history. Information please to Phillipa Bernard.

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Roman Corner

Three items dealing with Roman Britain have recently been published:

1. Current Research into Romano-British Coarse pottery, CBA report No. 10

This 166 page report is edited by Alex Deakins, M.A., F.S.A., whose dig at Eccles we visited last summer. It prints 13 papers, plus a summing up by Graham Webster. The papers were given at the CBA conference held at Oxford in March 1972. Twelve contributors, all experts in their own fields have made this a most up to date work dealing with current lines of research. The emphasis is on everyday pottery, where it was produced and its distribution. The following are some of the topics dealt with: pottery from military sites, Dorset black burnished ware, The marketing and distribution of mortaria (a paper by K. F. Hartley is of special interest because of its Brockley Hill connections). R. A. H. Farrar deals with the sources of black burnished ware, and this includes a good section on pottery production methods. The pottery industries of the New Forest and Oxford areas are dealt with in two papers. Imitation Samian wars are dealt with and there is a paper of experimental Roman kilns which members may like to compare with the Highgate experiments. The report has 11 pages of bibliography and there are 7 pages of good photographs. All concerned are to be congratulated on the speed with which it has been processed. (Available from the Council for British Archaeology, £4 (£3 before June 30th).

2. Town and Country, Verulamium and the Roman Chilterns – Keith Branigan published by Spur Books, £2.95.

This book is designed for the informed reader, and it is good to have all the Chiltern sites under one cover. Brockley Hill gets a mention for its production of Mortaria. The book is illustrated with many diagrams and photographs, the latter regrettably being rather muddy. Its index could have been expanded with advantage. The book however is a very good introduction to the subject, especially in conjunction with the author’s report on the Latimer villa.

3. Brockley Hill, The Potter Doinus.

The 1972 volume of the Archaeological Journal carries a 21 page report from Stephen Castle of a kiln of the potter Doinus excavated in 1971. This potter is traceable by his stamped mortaria and he concludes that Doinus was active in the area from 70-110 AD. There is a distribution map of his stamped mortaria covering the Roman province. This article should be read by all who are interested in Sulloniacae.

The Tamworth-Lichfield outing

A report by Ann Trewick.

The sleepy littler town of Tamworth gives hardly any indication of its previous importance. It first appeared in history ads the capital city of Offa, King of Mercia, who ruled from 757 AD to 796 AD. Little has been discovered yet of the eighth century palace and town, later destroyed by the Danes. But excavation has confirmed the presence of the “King’s Ditch”, a defensive earthwork with a ditch 45’ wide, constructed on Offa’s orders, and most exciting, a Saxon water mill, horizontal in type, which has been dated to the 8th century by the C14 method. The town has had many ups and downs in times of unrest, and overlooking it all since the 11th century has been the Castle. Nowadays, within the shell keep can be seen part of a 16th century manor house, slightly converted and extended in the 17th century. There is a fascinating museum within the curtain wall of the keep. It also houses a haunted staircase, and I must admit it turned extremely chilly on descending the staircase! We were shown round the Castle by Mr. Ken Sheridan, the deputy curator. He also showed us slides of the recent excavations. This visit proved so interesting that we were late back to the coach, so it was decided that Lichfield should be our next port of call.

The two towns are close to each other, one dominated by the castle and the other by the church. The present cathedral is the third on the site. Its architecture is mainly Early English with evidence of the transition to Decorated, giving it great grace and beauty. It is dedicated to St. Chad, first Bishop of Mercia, from 669 AD to his death in 672. We were given a very comprehensive talk by the Cathedral Chaplain.

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Our last visit was to Wall, almost certainly a Roman posting station on Watling Street. There is a very fine bath-house and present excavations hope to reveal something of the “Manzio” or hostel which were a feature of the larger posting stations. The museum, though very small, had some extremely interesting and varied exhibits. We all had a most enjoyable day and our thanks should go to Eric Grant for arranging our visit.

Street Names in Barnet

In the square mile or so of new roads centring on New Barnet station, the discriminating student of street names can discern a whole pageant of English history. Was it perhaps some bookish clerk in a council office at the turn of the century who read an account of the Battle of Barnet, fought between the houses of York and Lancaster on Easter Sunder 1471, and used his imagination to commemorate those who took part? If so he was something of a scholar, for he managed to include not only the commanders of both sides, but many of their lieutenants, their families and even those in later years who told the story.

The Battle of Barnet was the culmination of the long and bloody conflict between the white rose of York and the red rose of Lancaster. The struggle for the throne of England had begun some fifty years earlier with the death of Henry V, of the house of Lancaster, and the accession of his son, also Henry, at the age of nine months. During his minority, and his later periods of moody introspection or even insanity, the country was governed by a group of quarrelsome nobles, chief among whom was Richard, Duke of York and his friend the wealthy and powerful Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, known to later generations ad Warwick the Kingmaker. When the long drawn out Wars of the Roses began with the first Battle of St. Albans in 1455, the whole of England was caught up in a turmoil of bloodshed and destruction. Richard of York was killed at the Battle of Wakefield and his position as head of the Yorkist faction was taken by his son Edward.

After further fighting, Warwick deposed Henry VI with his ruthless Queen, Margaret of Anjou, and placed his protégé on the throne as Edward IV. Handsome and popular, Edward’s reign was always precarious. The Lancastrians under the active leadership of the queen during the frequent illnesses of her unhappy husband, persevered with their claim. When Warwick, dismayed by Edward’s secret marriage to Elizabeth Woodville, turned about and gave his support to Margaret, marrying his daughter to her son, it could only be a matter of time before war broke out again.

On a foggy Easter Sunday, April 14th 1471, the two sides faced each other on what is today Hadley Green. After a hard pressed fight and much confusion in the fog, Edward of York won the field. Warwick himself was killed and no baron ever again wielded such power in England, or made and unmade kings. Three kings were present at the Battle; Henry VI, the past king, dragged there captive to see the fight; Edward IV, the son of York, reclaiming his lost crown; and his younger brother, the Duke of Gloucester, later Richard III, who fell at Bosworth in another bitter fight.

Let is now return to the streets of New Barnet and retell the story more simply. The two sides present at the Battle were the houses of YORK and LANCASTER, led by KING EDWARD and the Earl of WARWICK. With Edward was his brother Richard, the last PLANTAGANET king, who was killed at BOSWORTH, by Henry TUDOR, son of the Earl of RICHMOND. Edward was married to Elizabeth WOODVILLE, incurring Warwick’s wrath, and took to the battle the captive king HENRY, married to MARGARET of Anjou.

According to Shakespeare (Henry IV part III), the Duke of SOMERSET was present at Barnet, but no mention is made of him in the contemporary accounts. He also includes on the Lancastrian side Lord CLIFFORD, and on the Yorkist, the Duke of NORFOLK. The story of the Battle of Barnet was vividly recounted by BULWER LYTTON in his novel “The last of the Barons”.

Apart from the roads already noted above, local residents of Barnet may well find more indications of the great battle which took place more than 500 years ago. More recently a new office block near the station was named KINGMAKER HOUSE, evidence of Barnet’s awareness of the significant place it holds in English history.

Comments

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Stop Press

As this newsletter goes to press, we hear from the Council that HADAS can start excavating at Church End, Hendon. We have been anxiously awaiting this “go ahead” for some months now, and the buildings in the way of the proposed housing development have gradually been demolished.

It is intended to begin in the area by the Clerk’s House, beside St. Mary’s Church – bounded roughly by the churchyard, Church Terrace and Church End (grid ref: TQ 229 896). This is as near as we are likely to get to the centre of the old medieval village of Hendon. It is hoped that we may add to a sequence of medieval pottery found on the Burroughs Gardens site last year; and perhaps even turn up some firm evidence for the Saxon occupation which is said to have given Hendon its name but so far has provided no other sign of Saxon origin.

As the dig will probably begin before the June Newsletter appears – most likely weekend to start is the Spring Bank Holiday, May 26-28 – this is to give members advance warning of its imminence. Anyone who would like to help in any capacity – either as an active digger, or with the processing of finds, or on documentary work, is asked to get in touch with the Hon. Secretary, who will then send them further details about dates, times, etc, as soon as these become available.

The Blue Plaques of Barnet

We are delighted to announce that the Society’s second Occasional Paper is now in print – The Blue Plaques of Barnet. We hope very much that all members will support it by buying at least one copy (and possibly more). A separate order form is enclosed with this newsletter.

The booklet tells the history of the 21 Blue Plaques to be found in the Borough. They mark either buildings which still exist or sites where buildings – such as the Court Leet, the Edgware Turnpike or the pottery kilns of Brockley Hill – once stood. Eleven members did the not inconsiderable research that lies behind the booklet, which was then licked into shape by the editor, Phillipa Bernard.

Copies will be on sale at the AGM on May 15th, but if you are not able to come to that, please order your copy now from the Hon. Sec. – and please do all you can to make the booklet known to your friends and persuade them to buy copies too. The more “Blue Plaques” the Society can sell, the easier it will be financially to produce a third Occasional Paper on another subject next year.

Phillipa Bernard ends her introduction to the booklet like this:

“Such widely varied personalities as William Wilberforce and Little Tich, Anna Pavlova and C. B. Fry are remembered. How many other distinguished persons or houses of interest go unmarked in the Borough of Barnet?”

This suggest a good exercise for the ingenuity of Newsletter readers. Do you know of any famous (or infamous) person (or event) which might well be commemorated with the Borough by another Blue Plaque? Just to start you thinking, here are a few suggestions: Will Hay (lived at the corner of Sunny Gardens Road and Gt. North Way); site of Barnet Wells (mentioned by Pepys); Lord Northcliffe and Cardinal Manning (lived in Totteridge Lane); Marie Lloyd (Golders Green); Oliver Goldsmith (his oak-tree in Lawrence Street).

If you have any contenders to add to that list, please let the Hon. Secretary have your ideas.

Forthcoming Events

Tuesday May 15th, AGM at St. Mary’s Church House, 8.00 p.m. Refreshments followed by the business meeting, followed by two films, about which our Programme Secretary, Liz Holliday, provides these notes: –

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The Beginning of History – An introduction to the history of the British Isles from the Old Stone Age to the Roman Conquest. The film includes demonstrations of flint chipping, agriculture with stone tools, corn grinding and bronze founding, as well as a complete reconstruction of an Iron Age farmstead.

Timeless Treasure – film of the work of the international centre established by UNESCO in Rome to study the restoration and preservation of histories and artistic treasures.

The Saturday after the AGM – May 19th is the first outing of this summer, to Colchester. It will be organised by two members of the Programme Committee, Colin and Anne Evans – full details are in a separate enclosure with this newsletter. Let us know as soon as possible if you would like to join the outing – we want to make sure of a full coach.

Dates for other outings this summer:

June 16th – Tamworth and Lichfield

July 14th – Wealden and Downland Museum, Singleton

September 15th – Blenheim and Woodstock

The new Church Farm House Museum exhibition – Memories of the District between the Wars – opens on May 5th. It is a follow-up to that very interesting exhibition held a little time ago on “Memories of the District before 1920”.

At Knebworth House, near Stevenage, great junketings take place this summer, in honour of the centenary of Edward Bulwer-Lytton (1803-1873). The special exhibition is a tribute not only to the many-sided Lytton himself (novelist, poet, dramatist, politician) but also to the era in which he lived. Knebworth, built in the early 16th century, was added to and embellished by succeeding generations. Its present owners, the descendants of Lytton, describe it now as “a romantic castle, richly adorned with copper pinnacles, battlements and gargoyles … a house which … recalls the expectancy, confidence and romance of the Victorians”.

The house is open from 2-5 daily (not Mondays) from now to September 30th. On Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 7 p.m. to 11, from May-Sept. there are private theatricals (entitled “An evening with Dickens and Bulwer”) and a Pickwickian Banquet in the Picture Gallery, for which inclusive tickets cost £5 (plus VAT).

Fulham Palace Moat Dig

Organisers of this most interesting dig, which has been widely publicised in the national press, say that HADAS members will be welcome at the dig in the few weekends which precede our own dig (when we hope to have all hands on deck here in Hendon).

The site is Roman (3rd/4th century) and pre-Roman (Neolithic,?Iron Age) on the North bank of the Thames in the Bishops Park, near Putney Bridge. Hours: 10.30 a.m. to dusk, Sats. and Suns. Contact Paul Arthur.

Roman Lamp

The March Newsletter (no 25) gave details of a Roman lamp found near an entrance to Copthall Playing Fields. Since then, a member of HADAS has walked over the area with the finder, in order to pinpoint the precise spot.

As a result, we can now give you a 4-figure grid reference for this find, slightly different from the original reference provided by the finder. The new reference is: TQ 2329 9030. Some members, we know, plot sites and find-spots on a map of the Borough, and may like to note this new reference and to alter the earlier one on their maps.

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Maps as aid to historical research

Liz Holliday sends us this report on Dr, Helen Wallis’s lecture, which ended the Society’s winter season:

Members not able to attend the meeting on April 10th missed a fine opportunity to hear Dr. Wallis, Superintendent of the British Museum Map Room, outline the use of maps as an aid to historical research.

Dr. Wallis presented her talk chronologically, beginning with the earliest known diagrammatic map produced in this country, a plan of the waterworks from Wormley to Waltham Abbey dated 1220, and concluding with the 1794 Ordnance Survey.

The need for map-making and surveying is closely linked with government and civil administration. This explains the lack of early maps and plans as most estate boundaries were verbally defined.

15th and 16th century maps were usually scenographic. Although primarily intended for the traveller or as a record of boundaries, they were produced with an artistic influence. Such maps are an invaluable source of information to the historian and the archaeologist, as they often illustrate, very accurately, important buildings of the time.

The expansion of civil administration during the Tudor period enabled Christopher Saxton to survey “certain counties” with the Privy Council’s authority. The surveying was completed, the maps engraved and published, between 1573 and 1579.

Dr. Wallis’s remarks about the work of John Norden were of particular interest to members as he died (with an estate of less than £30) in Hendon in 1607. He was at one time Surveyor of Royal Estates to James I, but his lack of patronage forced him to abandon his series of pocket maps, Speculum Britanniae, only two volumes of which were published. Norden is credited with introducing conventional signs, roads and reference grids to maps in this country, the absence of which he noted in both Saxton’s and Camden’s work.

Norden’s maps were copied by John Speed, who produced the first atlas of the British Isles in 1611. Speed’s town plans remained in publication until the late 18th century, and although his maps were not original, they are still highly prized for their fine engraving and beautiful decoration.

The Restoration saw many improvements in English cartography. Roads were included, new surveys undertaken, distance measurement was standardised and longitude established from the Greenwich meridian. John Ogilby published a series of strip maps in 1675, with hills and landmarks included to aid the traveller.

The map trade continued to expand in the 18th century. The late 18th century saw the establishment of Ordnance Survey, and here the archaeologist of today is particularly fortunate, for the Duke of Richmond, who patronised several cartographers at this time, was interested in antiquities and included information about monuments and sites from may local antiquaries.

Dr. Wallis concluded her excellent lecture by reminding us reminding us that all maps are social documents; to understand them fully the user must know why they were made, the limitations of the techniques used to produce them, and the limitations set by the cartographers themselves.

Scratch Wood Field Walk

Archaeological field-work in the London Borough of Barnet is not the simple matter it can be on the open spaces of the Yorkshire moors or the Sussex Downs: but even in built-up areas like ours, there are some open spaces. The Research Committee has long wanted to start exploring them for possible evidence of the past, in the form of features and artefacts.

Some months ago, Ann Trewick and a group of members investigated some open areas in Totteridge; and on Sunday April 29th, 11 members made a preliminary examination of Scratch Wood.

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The origins of the ownership of the wood are obscure. At one time it appears to nave been part of a parcel of land granted to the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. It lies close to the line of Grimsdyke; Grimsgate (now Barnet Gate) is nearby.

The wood shows obvious signs of landscaping. The banks of ‘rides’ can be distinguished and the areas of rhododendron shrubberies and other species uncommon in natural British woodland indicate landscaping. This work may have destroyed features.

An interesting old hedge line, bounded in part by a channel with a brick foundation (some Victorian type blue bricks) and a fence, still evident but mostly rotted and burnt, is visible. This was probably the original enclosure, separating the wood from the entrance to the Elstree tunnel. It is suggested that the temporary living site for the workmen engaged in the construction of the tunnel may be in the vicinity.

Few artefacts were found – merely Victorian sherds, some compete bottles (not modern, but not yet dated) and an ox bone (?dog deposited). Despite this negative evidence, the exercise was, however, interesting and provided an enjoyable afternoon. It is hoped to arrange field walks of this kind in other areas.

Hedges in History

The Scratch Wood walkers mention “an old hedge line”; and at other places in the Borough hedges said to be old still exist – one, for instance, crosses Lyttleton Playing Fields in the Suburb, and is being currently investigated by a Finchley member; another, a famous hedge, by tradition existing in 1471, at the time of the Battle of Barnet, crosses Hadley Golf Course.

This makes the publication recently of a booklet, “Hedges and Local History”, of special local interest (Standing Conference for Local History, 26, Bedford Square, WC1, price 50p). The booklet starts with the theory of Dr. Max Hooper, Senior Scientific Officer of the Nature Conservancy, that it is possible to date a hedge by the number of species contained in it.

Dr. Hooper suggests that map-evidence for old hedge lines can be checked by his method, and where no documentary evidence exists, hedges can still be dated without it. “A hedge 100 years old will usually have only one species of shrub”, he writes; “a hedge 200 years old will have 2 species, and so on”.

The method used is to take a number (at least 3) of 30-yard lengths of hedge and count the number of species e.g. hawthorn, blackthorn, elder, holly, field maple (which rarely appears unless there are 4 other species), apple, spindle (rarely present except with 6 other species), etc. An average is then taken.

Incidentally, this averaging of 30-yard lengths can produce snags. During the Battle of Barnet Quincentenary two years ago we tried to prove that the Hadley Hedge was at least 500 years old, and could therefore have been the one beneath which one of Warwick’s commanders, the Earl of Oxford, deployed his troops. We found 6 different species in the very straggling hedge – but there were not enough 30-yrad lengths to make the result convincing.

In this brief summary I cannot give due weight to the many factors that Dr. Hooper thinks should be taken into account: there is a wealth of interesting fact and theory in the booklet. As well as Dr. Hooper’s paper, Dr. Hoskins writes on historical source for hedge dating; and there is a paper on the historical inferences that can be drawn from the incidence in hedges of the two major types of hawthorn and their hybrids.

Finally, there is an article by D. E. Allen on the unexpected topic of dating brambles in the Highland Zone. In the Isle of Man Mr. Allen has dated hedge-banks back to prehistoric times by means of the diversity of species of blackberries they contain.

Note: From July 25 – August 1, Dr. Hooper will direct a course on History in the Hedgerow at Flatford Mill Field Centre, East Bergholt, Colchester. Fee: approx. £20. Enquiries to the Warden of the Centre.