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The newsletter of The Enfield Society

TES News No 176 • Winter 2009

Tottenham Hotspur Football Club helda reception in their Academy Pavilionat Bulls Cross on 16th September tocelebrate the start of their developmenton that Green Belt site. Members ofthe Society will recall the long andhard battle we, and many others,fought to try to prevent planningpermission being given. We failed butcould have delayed matters for a longtime with a claimed footpath acrossthe site; however a compromise wasreached over a number of outstandingissues, and as a result the communityin Enfield will shortly benefit from anexcellent new footpath beingcompleted by Spurs, linkingWhitewebbs Lane to the lower end ofBulls Cross through the Forty HallEstate. Funding is also being providedby Spurs and the Council to build abridge across Turkey Brook linkingthis path to the London Loop path onthe south side of the Brook close to theavenue of limes.We have built a very good relationshipwith Spurs’ advisers and professionalteam on these matters and we are verypleased with the new footpath; but thisdoes not detract from our still stronglyheld opinion that the very specialcircumstances put forward in theplanning application do not outweighthe inappropriateness or the harm tothe open character of the Green Belt.In time we will see here a very largeAcademy / Training Facility building,with a floor space of 127,000 sq ft on3 levels, with over 7 acres of landcovered with new buildings, roads,hard surfaced car parks and artificialpitches, plus floodlighting and 12grass pitches; all this on 67 acres ofGreen Belt land. One of the main aimsof our Society is to defend theintegrity of the Green Belt and we fearthat it will become increasingly moredifficult to protect this area in thenorth of the Borough as a result ofSpurs’ development here.

Colin Pointer

I commented in the Spring issue on theproposals to alter the boundaries ofvarious conservation areas – someadditions, as to Winchmore Hill Greenand Fore Street, Edmonton and somereductions, notably the proposal toremove more than half of the HighlandsConservation Area. Following theconsultation it seemed as though asuitable consensus would be arrived at,only for the process to be put on hold.Now it has re-emerged virtuallyunchanged. Only the Highlandsreduction is up for re-consultation,though this will be over before this issueof the News appears. It took 20 years ofeffort, not least by the EPS, to rescue theformer Highlands/South Lodge Hospitalsite from the threat of total demolitionand redevelopment by the then HealthAuthority in conjunction with EnfieldCouncil. Only the intervention of theGLC in designating a conservation areasaved it and it took much more work toensure the final result, a comprehensive

development in keeping with theretained and converted Queen Anne styleVictorian hospital pavilions. True, theSouth Lodge administration block wasprecipitately demolished over a holidayweekend after a fire, but theconservation area status allowed thefirst, dire, rebuilding proposals to bereplaced by a decent and interestingdesign (even if it did not meet with theapproval of the Paul Drury Partnership,the Council's otherwise enlightenedconservation consultants).Perhaps it is not surprising that EnfieldCouncil is trying once again to undo theconservation area status. Removal willmean that the protection afforded to thefine trees and buildings will be lost. Itwill no longer be justifiable to withholdpermission for piecemeal improvements,such as plastic windows and satellitedishes, that do so much insidiously toundermine the character of a townscape.The Society strongly opposes thisretrograde step.

Chris Jephcott

Highlands Conservation Area under threat Spurs at Bulls Cross

Highlands Conservation Area frontage to World's End Lane,at the site of the former South Lodge

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Parks

Publicity Group

Dr Lewis has produced the first three of aseries of new books on the history of theLea Valley. The following are in stock andare £9.99 each.

Battleships, buses and bombers – a history oftransport in the Lea Valley describes therange of transport innovation pioneered in theregion from the first ironclad battle cruiser,HMS Warrior, to the Eurostar maintenancedepot of today. It also includes many transportfirsts such as A.V.Roe’s historic flight atWalthamstow Marshes in 1909.From gunpowder to guns – recounts the storyof the two Lea Valley armouries responsiblefor supplying weapons and explosives toBritish and Commonwealth forces for over200 years. The book charts the growth of theRoyal Gunpowder Mills at Waltham Abbeyfrom basic explosives to Barnes Wallis’sbouncing bomb and rocket propellants.Water and waste – 400 years of healthimprovements in the Lea Valley documentsthe improvements and challenges in publichealth over this period such as the engineeringfeat of the New River and the eradication ofcholera and typhoid. The books looks at theearly days of recycling in the eighteenthcentury and modern environmental issues.

If you wish to purchase any of these booksthey are available at Jubilee Hall meetingsand at the special opening on 21stNovember. If you would like them postedto you please send your name and addresswith a cheque made payable to The EnfieldSociety to Publications, Jubilee Hall, 2Parsonage Lane, Enfield, EN2 0AJ andinclude £1 towards postage costs for eachvolume.The other titles in this series: Industry andinnovation: the technological revolution inthe Lea Valley and From Eton Manor tothe Olympics – more Lea Valley secretsrevealed, will be published shortly.There are just one or two copies also onsale of Dr Lewis’s earlier books, London’sLea Valley, Britain’s best kept secret(which I have been told is out of print) andMore secrets revealed (£14.99 each).

Monica Smith

Historic BuildingsGroup

We were greatly encouraged when 14members attended the relaunch of theGroup on 1st October. Graham Dallinggave an illustrated talk on Enfield'shistoric buildings, many of which are nolonger with us. This emphasised the needfor the Group to be vigilant and to assistwhere possible with the excellent work ofthe Council's Conservation Team. Therefollowed a lively discussion and questionsession led by Stephen Gilburt andGraham.The next meeting of the HistoricBuildings Group will be held at JubileeHall at 8 p.m. on Thursday 3rdDecember. All members of the Societyare invited to come and hear GrahamDalling give an illustrated talk on historicbuildings in parts of London nearEnfield, including Tottenham, Islingtonand Stoke Newington. We hope to buildon the good response at our meeting on1st October and consider further howmembers can participate in the work ofthe Group.

Colin Pointer and Stephen Gilburt

The Enfield Society is taking part in theworking group which is advising on acomprehensive strategy for Enfield’s parksand open spaces. The report on the subjectby consultants Cracknell, which theCouncil commissioned, did not meet withapproval. It is to be hoped that many of itssensible proposals can be incorporated inthe new guidance. From the point of viewof our Society it is most important that thestrategy should encourage joined upworking among the many individualsengaged in running the parks. With somany of our open spaces being thelandscaped grounds of former grandhouses, the participation of a landscapearchitect in decisions affecting theirappearance is vital if we are to avoid

further unfortunate intrusions, such as theblue (still not replaced in green) MUGA inEnfield Town Park.Information on the Parks and open spacesstrategy is available at<www.enfield.gov.uk/yourparks>, and thefollowing reports can be downloaded from<www.enfield.gov.uk/downloads/461/parks_and_open_spaces-general_information>:Baseline report : Enfield parks and openspaces strategy 2009-2024 / Cracknell Ltd.,April 2009. 98 pages.Enfield open space and sports assessment /W. S. Atkins for Enfield Council, 2006.Vol. 1: Final assessment of open spaceneeds. August 2006. 220 pages.

Chris Jephcott

Trees GroupAled Richards, Enfield Council’s new Headof Development Services, gave the long-awaited presentation regarding theCouncil’s policy on preserved trees andworks to trees in conservation areas at theSeptember meeting of the ConservationAdvisory Group. He patiently answeredmany queries from members.A Tree Preservation Order would normallybe put in place where a threat or possiblethreat to a tree of sufficient merit wasperceived. In the case of a preserved treedeemed dead, dying or dangerous the localauthority should still be informed beforecarrying out work. Regarding permissionfor work to a tree in a conservation area, heagreed that the standard notification letterswere not clear about the procedure andoutcome and promised to look for animproved format. There was currently nodatabase of preserved trees available to thepublic but officers were working to make itaccessible. Replacement of a preserved treewas not mandatory, but the Council couldrequest up to a semi mature tree and couldput a TPO on the replacement. Wheninsurance claims proposed the removal of atree, consideration should focus on whetherit should be retained. The need for trainingfor planning officers dealing with treeapplications was agreed and the possibilityof a replacement, dedicated tree officer wasstill under review.

Chris Jephcott

Parks and open spaces strategy

Drop in to Jubilee Hall onSaturday 21 November between10 am and 1 pm to buy yourEnfield Society Christmas cardsand see the range of books andother items on sale.

New books in Lea Valley series by Dr Jim Lewis

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Diary datesSaturday 21st November, 10 am to 1 pm.Jubilee Hall open for sales. (See page 2)Sunday 22nd NovemberTown Park to Forty Hall link *9th December to 3rd JanuaryTwelve Days of Christmas exhibition atForty Hall, open 11 am to 4 pm every dayexcept 14th-15th and 24th-26th December.Santa’s Grotto open 11 am to 1 pm and 2-4pm on 12th-13th and 19th-23rd December(£3.50 per child)Sunday 13th Decembera. Trent Country Park circular walk *b. Christmas greenery sale, 11 am to 3 pm,Myddelton House GardensSunday 24th JanuaryThe Pymmes Brook Trail *Wednesday 10th FebruaryTrent Country Park winter tree walk *Sunday 21st FebruaryAlbany Park to Trent Park (LondonLOOP section 17) *Friday 26th February , 7.30 for 8.00 pmJoint meeting with Edmonton HundredHistorical Society on John Keats. Thepoet’s association with Edmonton iscommemorated by a plaque and a bench inChurch Street, and the meeting will be heldin the nearby Charity School Hall.Sunday 7th March, 10 am to about 5 pmCycle ride: Meet outside Enfield CivicCentre, Silver Street, Enfield to joinEdmonton Cycling Club for a leisurelycountryside ride, stopping for a pub or cafélunch. Beginners are welcome but the routewill be on and off-road, with some hills.For more details, visit:<www.edmontoncyclingclub.fsnet.co.uk>

The President’s columnJubilee Hallmeetings

Tuesday mornings 10.00 for 10.30am24th NovemberThe history of the Royal GunpowderMills by Richard Thomas (with slides)15th DecemberChristmas quiz with Christine and PeterPadwick26th January 2010The Drakensberg Mountains. HiddenSouth Africa by Anne Johnson, withslides23rd FebruaryBees and honey by Pete Burling, withslides.

Thursday evenings 7.30 for 8.00pm19th NovemberInland waterways by Richard Moules,with slides.21st January 2010Enfield’s industrial heritage by StephenGilburt, with slides.18th February39 years at the BBC by ClareMcCarthey, with slides.18th MarchLawrence of Arabia by MaggieRadcliffe, with slides.15th AprilTo commemorate the centenary of theextension of the railway from GrangePark to Cuffley by Dave Cockle andRoger Elkin, with slides. (Joint meetingwith Edmonton Hundred HistoricalSociety.)20th MayForensic science – Metropolitan Policeby Chris Truan, with slides.

There are some signs of the green shootsof recovery but, whatever the truth ofthem, the certainty is that public spendingis going to be severely restricted for theforeseeable future and local governmentwill have to take its share of cuts. Whatwe have to be sure of is that anynecessary economies are spread evenlyacross the board and do not fall undulyhard on matters of concern to amenitysocieties such as ours. In particular it isimportant that agreed and fundedprojects, for example the comprehensiverestoration of Forty Hall, are allowed togo ahead. Some environmentalimprovement schemes – renewingpavements and so forth – could bedeferred without too much harm but it isvital that much heralded flagship schemesare not abandoned.

The death of VelmaByford is recordedelsewhere in thisissue. Looking overback issues of the newsletter to checkwhen she first became involved with theEPS, I was struck by how many peopleover the years have given time and helpas she did to the Society and also by theconstant flow of new and active recruits.Our membership remains high but thenumber who play an active role has fallenoff. As the average age of theManagement Committee members andgroup leaders increases the need to attractyoung blood grows more pressing. But,in common with many voluntarysocieties, we find this increasingly hard.What is the solution?

Chris Jephcott

Sunday 28th MarchAlbany Park to Chingford (London LOOPsection 18) (Enfield Council guided walk)*

* These are Enfield Council guidedwalks, organised by The ParksOutreach Team. Phone (020) 8441 8272or email alan.mitellas@enfield.gov.uk formore information. Details are in theirleaflet and will be available on theCouncil’s Web site.

New membersWe warmly welcome the followingnew members:Mr. C. Bass, Mrs. S. Beard,Miss P. Burrell, Mr. D. Chapman,Mrs. C. Clark, Mrs. M. Collins,Mr. A. Crosman, Mrs. E. Currie,Ms G. Cushing, Mr. & Ms Fernie,Mrs. C. Fletcher, Ms M. Gunn,Mr. M. Harmsworth, Mr. R. Hatton,Mr. & Mrs. P. Mills,Mr. R. Newnham, Mrs. E. Osborne,Ms A Penhallurick,Mr. H. Ramanathan, Ms C. Scott,Mr. J. Stanford, Mr. A. Stratton,Ms S. Walker, Mrs Went,Mr. J. Willcocks,Mr & Mrs D. Woodward, Mr. T. Zotti.

Olive Sharman

NewslettercontributionsContributions to the newsletter frommembers are most welcome, and maybe in the form of letters, articles, newsitems, responses to previous articles,opinion pieces or photographs. Wecannot undertake to publisheverything, and we reserve the right toshorten or edit items beforepublication. Copy in electronic form ismost convenient, and can be sent as anemail attachment tonewsletter@enfieldsociety.org.uk, butitems on paper can also be accepted.Contact the Newsletter Editor,Leonard Will, at the above emailaddress or by telephone at (020) 83720092 if you have any questions aboutmaking a contribution. The copy datefor the next issue is 15th January 2010,but items can be sent at any time andhaving them in advance is mosthelpful. The newsletter is distributedabout three weeks after the copy date.

Leonard Will

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Industrial heritage

Enfield’s industrial heritageAlthough much has been demolished in recent years, surviving farms, mills, factories, pumping stations, canals and railway structures aswell as locomotives, traction engines and narrow boats will be illustrated in “Discovering Enfield’s industrial heritage” at 8 p.m. onThursday 21st January in Jubilee Hall.

Stephen Gilburt

Wright’s Flour Mill is Enfield’s oldest working industrial building. Itwas originally powered by water from a mill stream diverted from theRiver Lea and wheat arrived by barge. The 18th century mill, twohouses and a barn are listed Grade II for their group value and,together with the water meadows, form the Ponders End Flour MillsConservation Area.

The New River was constructed by Sir Hugh Myddelton between1609 and 1613 to bring drinking water from Hertfordshire springs atAmwell and Chadwell, and later the River Lea, to a reservoir at NewRiver Head, Islington, from where it was carried through elm pipes tothe City of London.

This pumping station was built by the Metropolitan Water Board in 1898 to raisewater from an underground aquifer to the New River. It is now the WhitewebbsMuseum of Transport and is open between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Tuesdays andthe last Sunday of each month (with some exceptions – telephone (020) 83671898 for details of open days, exhibitions and special events).

The Lee Navigation was created when new cuts and locks, includingthose at Enfield Lock, Ponders End and Picketts Lock, wereconstructed in the 18th and 19th centuries to ease the transport ofcargoes such as barley and malt to London breweries.

The Royal Small Arms Factory opened at Enfield Lock in 1816.RSAF pioneered the use in Britain of machinery for the economicalproduction of interchangeable parts for small arms which included theLee-Enfield magazine rifle and the Bren and Sten guns. After closurein 1988 many of the buildings were demolished for the Enfield IslandVillage development. A few of the more important ones wereretained, including the main machine shop of 1854-8, which is listedGrade II. It now contains a small exhibition which can be seen onweekdays between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

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Industrial heritage

When the Great Northern Railway was extended from Grange Parkto Cuffley in 1910, the 75-feet high, fourteen arch, Rendleshamviaduct was constructed across the valley between Gordon Hill andCrews Hill.

Edmonton Green station, with its original 1872 canopies, is on theGreat Eastern Railway line from Liverpool Street to Enfield Town.Edmonton goods depot, served by the railway, closed in 1964.

GER 0-6-0 tank locomotive No.87 was built at Stratford in 1904. Itremained in service until electrification in 1960. It is now preservedat the National Railway Museum, York.

The former Ediswan factory general office block of 1890, at PondersEnd, occupies part of a site associated with Sir Joseph Swan (1828-1914), inventor of the incandescent electric lamp, Sir James Dewar(1842-1923), inventor of the vacuum flask, and Professor AmbroseFleming (1849-1945), inventor of the diode radio valve in 1904,which marks the birth of the electronic technological revolution.Britain’s first radio valve and television cathode ray tube factorieswere opened here, in 1916 and 1936 respectively. This building is notlisted, despite the site’s historical importance.

The Grade II listed MAN (formerly Ripaults) factory in SouthburyRoad was built in the Art Deco style about 1930 by A. H. Durnford.It is the only remaining example of the light industry factories builtclose to the Great Cambridge Road in the inter-war period.

A narrow-gauge railway linked the RSAF with the Royal GunpowderMills at Waltham Abbey, which were established in the 17th centuryand acquired by the Crown in 1787. After closure in 1991 the site wasconverted into a museum featuring a variety of exhibitions whichexplore the history and production of explosives. It is open between11 a.m. and 5 p.m. at weekends and on Bank Holiday Mondaysbetween the end of April and the end of September. It is also open onWednesdays in summer school holidays and to groups at other timesby prior arrangement. (Telephone 01992 707370 for furtherinformation and details of special events.)There will be an illustrated talk on “The history of the Royal GunpowderMills” at 10.30 a.m. on Tuesday 24th November in Jubilee Hall.

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Train details are correct at press date but wecannot accept responsibility for last minutechanges.Enquiries: for operating train companies’enquiries and times ring 08457 48 49 50; forTFL London area Tube, DLR, LondonOverground and bus details, ring (020) 72221234.Reduced price train travel: Groupsave Off-Peak Day Return (previously Cheap DayReturn) tickets allow 3 or 4 adults to traveltogether for the price of 2 adults on FirstCapital Connect, London Midland,Southeastern, Southern, Chiltern or NationalExpress East Anglia. Even for travel to thestart of linear walks Groupsave tickets areusually cheaper than buying a standard pricesingle but you must travel as a group.Please bring your Freedom Pass / NationalBus Pass with you as we might use a bus foraccess.Please wear walking boots or stout walkingshoes – trainers are not usually suitable, evenfor London parks.Sat 14 Nov. Border Country. Meet 10.00amat front door of Forty Hall Mansion (suggestcar drivers park in Forty Hill and walk to theMansion in case car park closes early). 9.5mile circular walk from Enfield intoHertfordshire using some newly created paths.Lunch stop at Goffs Oak where the group canbe left or joined (4.25 miles in morning, 5.25miles in afternoon). Bring lunch or foodavailable. Details: 8364 0300. Leader: ColinAdamsWed 18 Nov. East London Waterways andMarshes. Meet 10.00am Cambridge HeathStation (9.29am train from Enfield Town or9.43am from Seven Sisters Station). 3 hourlinear walk via Victoria Park, Hertford Union(or Ducketts) Canal, Walthamstow/HackneyMarshes and Lea Valley Walk ending atTottenham Hale Station. Optional lunchfacilities at end. Details: 07703 470 156.Leaders: Toby Simon and Margaret McAlpineSat 28 Nov. Green Chain Walk. Meet10.47am Falconwood Station (10.25amDartford train from London Bridge Station).Alternatively, travel with Roy on the 9.29amtrain from Enfield Chase or meet Roy at9.55am when this train arrives at platform 9,Kings Cross mainline station. About 7.5 milecircular walk via woods, open spaces, historicbuildings and Avery Hill Park. Shorter optionsincluding ending at lunch stop in Mottingham(bring lunch or food available). Details: 83600282. Leader: Roy NichollsWed 2 Dec. Grovelands. Meet 10.00amWinchmore Hill Station (9.49am train fromEnfield Chase Station) for 2.5 hour linear walkending in the Enfield Road/Oakwood area.After a short walk past some of the older andhistoric village buildings around/near TheGreen itself, Brenda will explore the variedparks of Grovelands and Oakwood. Shorteroptions. Leader: Brenda BrownSat 12 Dec. East India Company inHertfordshire. Meet 10.30am St. Margaret’sStation (9.44am train from Southbury Stationchange at Cheshunt for 10.09am train – check

Future walks for possible engineering works). A circularwalk of about 7.5 miles via HaileyburyCollege (originally founded in 1821 as atraining college by the EIC), woodland andnature reserves. Lunch stop in Hertford Heathwhere possibility of shorter option by usingbuses to either Hertford or Hoddesdon. Bringlunch or pub food probably available. Leader:Brian FrearWed 16 Dec. North London Heights. Meet10.20am Alexandra Palace Station (10.09amtrain from Enfield Chase Station) for 6 to 6.5mile linear walk via Alexandra Palace,Highgate Wood, Hampstead Heath and endingat Golders Green Station. Many shorteroptions. Lunch stop in Highgate Village (foodavailable or bring lunch). Leader: NormanColesSat 2 Jan. More Inner London Scenes. Meet10.30am Green Park Station (Victoria andPiccadilly lines) for maximum 7 mile walkthat includes both famous and lesser knownfeatures, squares and parks, plus stretchesbeside The Thames. Many shorter options.Lunch stop will probably be at the SouthbankCentre (food available or bring own). Leader:Stuart MillsMon 11 Jan. Capital Ring (Sections 11 and12). Either travel with Dave from EnfieldChase Station on the 9.34am train or meet thegroup by 10.40am at Hendon Central Station(on Edgware branch of the Northern Line).Dave uses these varied sections of the CapitalRing via Hendon and Brent Parks, rivergreenways, ancient woods and the naturereserve Parkland Walk to end today’s linearwalk at Finsbury Park Station. Maximumdistance 8 miles but many shorter optionsincluding at lunch stop (bring lunch or foodavailable). Details: 8366 2242 or 07948 204025. Leader: Dave CockleSat 16 Jan. Waterways and Nature Reserve.Meet 11.00am Ware Station (10.14am trainfrom Southbury Station change at Cheshuntfor 10.39am train - check for possibleengineering works) for 6.25 mile circular walkvia waterways and the northern end of the LeaValley Park. Option to finish at the lunchbreak in Stanstead Abbotts and return to Wareor Southbury etc by train. Bring lunch or foodavailable. Leader: Christine FookesWed 27 Jan. From Country to Town. Meet10.14am Bayford Station (10.01am train fromEnfield Chase Station) or 10.25am in BayfordVillage for car drivers (please parkconsiderately) for about 7 mile circular walk.Option to end after about 4 miles at lunch stopin Hertford. Bring lunch or food available.Leader: Stuart MillsSat 30 Jan. City of London. Meet 10.30amLiverpool Street mainline station (at entranceto platform 1). Roy will show some of thechanges that have taken place in the easternpart of the City during the years since hisoriginal walk in the area and compare these tothe alterations highlighted during his walk inthe west of the City a year ago. Bring lunch orfood available. Many shorter options. Leader:Roy NichollsWed 10 Feb. Snowdrops. Meet 10.36am TheWhite Hart, South Mimms (84 bus at 10.09amand 10.29am or 398 bus at 10.26am – bothroutes are timed from Potters Bar Station) forabout 2.5 hour circular walk through the North

Mymms estate. As the following weekend isthe Church’s Snowdrop Sunday, we hope thewalk will coincide with the snowdrop display.Leader: Carol CopeSat 13 Feb. Regent’s Canal and LittleVenice. Meet 10.00am at entrance to platform9, Kings Cross mainline station (9.29am trainfrom Enfield Chase Station) for a linear walkbeside the Regent’s Canal, and includingCamden Lock, Primrose Hill, Regents Park,ending at Little Venice by about 3.30pm.Many shorter options. Bring lunch or foodavailable. Details: 07703 470 156. Leaders:Toby Simon and Margaret McAlpineMon 22 Feb. River and Common. Meet11.00am Hammersmith Tube Station(Piccadilly and District Lines) by the entranceto Tesco Metro. Maximum 6 to 7 mile walkvia River Thames path, nature reserve andBarnes Common although with shorteroptions. Finish by 4.00pm at a station. Bringlunch or food available. Leader: NormanColesSat 27 Feb. Queen Hoo Hall and Manor.Meet 10.20am Watton-at-Stone Station(9.49am train from Enfield Chase Station or10.07am from Hertford North Station) forabout 7.5 mile linear walk to Hertford Northvia Bramfield Woods, Bramfield Village andTewin. Bring lunch or pub food probablyavailable. Leader: Martin LangerWed 10 March. Kenwood House. Meet10.45am at front door to Kenwood House,Hampstead Lane, NW3, (210 bus fromFinsbury Park Station) for about 2.5 to 2.75hour circular walk across the Kenwood Estateand parts of Hampstead Heath. After walk:refreshment facilities available and/or be atourist and view the splendid paintings andinterior of the House itself. Leader: KenCooperSat 13 March. Enfield’s Countryside. Meet2.15pm at main entrance to Chase FarmHospital on The Ridgeway for 3 to 3.5 hourwalk using some of the rural field footpathsacross the Enfield Chase farmland. The returnto start may be by bus depending upon whichpaths are used. Leader: Brian FrearMon 22 March. Village London. Meet10.49am Headstone Lane Station (10.17amLondon Overground train from Eustonmainline station or travel with Stuart on the9.34am train from Enfield Chase Station).About 6.5 mile linear walk via Pinner andEastcote Villages in this semi-rural part ofnorth-west London exploring green spaces,woods and historic conservation areas withancient buildings. The route ends at theastonishing Manor Farm heritage site inRuislip with tithe barn, remains of motte andbailey castle and 16th century manorfarmhouse. Return from nearby RuislipStation. Shorter options. Bring lunch or foodavailable. Leader: Stuart MillsSat 27 March. North of Hertford. Meet10.38am Hertford North Station (10.19amtrain from Enfield Chase Station) for about 8mile circular walk via Bengeo, Chapmore Endhamlet, Tonwell Village (lunch stop) and theBeane Valley. Possible to end walk after about4 miles in Tonwell and return to Hertford bybus. Bring food or pub food available. Leader:Roy Nicholls

Stuart Mills

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Footpaths

Under Enfield Council’s consultationprocess for this draft Plan, during thesummer The Enfield Society reviewedthe document and submitted detailedcomments and recommendations.From an overall point of view, TES feelsdifferentiation should have been madebetween ROWIP improvements/accessconsiderations appropriate to the GreenBelt and those that are essentially onlyappropriate for urban areas.It is unfortunate that in places thedocument gives the impression it hasbeen prepared by desk-top consultantswho have neither on-site knowledge ofEnfield, nor of our Green Beltcountryside and its environment, buthave, nevertheless, made overallassumptions and statements. Indeed thisis admitted by the consultants under thechapter headed “NetworkCharacteristics” which splits all pathsinto either urban or semi-rural. Thisignores the fact that many rights of wayin Enfield Chase can be accuratelydescribed as completely rural (hence theirhigh quality amenity value).Also, in preparing the draft theconsultants used focus groups andincluded their output in the draft plan.However, due to the extremely smallnumber of individuals participating inthese focus groups (sometimesnumbering only single figures), TES doesnot accept they are representatively validfor the overall Enfield Boroughpopulation of over 273,000. Incomparison to these focus groups, TEShas almost 2,000 members.From a more constructive aspect, thereare good points. TES supports greateraccess provided it is not achieved bymeans that are detrimental to the qualityof the landscape environment. Forinstance, we would not wish to seeEnfield’s high quality Green Beltfarmland simply turned into a form ofrural “park” with unlimited open accessthroughout. We feel greater access wouldbe both better and more economicallyachievable if it was concentrated uponaccess improvements to/from and withinour existing countryside country parks(e.g. Trent, Whitewebbs, Forty Hall &Hilly Fields). Enfield is fortunate thatthese country parks form such asignificant part of our Green Belt.

The draft plan comments uponrecreational use of the path networkincluding the creation of off-road cycleroutes. In this respect TES would opposeoff-road cycle routes that cut acrossEnfield’s high quality Green Beltcountryside or intrudes upon a heritagearea. We have separately objected toEnfield Council’s recent suggestion tointroduce a cycle route across the FortyHall estate to Maiden’s Bridge. Anyproposed route(s) must not detract fromthe existing rural tranquillity and feelingof remoteness obtained in our farmlandcountryside and from which few otherouter London boroughs benefit. Unlikethe Enfield Chase farmland, most otherboroughs have significant levels ofvisual, road and noise intrusion in theircountryside. Cycle routes will tend tohave some form of hard surfacing whichis visually intrusive. A combined networkcycle route and footpath is rarelyacceptable to walkers – this is readilyevidenced on such combined routes in theLea Valley Park and elsewhere.TES agrees that increased off-road ridingroutes would be beneficial to horse ridersbut would oppose conversion of publicpaths (whether definitive or permissivepaths) into bridleways because thesurface of such routes steadily deterioratefor walkers and are costly to maintain.Apart from the above, TES made thefollowing general observations:

(i) TES supports regular maintenance ofall rights of way, whether rural or urban.(ii) TES agrees there needs to be betteraccess to the country parks. With regardto Trent Park, TES supports the move byWestern Enfield Residents Associationfor the recently proposed/created footpathlinks to the Enfield Road/TheRidgeway/Fairview Road network andwe have also suggested the creation of apedestrian access path into Trent Parkfrom Cockfosters Road significantlynorth of the present vehicle entrance.(iii) TES supports new links to existingrights of way and permissive paths toprovide improved connections and tocreate new circular route options. Forinstance, TES supports creation of a linkpath from the London Loop path toBotany Bay near Bay Farm.(iv) in our reply we also commentedupon the long outstanding bridging issueon the proposed path to the east of StaggHill linking the “Stagg Hill Path” to the“West Lodge Path” (opposite WaggonRoad) and the need for this to be urgentlyresolved. Because the matter had beenoutstanding from 2001 TES agreed 3years ago to supply £1,500 funding forthe cost of necessary materials. TES feelsthis is a relatively straightforward matterand the lack of resolution unfortunatelydoes not bode well for implementation ofsubstantial improvements to Enfield’srights of way.

Stuart Mills

Draft Rights of Way Improvement Planfor the London Borough of Enfield (ROWIP)

Enfield Society walkers testing the load carrying capacity of abridge over the New River, near Theobalds Park, on 22nd August

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President: Dr C.J.A. Jephcott

Chairman: Colin Pointer

Hon. Secretary: Richard Stones

Hon. Treasurer: David James

Office: 2 Parsonage Lane, Enfield, Middlesex, EN2 0AJ.Telephone: 020 8363 9495

When there is nobody in the office, messagesleft on the answering machine will be dealtwith as promptly as possible.

Website: www.enfieldsociety.org.uk

Helplines:

For information on TES activities or toreport matters you think needinvestigation or action, please phone theappropriate number below:

Architecture and Planning020 8363 7707 (John Davies)

Coach Outings020 8360 8974 (Jim Deamer)

Conservation Areas, Listed Buildings,Green Belt020 8360 5677 (Chris Jephcott)

Edmonton Group020 8367 5920 (Monica Smith)

Footpaths and Walks020 8367 5168 (Shirley Cotton)

Historic Buildings Group020 8363 0031 (Stephen Gilburt)

Jubilee Hall Bookings020 8360 3873 (Pat Keeble)

Membership020 8367 6189 (Olive Sharman)

Press and publicity020 8363 5732 (Bob Fowler)

Records and Research020 8372 0092 (Leonard Will)

Trees020 8367 9696 (Emma Collins)

Management CommitteeDave Cockle, Graham Dalling, JohnDavies, Robert Fowler, Stephen Gilburt,David James, Tony Langston, StuartMills, Peter Perryman, Colin Pointer,Olive Sharman, Monica Smith, DerrickStone, Richard Stones, Leonard Will.

Vice-PresidentsLord Graham of Edmonton, Mrs P.Lowen, Mr D. Pam, Mr C. Pointer, MrM. Saunders, MBE, Mr A. J. Skilton, MrS. R. Smith.

Newsletter EditorLeonard Will(newsletter@enfieldsociety.org.uk)

The Enfield Society.Registered in England as a limited companyno. 312134.Registered Charity no. 276451.

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ISSN 2042-1419 (Print)ISSN 2042-1427 (Online)

TES Directory

ObituaryIt is sad to report the recent death of Velma Byford, who joined the then EnfieldPreservation Society in the 1960s where she soon became a respected and longserving active member. She later served on the Council of Management for over 20years, eventually retiring in the early 90s.Amongst her many duties with the Society was the organisation of the twice-yearlycoach trips to places of national interest, giving talks on the work of the Society tovarious local groups and actively participating in the work of the PublicityCommittee. She lived in Enfield for most of her life and knew the area very well.It was a great pleasure and privilege working with her and she was deservedlymissed by her colleagues when she retired although she remained active in otherareas including the setting up of the London Road & District Residents Associationwhich she chaired for a number of years.We would like to send our sincere condolences to Velma's family.

Beryl Dorrington

The Enfield Society and Western Enfield Residents’ Association have jointly funded agood quality “Heritage Style” community notice board. With the co-operation ofMcMullens it has been sited in the forecourt of The Jolly Farmers Public House inEnfield Road.Although the name does not appear on any maps, the area by the bridge over SalmonsBrook at the bottom of Slades Hill used to be known locally as “Frogs Bottom”. This wasdue to the number of frogs that used to be found in the meadows adjoining the brook.

Dave Cockle

Joint notice board at “Frogs Bottom”

An Enfield Society group walking along part of the Capital Ring on9th September 2009, led by Dave Cockle, with the Thames Barrier,

the O2 dome and Canary Wharf in the background

An Enfield Society group walking along part of the Capital Ring on9th September 2009, led by Dave Cockle, with the Thames Barrier,

the O2 dome and Canary Wharf in the background