London Borough of Enfield

The London Borough of Enfield is the most northerly London borough and forms part of Outer London.

History

Enfield used to be a small market town on the edge of the forest about a day's travel north of London. But as Greater London has grown, Enfield has become a residential suburb with fast transport links into central London.

The current borough was formed in 1965 from the former area of the Municipal Borough of Southgate, the Municipal Borough of Enfield and the Municipal Borough of Edmonton. The armorial bearings of these three boroughs were also merged.

The creature on the shield of the Enfield coat of arms is known in heraldry as an "Enfield" (or colloquially as the Enfield beast), and is used extensively as a logo representing Enfield, particularly by the borough council.

In Roman times, Enfield was connected to Londinium by Ermine Street, the great Roman road which stretched all the way up to York. Artefacts found in the early 1900s reveal that there were Roman settlements in the areas that are now Edmonton and Bush Hill Park.

In 790 King Offa was recorded as giving the lands of Edmonton to St Albans Abbey. The area became strategically important as East Anglia was taken over by the Danes. In the 790s strongholds were built by men loyal to King Alfred the Great, in order to keep the Danes to the east of the River Lea.

After the Norman Conquest, both Enfield and Edmonton were mentioned in the Domesday Book. Both have churches, and Enfield has 400 inhabitants, Edmonton 300. Enfield is also described as having a "parc".

This parc—a heavily forested area for hunting—was key to Enfield's existence in the Middle Ages. Wealthy Londoners came to Enfield first to hunt, and then to build houses in the pleasant surroundings. In 1303, Edward I of England granted Enfield a charter to hold a weekly market, which has continued up to this day.

The Barclays Bank in Enfield was the first place in the world to have an ATM.

Enfield has a history of armaments manufacture—see Royal Small Arms Factory. For example, the Lee-Enfield .303 rifle was standard issue for the British Army for many years.

Enfield today

A major redevelopment of Edmonton Green including the shopping centre, and adjacent municipal housing over a wide area, started in 1999. This is still on-going through 2005, and is intended to provide new housing, a new leisure centre, a supermarket, and many other civic features.

Currently, Enfield Town centre is undergoing major redevelopment work, scheduled for completion by Autumn 2006. A large extension to the existing shopping centre is being built, under the name PalaceXchange.

Much of the life of Enfield currently centres around the A10 road which has a number of 'shed'-type retail facilities, a night club and a very large multiplex cinema which draws film goers from miles around. This Cineworld cinema also plays host to Jubilee Church on a Sunday morning; whilst cinemagoers continue to watch movies in the other screens, a charismatic church which draws its worshippers from a wide area hires a couple of auditoria for worship.

Middlesex University has three campuses in Enfield (Ponders End, Cat Hill and Trent Park campus).

Health

Two major NHS hospitals , Chase Farm Hospital and North Middlesex Hospital are located in the borough. Enfield Primary Care NHS Trust is responsible for local primary health care. Another hospital in the borough, Highlands, was closed in 1993.

Sport and recreation

Enfield's King George's Field, named in memory of King George V, includes the Queen Elizabeth II athletics stadium, the Enfield Ignatians Rugby Club and numerous football, rugby and baseball diamonds. The playing fields were used as a POW camp for Italians during World War II.

Many sports teams and clubs are located in Enfield; Enfield F.C. and the recently established Enfield Town F.C. are the most prominent. Saracens Rugby Football Club used to play in Enfield and still train at Bramley Road sports ground near Cockfosters.

The principal cricket clubs in the area are Enfield CC, Winchmore Hill CC, North Enfield CC, and Holtwhites Trinibus CC, with many others playing cricket in and around the borough such as Edmonton, Enfield Invicta and Myddleton House. Many clubs play in either the Middlesex Cricket League or the Hertfordshire League.

Swimming clubs (S.C.) include Edmonton Phoenix S.C., Enfield S.C. and Griffins S.C. of Enfield.

Transport

See also List of railway stations in London Borough of Enfield.

Enfield is served by the Piccadilly Line of the London Underground with stations at Arnos Grove, Southgate, Oakwood and Cockfosters, (where the line terminates). Suburban National Rail services of First Capital Connect and 'one' also operate on several lines in the borough.

There are numerous bus services throughout the borough run by Transport for London.

The main highways running through the borough include the North Circular Road, the M25, Green Lanes, the A10 and the old Hertford Road (A1010)

Museums

The borough conatins the Museum of Domestic Design and Architecture. Other museums include Forty Hall Manor and the garden exhibitions at Capel Manor and Myddleton House, (part of the Lee Valley Park).

See also

• List of places in London Borough of Enfield
• List of notable people associated with London Borough of Enfield
• Enfield parks and open spaces

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