Suburban Southgate

Southgate takes its name from  the southern gate of the Enfield Chase that once stood here. Enfield Chase was first recorded as Enefeld Chacee* in 1325, and comprised of a vast tract of land used for breeding and hunting wild animals. In the reign of Henry II the parish of Edmonton and adjoining parishes were largely covered with forest reaching as far south as the City of London. Enfield Chase was part of this forest and also belonged to the citizens of London. By 1154 what had been known as Enfield Wood or the Park of Enfield had been converted into a hunting ground. This hunting ground was at first not enclosed, but was imparked during the twelfth century. The enclosure had several gates, such as White Webb Gate, Clay Hill Gate, Hook Gate, Cattle Gate, West Gate etcetera.  Within the Chase stood four Lodges: South Lodge, North Lodge, West Lodge and East Lodge. Originally these were hunting lodges.

The area was originally very heavily wooded. In the 16th century most of the area still consisted of oak coppice woods which were heavily exploited. The main products were firewood, charcoal and oak bark which was sold for use in tanning. An Act of Parliament of 1777 resulted in the enclosure of Enfield Chase and lead to it being divided up into several "parks", the largest of which was the King's Park now known as Trent Park. The lodges were also separated off. Other parks were: Oak Wood Park (south), White Webb's Park, Hill Park  (east) and several farms.

Southgate originally a tiny hamlet which grew up in the north west corner of Edmonton parish along the southern boundary of Enfield Chase around 12 miles north of the centre of London, was little more than a street and a small green that lay enclosed by large estates such as Grovelands, Minchenden, Broomfields and Arnos Grove. Along the High Street and the Green we would have found many historic buildings, such as the Cherry Tree Inn, Croft Cottage, Holcombe House, Southgate House, Minchenden House, Essex House, Arnholt Wood House, Beaver Hall, Arnolds Grove, Arnoside Cottage, Minchenden Lodge, Ash Lodge, Norbury House, Sandford House, Cannon House, The Coach House and the Hermitage. The land owners preferred to keep Southgate rural in order to protect their amenities.

Rural Southgate consisted of landed estates that were often wooded and hilly. These estates were drained by natural and dug brooks and watercourses. The actual Southgate (S) stood on the edge of the Enfield Chase, with Chase Side and the High Street (H) running of it towards the Green. Around the Chase lay some hamlets. Large tracts of it were also wooded (mostly copse). In the Chase four hunting lodges were built: South Lodge (L), East Lodge, West Lodge and North Lodge.

The first attempt at suburban development in Southgate dates from 1853. A large tract of land between Chase Side and Chase Road was sold for building. Streets were laid out and some workmen's cottages were erected, along with a few larger houses bordering the former Chase. The builders had great difficulty in finding tenants for the houses however. This all changed with the coming of the railways. For the suburban development of Southgate two railway lines and the extension of the Picadilly Line to Cockfosters are of great importance.

In 1850 the mainline of the Great Northern Railway opened its first route between Kings Cross and Peterborough. At the same time a station was opened for the Colney Hatch Lunatic Asylum that was being built in Friern Barnet. This station is now called New Southgate. Subsequent stations opened at Oakleigh Park (1866) and Barnet (1850). In 1865 the Great Northern Railway obtained permission to build a new line to run from Wood Green to Hertford through Palmers Green and Enfield. However, in 1869 financial constraints forced the company to consider Enfield as the northern terminus. This branch opened in 1871. It was later extended via Hertford to Steveange where it joins the main line. Palmers Green and Winchmore Hill were to be the intervening rural stations.

The first wave of suburbanisation is linked to the railways. These railway lines stayed well clear of the Enfield Chase and most of the adjacent estates and cut through farmland and common fields alike.

Foreseeing the coming urbanisation the Southgate Bourough Council acquired tracts of land from estates that were being sold to convert to parks and sporting grounds. Development started around Palmers Green where Broomfield Park, Old Park, Clappers Green Farm Bowes Park and Hazelwood Park were divided into plots and built over. Later the Lodge Estate, Huxley Estate, Southgate House Estate and Grovelands Park were divided up en developed for housing. The stations at Colney Hatch and Oakleigh Park lead to the deveolpment of New Southgate, Hollickwood Estate, Halliwick Estate, White House Estate and Oakleigh Park. Southgate Council also planted the park reserves or developed them into public parks from the existing former estate grounds. Thus Grovelands Park (1913), Arnos Park (1928) and Oakwood Park (1927)  were developed as open green space to counter the spread of suburban housing.

Innovations in public transport were largely responsible for the obliteration of rural Southgate. Development remained slow for as long as Southgate was fairly remote from public transport. This changed dramatically when in 1930 Parliament sanctioned an extension of the Piccadilly Line north of Finsbury Park to Cockfosters. Trains reached Arnos Grave in 1932 and Cockfosters in July 1933. The effect of the new railway line was spectacular, as builders quickly moved in and the remaining estates were developed for housing. Streets soon covered Arnos Grove, Grovelands and Oakwood Park estates. The Cockfosters extension also lead to rapid suburbanisation in neigbouring East Barnet, Freiern Barnet and at the terminus.

 The decisive factor in suburbanisation of the Southgate area was the coming of the Picadilly Line extension to Cockfosters. This line cut through the former Chase and made the large estates accessible and thus attractive for house building. 

Another important improvements in transport facilities came in the form of the North Circular Road. This ring road was planned as early as 1912, but became delayed by World War I. The road had been completed through New Southgate by 1929 and consisted of widened sections of existing roads and new sections linking these. The new route quickly became a main traffic artery linking the various suburban developments.

* the word chase stems from the French chasser (to pursue or hunt down an animal)