Park of the week

70. Ravenscroft Gardens

This relatively small open space in Wood Street, Barnet, is also known as Ravenscroft Park. It’s part of the Wood Street Conservation Area - identified by the Local Planning Authority as having special architectural or historic interest. The gardens are formally laid out with shrubs, bedding, winding paths, and a rock garden, all surrounded by recently restored iron railings with an ornamental gate. 

The space has mature trees including horse chestnuts, and evergreen trees such as fir and monkey puzzle. I like to pick up acorns and conkers as souvenirs, but the squirrels got to this park first so there were none to be had. I also like to collect tree cones and was tempted by one of the monkey puzzles, but theirs are viciously spiked and I’m sure you’re meant wait till they’ve fallen rather than pulling them off the tree. Although the gardens are on a busy road, they have a quiet feel; the trees help muffle the traffic sound. 

The land they occupy was originally part of Barnet Common that had included a pond often used by cattle drovers on their way to Barnet Fair. The space, converted from open land in the late nineteenth century when a new road and housing were developed, was originally called Barnet Recreation Ground but the name was changed to Ravenscroft Gardens, after local benefactor, James Ravenscroft.

During the Second World War at the start of the blitz, there was often a shortage of water to fight fires. In some areas the mains were damaged, in others demand outstripped supply, and local authorities were told to provide standing supplies of water for emergencies. In Barnet, a tank was built from bricks at the west end of Ravenscroft Gardens. After the war, the wall was removed making it into a pond area. There used to be two ornamental ponds, but these were drained in the 1990s – there are sunken, grassed over areas where they used to be.

There are no café or toilets, and there is no car park. We found room to park on a nearby street. 

Judith Field

Ravenscroft Gardens, Wood Street, High Barnet EN5 4ND