Arnos Grove

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Arnos Grove
Arnos Grove (Greater London)
Arnos Grove

Arnos Grove shown within Greater London
OS grid reference TQ295925
London borough Enfield
Ceremonial county Greater London
Region London
Constituent country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town LONDON
Postcode district N11, N14
Dialling code 020
Police Metropolitan
Fire London
Ambulance London
European Parliament London
UK Parliament Enfield Southgate
London Assembly Enfield and Haringey
List of places: UK • England • London

Coordinates: 51°36′59″N 0°07′43″W / 51.6163, -0.1286

Arnos Grove is an area in the south west corner of the London Borough of Enfield, England.

The area sits close to Enfield's borders with two other boroughs: Barnet and Haringey. Arnos Grove used to be considered part of Southgate, and then New Southgate.

Today Arnos Grove is centred around the western end of Bowes Road (A1110), although the estate was centred around what is now Morton Crescent.

Contents

[edit] History

Until the 1930s Arnos Grove was largely undeveloped and rural, and not considered to be an area in its own right. Instead, it was considered to be part of Southgate, although in the late 19th century the area of Colney Hatch (which later became known as New Southgate) started nearby.

Arnos Grove was, until the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII, owned by the Nuns of Clerkenwell[1]. It was known as Armholt Wood in the 14th century, and later as Arnolds. A Tudor manor was erected on the site, but was knocked down in 1719 - presumably by James Colebrook, who bought the estate in the same year and built a mansion called Arnolds in Cannon Hill, Southgate. Locals called the estate Arno’s and the next owner, Sir William Mayne (later Lord Newhaven), renamed the house and estate Arnos Grove, which is now pronounced as though it never had an apostrophe.[2]

The estate was owned from 1777 to 1918 by Walkers of the Taylor Walker brewing family (including the Walkers of Southgate), who bought the nearby Minchenden estate to increase the area of Arnos Grove to over 300 acres. The New River loop ran through the Arnos Grove Estate until the nineteenth century. The estate was then purchased from the last of the Walker brothers by Lord Inverforth who sold the southernmost 44 acres to the Southgate Urban District Council, which created Arnos Park in 1928, and property developers[3].

The Arnos Grove mansion was also sold in 1928 to the North Metropolitan Electricity Supply Company. The mansion was subsequently enlarged and encased in red brick - it is now an upmarket residential care home called Southgate Beaumont.[2]

On the 19th September 1932 Arnos Grove tube station was opened, as part of the expansion of the London Underground Piccadilly Line to Cockfosters. In the years that followed Arnos Grove went from a rural area to being fully developed - the part of the estate to the north of Arnos Park was, for example, built up by 1939.[2] The main public facilities at Arnos Grove were built in the 1930s. These facilities include Arnos Pool and Bowes Road Library - both of which underwent major refurbishment in the mid-2000s, like Arnos Grove tube station[4]. The library and swimming pool, along with Arnos Park, the wealth of facilities at Arnos Grove tube station (such as Ash House, the six sidings, and three tracks through the station with four platforms) and the proximity of Arnos Grove to the North Circular, which had been built in 1929, made Arnos Grove a desirable area to live in.

The southward expansion of Arnos Grove, which was initiated by the bias of facilities to the south of the original estate, was aided by the destruction of parts of New Southgate during World War II. There is now an almost continuous line of shops between Arnos Grove and New Southgate, via Bestyle Circus, making the areas closely linked. Today, seven bus routes (six day - the 34, 184, 232, 251, 298 and 382 - and one night - the N91[5]) link Arnos Grove and New Southgate stations. Both areas have been helped by the redevelopment of the nearby Colney Hatch Lunatic Asylum into Princess Park Manor, an 'exclusive residential development' containing 'luxury apartments' and a health and fitness complex, where several celebrities live.

Today Arnos Grove is still growing, with local and regional shop brands opening new premises regularly along the Arnos Grove stretch of Bowes Road. However, in the mid-2000s, the local Post Office closed.

[edit] Arnos Park

Although Arnos Park contains ancient woodland, it is mostly grassy fields.
Although Arnos Park contains ancient woodland, it is mostly grassy fields.

One of the main features of Arnos Grove is Arnos Park (44 acres or 18ha in size[3]). Arnos Park is a remnant of the Arnos Grove Estate, and was opened in 1928 after having been purchased by Southgate Council[3]. The Pymmes Brook flows throughout the length of the park. Arnos Park is well known for the diversity of its woodland - the Wild Service Tree is a particularly rare species that can be found in the park. However, although Arnos Park contains diverse woodland, it is mostly grassy fields. A large brick viaduct carries the Piccadilly line beyond Arnos Grove tube station towards Southgate through the western end of the park[6]. The park contains a large playground for children as well as several tennis courts. The Pymmes Brook trail passes through the park. Also, evidence of the abandoned New River loop can be found within the trees in the north side of the park.

[edit] Public Facilities

[edit] Transport

Arnos Grove is a ribbon development along the western end of Bowes Road.
Arnos Grove is a ribbon development along the western end of Bowes Road.

Recently, public transport in Arnos Grove has been greatly improved - Arnos Grove tube station received major refurbishments in 2005, and the area has seen a large increase in the number of bus routes over the last few years, with the newest routes being the 298 (extended from Southgate) and the 382 (new bus route). This has caused a large change in the number and location of bus stops in 2006, with the most-used bus stop being split into two stops and many new bus stops being built. The new bus stops, however, were not built in pairs (one either side of the road), as has been the tradition with bus stops in London. Instead, the stops have been staggered cleverly, with Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church and the Arnos Pool/Bowes Road Library complex gaining bus stops.

One of the most famous transport problems associated with Arnos Grove is the long-delayed improvements to the A406 road (North Circular) between Palmers Green and Bounds Green. Arnos Grove is near this section of the A406 road. The junction most commonly associated with Arnos Grove is a crossroads between Bowes Road, Wilmer Way and Telford Road. This is one of the few junctions on the A406 road that the A406 road does not run straight through or under, hence the need for improvements. Originally, when the A406 road was under the control of the Highways Agency, a number of underpasses, like those at the Great Cambridge Roundabout and Edmonton sections were planned[7]. However, before these plans were carried out, TfL gained control of the A406 road. TfL have scrapped the idea of underpasses, favouring alternative ideas, such as improving junctions.[8]

The following London Bus routes serve the Arnos Grove area:

  • 34
  • 184
  • 232
  • 251 (Terminates at Arnos Grove)
  • 298 (Terminates at Arnos Grove)
  • 382
  • N91 (Night bus)

The area is also served by the following stations:

[edit] Places of Worship

[edit] Schools

[edit] Nearby places

[edit] References

  1. ^ LondonTown.com - Arnos Park.
  2. ^ a b c Hidden London - Arnos Grove.
  3. ^ a b c Park Explorer - Arnos Park.
  4. ^ TfL - Arnos Grove improved.
  5. ^ TfL - Bus services from Arnos Grove.
  6. ^ Pymmes Brook Trail.
  7. ^ TfL - A406, Bounds Green, Background
  8. ^ TfL - A406, Bounds Green, Maps.
  9. ^ Our Lady of Lourdes Church Newsletter - Sunday 21st October.

[edit] External links

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London Borough of Enfield
Districts
Attractions
Constituencies
Parks and open spaces in Enfield