Enfield Society heritage projects

This is a provisional list of projects being considered by The Enfield Society.

1 Provision of history boards / information boards at the Angel Edmonton or Silver Street Station. The area has a fascinating history being a crossroads on the historic route to Hertford, a toll gate, an ancient inn and links to the story of John Gilpin, a comic ballad written in 1782 by William Cowper. Few local people know the history of this historic area and consultation should involve pupils and parents from Raynham Primary School and the nearby Angel Community Centre. A school and community project could be linked to a history story line for this area. Information boards and website link would be created.

2 Relocation of the Fore Street War Memorial. The memorial is important to local people. It was moved during a previous highway scheme and was placed in an inappropriate place on the foot-way in front of the shops. Holding any commemorative event in this location is impossible. The War Memorial needs to be moved to a more appropriate location possibly close to Silver Street Station. Some local consultation is always taking place on this project linked to Enfield Council’s Town Centre regeneration initiative.

3 A history trail and history / information boards in Pymmes Park. The park is a beautiful oasis of calm in Edmonton just north of the busy North Circular Road. With lakes formed by diverting Pymmes Brook. It is well used and has a busy children’s play area. The Park is the grounds of the former Pymmes House, which was demolished after a fire during World War II. Few local people know about the history of the park, its once famous bandstand or about the fine specimen trees planted by Edmonton Council in the 1920’s. Consultation needs to take place with local users, play groups who use the park and local schools to explore the parks history and develop a history trail around the park highlighting the main features.

4 Enfield’s industrial heritage in Ponders End. A new brewery is under construction for the Beavertown Brewery in Ponders End. The site is the former Ediswan Factory where Sir Joseph Wilson Swan developed the incandescent lamp. In this same area Professor Ambrose Fleming developed the diode valve, an integral part of radio, television and computers. Ponders End also saw the development of the infra-red electric bar fire, the vacuum flask, televisions and Pulse Code Modulation, an early form of digital communication. Through the planning process Beavertown has agreed to provide history boards and information about the industrial heritage of Ponders End. Reference will also be made to the whole industrial corridor between Ponders End and Edmonton following the A10 corridor which includes companies such as Ferguson, Belling and Multi Kontact (MK) plugs. This project seeks to involve the local secondary and primary schools in developing the history story.

5 Restoration of Tottenham Park Cemetery Chapel. The cemetery forms part ofthe Montagu Road Cemeteries Conservation Area. Tottenham Park Cemetery opened in 1912 and was initially used for Christian burials, it is now predominantly Muslim. The Chapel is on the Enfield Local List and is in a derelict condition. The chapel is the main building on the site and is well detailed. Approached along the wide access path and with a circular path around it, the chapel is in brick and has a symmetrical design. Its central part is gabled at both ends and has a central bell-tower with fretted timber framework and a tall copper spirelet. The lower parts at front and rear have castellated stone copings and a flat roof. All the windows have stone lintels with hood-moulds, cills and mullions, and the upper storey windows have tripartite gothic arched heads. The restoration of the Chapel and a project to refurbish the building would win support from both older people who have family buried there and newer residents who use the cemetery for Muslim burials.

6 Creation of a mosaic mural of Enfield Palace. Enfield Palace was a substantial manor house, built for Queen Elizabeth I as a girl by her half-brother, King Edward VI. Although Elizabeth did not spend long at the palace once she was queen, she did stay to hunt in the nearby park. From the seventeenth to the nineteenth century the palace was used as a private school. It was demolished in the early twentieth century and a department store now occupies the spot. The panelling, fireplace and ceiling of one room was saved, however, and moved to a house in Gentleman’s Row. The land surrounding the Palace is now Palace Gardens Shopping Centre. Any mural should involve local schools; George Spicer Primary School, Chase Side Primary School etc. in researching the history of the area and the Royal connections. Other stakeholders would include the Enfield Town Residents Association and the Enfield Shop Traders Association. The mural would complement other mosaic murals of demolished buildings which have been installed in the borough.

7 A bridge over the New River to provide access to Clarendon Arch. The New River is an artificial waterway opened in 1613 to supply London with fresh drinking water taken from the River Lea and from Chadwell Springs and, originally, Amwell Springs in Hertfordshire, as well as other springs and wells along its course. Developed by Sir Thomas Myddleton the river follows the land contours, although certain parts have been straightened over the centuries. Clarendon Arch and Tunnel is a Grade II listed building. It is the oldest surviving structure on the New River, comprising a short brick tunnel that allowed Salmons Brook to run beneath the New River. A viewing platform was created by Thames Water about 20 years ago, but due to land ownership changes it is no longer accessible. The project should involve residents’ groups in agreeing the best way to open up this structure for public viewing. A small footbridge and information panels would result.

8 Restoration of the Lodge to the former Durants Arbour. Durants Arbour was a large moated manor house, built around a courtyard to the east of Hertford Road on higher land above the Lea Valley north of Ponders End. Durants Park is named after Durrants, a sub-manor of the Enfield Estate dating from the 13th century. From the early 15th century the house was owned by the influential Wroth family and James I reputedly visited frequently. After a fire at the end of the 18th century destroyed the manor house a small farmhouse was built on part of the site. During recent building work at a timber yard, it has been revealed that the original Lodge to Durants has survived and is now used as an office. The site needs to be opened so that it is visible from the adjoining footpath and information plaques provided. Local consultation should involve pupils and the community at the nearby Southbury Primary School, Waverley Special School and Brimsdown Primary School, the community schools nearest to the building.

9 Restoration of the Water Gardens at Trent Park. Trent Park is a country park serving Enfield and other parts of North London. Major refurbishment of the Mansion House and surrounding gardens is in progress. The Water Gardens are outside this area and form part of the country park. The area would benefit from footpath improvements, disabled access and information boards, as well as provision for access to the Gardens from the restored Lime Avenue which will lead down from the House.

10 Layers of London Project; Public Houses in Enfield. The Heritage Lottery fund is supporting a project led by the University of London’s School of Advanced Study to put London’s pubs onto an interactive online map. The aim is to gather historical maps, images, information and stories about lost pubs so that users can explore how areas have changes. Enfield has lost many historic pubs since World War II and this project would ensure that Enfield is fully included in the projects. Stakeholders would include licensees. Local CAMRA members and anyone with an interest in recording lost pubs.

11 The installation of information plaques on buildings which are historic or of interest for their association. The Enfield Society has previously provided brass plaques to Listed Buildings of local interest. This project would extend this work creating local ‘Blue Plaques’ at key points of interest around the Borough. Similar projects have recently been undertaken by the Ealing Society and the Dulwich Society. The Enfield Society, Southgate and District Civic Voice and other local groups would seek ideas from the local community – we envisage a wide range of possibilities including historic buildings but also locations associated with famous people or events. The plaques would be accompanied by a website which would include a map of the plaques and additional information about the buildings/people/events concerned. Researching this information could be done by schools and other interested groups. Funding would be needed for the purchase and installation of plaques, setting up the website and facilitating the research. (The mapping and information-finding process could also be extended to existing plaques in the borough, of which there is no comprehensive list.)

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