Cockfosters

Cockfosters

Christ Church, Cockfosters
Cockfosters
 Cockfosters shown within Greater London
Population 13,788 (2011 Census.Ward)[1]
OS grid referenceTQ275965
London borough Enfield
Barnet
Ceremonial county Greater London
RegionLondon
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post town BARNET
Postcode district EN4
Dialling code 020
Police Metropolitan
Fire London
Ambulance London
EU Parliament London
UK ParliamentEnfield Southgate
Chipping Barnet
London Assembly Enfield and Haringey
Barnet and Camden
List of places
UK
England
London

Coordinates: 51°39′10″N 0°09′22″W / 51.6527°N 0.1560°W / 51.6527; -0.1560

Cockfosters is a suburb of north London, lying partly in the London Borough of Enfield and partly in the London Borough of Barnet. Cockfosters was located pre-1965 in the counties of Hertfordshire and Middlesex.

The name was recorded as far back as 1524, and is thought to be either the name of a family, or that of a house which stood on Enfield Chase. One suggestion is that it was "the residence of the cock forester (or chief forester)".[2][3]

Of note in Cockfosters is Trent Park, now a country park. Christ Church, Cockfosters was founded in 1839.[4]

The Piccadilly line of the London Underground reached Cockfosters in 1933. The Cock Inn (formerly the Cock), off Cockfosters Road on Chalk Lane, opened in 1798.

Education

Southgate School is located on Sussex Way.

Trent C of E Primary School is located on Chalk Lane.

Theatre and the arts

The Chickenshed Theatre Company, aka Chickenshed, is located in Cockfosters. It was founded in 1975 in a chicken shed and has since moved to its current site. It now produces many shows. It is an inclusive theatre company and started the concept of "inclusive theatre", which means anyone, regardless of background, race, gender, age or disability, is allowed to both watch and perform in theatre.

Neighbouring areas

Sport and leisure

Entrance to Trent Country Park from Cockfosters Road.

Cockfosters has a non-League football club, Cockfosters F.C., which plays at the Cockfosters Sports Ground.

Saracens used to play at Chase Side (also known as Clocktower Park); however, they are now based in Hendon. The ground is still used for Enfield F.C. training and for the Saracens' 'B' team, Saracens Storm. It is also used as Saracens Amateurs' training ground. Cockfosters Cricket Club and Southgate Compton Cricket Club play at Chalk Lane on fields adjacent to Christ Church, either side of Cockfosters Bowling Club.

Trent Country Park covers approximately 320 hectares. An attraction within Trent Park's grounds, installed in 2012, is the treetop adventure park Go Ape.

Culture

Cockfosters tube station.

Cockfosters is the name of a 2015 short-story collection by Helen Simpson. One of the short stories features a visit to 'lost property' at Cockfosters tube station.[5]

People

The MP for Southgate, David Burrowes, was born in Cockfosters. George Baillie Duncan ministered at Christ Church, Cockfosters, and the cricketer Andrew Wingfield Digby was a curate there. Cameron McVey grew up in Cockfosters. The poet John Betjeman, who taught at Heddon Court School in 1929-30, wrote "The Cricket Master" about his experiences there. Other transient residents have included the footballers Tommy Docherty and George Eastham, and Dave Davies of the Kinks. Professors John Stollery and Ian Jacobs also grew up in Cockfosters.

Transport

References

  1. "Enfield Ward population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  2. Harris, Cyril M. (1977). What's in a name?. London: Capital Transport. ISBN 1-85414-241-0.
  3. Christ Church Cockfosters: 125 years. Franey & Co., London, c. 1964. p. 5.
  4. "Christ Church Cockfosters". Christ Church Cockfosters. Retrieved 2015-12-07.
  5. Simpson, Helen (2015-11-05). Cockfosters. S.l.: Jonathan Cape. ISBN 9781910702208.

Media related to Cockfosters at Wikimedia Commons

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