Village London
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By Peter Watts, Rebecca Taylor and Kate Hutchinson
Posted: Tue Aug 15 2006 Highgate
Village hall
Not as such, but there is the Highgate Society, based in Pond Square, which aims to conserve the historic nature of the village. There’s also the suitably genteel French Circle and Watercolour Group. 5/10Cricket pitch
Although the village doesn’t have its own pitch, there is a village team that practises at Highgate School at the top of the village. 6/10Village green
Not square, not green and not even a pond, Pond Square, at the heart of the village, is a triangle of paving stones masquerading as a village green. 2/10Local pub
Highgate was the last stop-off for farmers taking cattle into the city and the abundance of pubs (eight on the High Street, including the Prince of Wales) reflects the fact that the village was something of a party stop. 9/10 Feature continuesAdvertisementPost office
There’s a sub-post office that’s part of the general store on the High Street. 7/10Church
St Michael’s is the local parish church. At the entrance there is a marker indicating that the floor level is 365 feet above sea level – the same height as the dome of St Paul’s. 10/10Local bobby
Locals in the Prince of Wales knew the name of their affable copper, PC Mick Hall, who regularly pops his head round the door of the various pubs (as well as keeping an eye on muggings and murders, of course). 9/10Annual fête
There is an annual village festival that sells local produce (think organic elderberry wine) and arts and crafts. There’s also a merry-go-round. 8/10Village idiot
Good for eccentrics: there’s the man who walks 1,000 miles every week; and the one who lives in a shed at the top of the High Street. 8/10Village people
Locals describe themselves as ‘professional’, ‘white middle-class’ and ‘not very multicultural’. Every other shop on the High Street is an estate agent, with prices near £2 million for some properties. 4/10Local's verdict
‘It’s a close-knit community. If one thing happens at the bottom of the High Street, give us five minutes and everyone will know about it at the top. We’re superior to Hampstead. Hampstead has lost it – it’s even got a McDonald’s.’ Peter Desbois, Highgate resident
Total 68/100- Add your comment to this feature
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18 comments
How horrible of you to call Lenny the village idiot. He is well known and liked in Enfield. He'll talk to you about anything and has a wicked sense of humour. Good luck with the record Lenny!!!
Lenny is by all means NOT an idiot - he is our friend! He has been around since my sister was my age (12) and she is now 21. I hope he is around for many more years!
And Enfield is the best so don't try and beat us the rest of you - or ELSE!!! dum dum DUM!
Also don't forget the great free New River Festival on the 7th July on the banks of the Enfield Town New River loop (opposite Central Library).
Great arts event for all to enjoy.
It's great to hear you all like the Enfield Autumn Show so much.
Just to let you all know it will be on again on 8-9 September 2007. We've got even more great live music and spectacular events planned.
If you are interested in participating in the event (with a stand etc) email me on evan.kypreos@enfield.gov.uk putting Timeout - EAS in the subject bar.
Thanks
Lenny is not an idiot! His knowledge for music and T.V from the 60's & 70's is second to none! He even knows of the new music and how poor it is compared to the old! He knows everything thats going on in the town and probably knows more about the history of Enfield Town than any other person living there. A charismatic and witty guy he is, you'd love his jokes!
If you're looking for a decent bar in the area- FORM opposite the town station is surely the best??- Fab cocktails, good music and pretty special decor. highly recommendable.
Has Time Out got an agenda in voting George Galloway 'village idiot'? I suppose the more than 15,000 people who voted him in as their MP are also idiots? I think you should have left politics out of this - most people share Mr Galloway's views on the important issues such as Iraq and Tony Blair (just look at the polls).
Lenny is the eyes and ears of Enfield and always knows 'whats going down' before it appears in the local papers. His knowlege of punk music is second to none and is very articulate and witty. The only idiot is the talentless hack calling Lenny one.
Glad to see Enfield is finally getting some recognition, after years of dismissal and merciless heckling at the hands of Guardian journalists and Radio 4 commentators ('Enfield is the only place in Britain where stone cladding adds value to your house')
How could you not have found out about the Enfield Town Show?! It's fabulous! And Lenny is not an idiot.
Where is dear old Muswell Hill? It is surely the quintessential London village with fine locals, a cricket pitch, a handful of little churches, woodland areas, a high street geared towards sole traders (mainly), and one of the village church halls has a local Am Dram Society! Go there and watch a naff old play and have old biddies serve you tea and biscuits in the interval. Muswell Hill has a butcher, a baker, and no candlestick maker. visit the village with the mossy well and all within zone 3! blimey!
Enfield is a great place to live. But no fete, eh? Then what about the Enfield Autumn Show in the Town park, Sept. each year, this year 9-10 Sept. A super day out. (And Lenny is by no means an idiot. That was mean of you!)
How can you have missed out Ealing's Brentham Estate? It's a perfect example of a garden suburb! I grew up there and returned recently (15 years later) to find it as beautiful as I remembered.
Disappointed with result as in the past it was top village in your mag. We still have the arts club running and a writers' group. Can I just post these two links to the events in the area? www.walthamstowfestival.com
www.e17arttrail.co.uk
Please advertise them, in this current climate we need good vibes. Simone, a resident since 2002
What about Hampstead Garden Suburb? That's an area of london which was practically designed to be a village!