Southgate is a suburban area of

North London North London is the northern part of London, England, north of the River Thames. It extends from Clerkenwell and Finsbury, on the edge of the City of London financial district, to Greater London's boundary with Hertfordshire. The term ''nor ...

, England in the

London Borough of Enfield The London Borough of Enfield () is a London borough in North London. It borders the London boroughs of Barnet to the west, Haringey to the south, and Waltham Forest to the southeast. To the north are the districts of Hertsmere, Welwyn Ha ...

. It is located around north of

Charing Cross Charing Cross ( ) is a junction in Westminster, London, England, where six routes meet. Clockwise from north these are: the east side of Trafalgar Square leading to St Martin's Place and then Charing Cross Road; the Strand leading to the City; ...

. The name is derived from being the south gate to Enfield Chase.

History

Southgate was originally the ''South Gate'' of Enfield Chase, the King's hunting grounds. This is reflected in the street names Chase Road (which leads due north from the station to Oakwood, and was formerly the avenue into the Chase) and Chase Side. There is a blue plaque on a building on the site of the south gate. A little further to the south was another small medieval settlement called South Street which had grown up around a village green; by 1829 the two settlements had merged and the village green became today's Southgate Green. Southgate Club

Southgate was predominantly developed in the 1930s: largish semi-detached houses were built on the hilly former estates (Walker, Osidge, Monkfrith, etc.) following increased transport development. In 1933, the

North Circular Road The North Circular Road (officially the A406 and sometimes known as simply the North Circular) is a ring road around Central London in England. It runs from Chiswick in the west to Woolwich in the east via suburban North London, connecti ...

was completed through Edmonton and Southgate, and also in 1933, the

London Underground The London Underground (also known simply as the Underground or by its nickname the Tube) is a rapid transit system serving Greater London and some parts of the adjacent counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire in England. The U ...

Piccadilly line was extended from Arnos Grove (where it had reached the previous year), through

Southgate tube station Southgate is a London Underground Piccadilly line station in Southgate. It is located between Arnos Grove and Oakwood stations and is in Travelcard Zone 4. History Southgate station opened on 13 March 1933 with Oakwood on the second phas ...

, on to Enfield West (now known as Oakwood). This unleashed a building boom, and by 1939 the area had become almost fully developed.

Governance

In 1894 an urban district of

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a historic county in southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the ceremonial county of Greater London, with small sections in neighbourin ...

, called Southgate, was created by the

Local Government Act 1894 The Local Government Act 1894 (56 & 57 Vict. c. 73) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales outside the County of London. The Act followed the reforms carried out at county level u ...

. In 1933 the

Municipal Borough of Southgate Southgate was a local government district of Middlesex from 1881 to 1965. It was part of the London postal district and Metropolitan Police District. Incorporation and development The area was historically part of the parish of Edmonton, whic ...

was created. The borough, which had its headquarters at

Southgate Town Hall Southgate Town hall is a municipal building in Green Lanes, Palmers Green, London. History The building was commissioned by the local board of health as dedicated municipal offices in anticipation of Southgate becoming an urban district in 1894 ...

, was abolished in 1965 by the

London Government Act 1963 The London Government Act 1963 (c. 33) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which created Greater London and a new local government structure within it. The Act significantly reduced the number of local government districts in the ...

. Its area then came within the newly created

, which also included the areas that had been within the

Municipal Borough of Enfield Enfield was a local government district in Middlesex, England from 1850 to 1965. History The parish of Enfield adopted the Public Health Act 1848 in 1850, and formed a local board of health of 12 members to govern the area. The local board's ...

and the Municipal Borough of Edmonton.

Local features

Within the area is the art deco Grade II*

Charles Holden Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was ...

. The area has several large green parks such as Grovelands Park which covers ninety-two acres and contains the seven-acre former boating lake and adjoining woodland of the adjacent Grade I listed Grovelands House (formerly 'Southgate Grove'). In Waterfall Road is Christ Church, built in 1862 by Sir Gilbert Scott; adjacent to its grounds, in Minchenden Oak Garden, stands the Minchenden Oak. Across the road from the church lies the Walker Cricket Ground; a regular Middlesex venue which was first used in 1859 and is named after the cricketer John Walker. The Southgate Green conservation area contains several notable Grade II listed buildings such as

Arnoside House and Essex House Arnoside House and Essex House are adjoining grade II* listed buildings on The Green, Southgate, London. The walls and railings at the front of the houses are also grade II* listed, while Arnoside Cottage to the west is grade II listed. See al ...

Sandford House & Norbury House Sandford House and Norbury House are grade II listed buildings on The Green, Southgate, London. The houses date from the late eighteenth century with later additions.Old House & Essex Coach House Old House and Essex Coach House are adjoining grade II listed buildings on The Green, Southgate, London.40 The Green and the Valentine Poole houses. The adjoining Cannon Hill features the early-18th century

Arnos Grove House Arnos Grove, originally known as Arnolds, is a grade II* listed house in Cannon Hill, Southgate, London. History The house was built after the London banker James Colebrooke bought the Arnolds estate in 1719 or 1720. Dumayne, Alan. (1987) ''So ...

and the High Street features Southgate House. Southgate station on the Piccadilly line is the nearest tube stop to most of Southgate's residential area. Other stations are at Oakwood (to the north) and

Arnos Grove Arnos Grove () is an area of north London, England, within the London Borough of Enfield. It is centred north of Charing Cross. It is adjacent to New Southgate. The natural grove, larger than today, was for many centuries the largest woodl ...

(to the south west).

Demography

Southgate is a cosmopolitan district. There has been a prominent

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

community since the early 20th century. There are also many

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

Greek Cypriot Greek Cypriots or Cypriot Greeks ( el, Ελληνοκύπριοι, Ellinokýprioi, tr, Kıbrıs Rumları) are the ethnic Greek population of Cyprus, forming the island's largest ethnolinguistic community. According to the 2011 census, 659,115 ...

, Japanese, and

Turkish Turkish may refer to: *a Turkic language spoken by the Turks * of or about Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities and mi ...

families living in the district. As of the 2011 census, White British makes up 45% of the population, followed by Other White at 20%.

Notable residents

James Henry Leigh Hunt by Benjamin Robert Haydon

* William Acton, owned Arnolds estate. * Neville Brody, graphic designer, born in Southgate in 1957. * Errol Brown, singer. * James Brydges, 3rd Duke of Chandos, lived at Minchington Hall. * Raymond Wilson Chambers, writer, lived in Selborne Road, Southgate Green. *

Dave Clark (musician) David Clark (born 15 December 1939) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer and entrepreneur. Clark was the leader, drummer and manager of the 1960s beat group the Dave Clark Five, the first British Invasion band to follow the B ...

, lived in Chase Side. * James Colebrooke and

George Colebrooke Sir George Colebrooke, 2nd Baronet (14 June 1729 – 5 August 1809), of Gatton in Surrey, was an English merchant banker, Member of Parliament for Arundel from 1754-1774 and chairman of the East India Company from 1767-1772. He was conspicuou ...

, first owners of

Arnos Grove house Arnos Grove, originally known as Arnolds, is a grade II* listed house in Cannon Hill, Southgate, London. History The house was built after the London banker James Colebrooke bought the Arnolds estate in 1719 or 1720. Dumayne, Alan. (1987) ''So ...

. * Sir William Curtis, 1st Baronet; MP, Sheriff and Lord Mayor, lived at

Cullands Grove Cullands Grove, also known as Cannon's, was a country house and estate in Southgate, Middlesex. It was built on an area of woodland formerly known as Gullands Grove. Cullands Grove was known for the lavish banquets held there by Sir William Curt ...

. *

Dave Davies David Russell Gordon Davies (born 3 February 1947) is an English guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for the English rock band the Kinks, which also featured his elder brother Ray Davies. He was ...

, musician. *

Alan Dumayne Alan Peter Dumayne (21 April 1929 – 30 April 1998) was an historian of North London known for his lectures and books on the history of Southgate, Palmers Green, and Winchmore Hill. Life Alan Dumayne was born in Harringay on 21 April 1929

, local historian. *

Stephen Godin Stephen Peter Godin (24 March 1707 – 15 March 1787) was an English insurance broker in the City of London and a land-owner in Middlesex. He acquired Cullands Grove in Southgate in what is now north London and may have built the first house on t ...

, 18th Century broker, lived at

. * Augustus Hare, writer. * David Hepworth, journalist and writer. *

Sir David Hechstetter Sir David Hechstetter (or Heckstetter, Hetchetter, Hochstetter, or Hockstetter; c. 1659 – 14 June 1721) was a director of the Company of Merchant Adventurers of London (the Hamburg Company) and a land-owner in Hertfordshire and Middlesex. He w ...

, merchant, lived at Minchington Hall. *

Frederick Hitch Frederick Hitch, VC (29 November 1856 – 6 January 1913) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross for his actions at the Battle of Rorke's Drift, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to Britis ...

, awarded the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

. * Sir Abraham Hume, 1st Baronet, owned

. *

Leigh Hunt James Henry Leigh Hunt (19 October 178428 August 1859), best known as Leigh Hunt, was an English critic, essayist and poet. Hunt co-founded '' The Examiner'', a leading intellectual journal expounding radical principles. He was the centre ...

, essayist and writer, born in Southgate in 1784. *

Ashley Hutchings Ashley Stephen Hutchings, MBE, sometimes known in early years by his nickname, "Tyger" Hutchings (born 26 January 1945) is an English bassist, vocalist, songwriter, arranger, band leader, writer and record producer. He was a founding member of ...

, musician, born 1945. * Peter Jay, drummer, born 1944. *

Selin Kiazim Selin Kiazim is a British chef of Turkish Cypriot heritage who owns and runs the restaurant Oklava in London. In 2017, she was one of the winners of the BBC Two television series Great British Menu. Career Selin Kiazim was brought up in Southgate ...

, chef and restaurateur. *

John Lawrence, 1st Baron Lawrence John Laird Mair Lawrence, 1st Baron Lawrence, (4 March 1811 – 27 June 1879), known as Sir John Lawrence, Bt., between 1858 and 1869, was an English-born Ulsterman who became a prominent British Imperial statesman who served as Viceroy ...

, lived in Southgate House in the 1860s. * Sir Patrick Linstead, English chemist, born in Southgate in 1902. * Sir Thomas Lipton came to Southgate in 1892, and lived in Osidge House (in

East Barnet East Barnet is an area of north London within the London Borough of Barnet bordered by New Barnet, Cockfosters and Southgate. It is a largely residential suburb whose central area contains shops, public houses, restaurants and services, and ...

, but within the parish of Southgate) until his death in 1931. *

Robert Lowe, 1st Viscount Sherbrooke Robert Lowe, 1st Viscount Sherbrooke, GCB, PC (4 December 1811 – 27 July 1892), British statesman, was a pivotal conservative spokesman who helped shape British politics in the latter half of the 19th century. He held office under William ...

, 19th Century politician. * Allastair McReady-Diarmid, awarded the Victoria Cross. *

William Mayne, 1st Baron Newhaven William Mayne, 1st Baron Newhaven PC (1722 – 28 May 1794), known as Sir William Mayne, Bt, between 1763 and 1776, was a British merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1774 to 1790. Early life Mayne was the eldest son of ...

, owned

. *

Simon Mayo Simon Andrew Hicks Mayo (born 21 September 1958) is an English radio presenter and author who worked for BBC Radio from 1982 until 2022. Mayo has presented across three BBC stations for extended periods. From 1986 to 2001 he worked for Radio ...

was born in Southgate, 1958. *

Ron Moody Ron Moody (born Ronald Moodnick; 8 January 1924 – 11 June 2015) was an English actor, composer, singer and writer. He was best known for his portrayal of Fagin in '' Oliver!'' (1968) and its 1983 Broadway revival. Moody earned a Golden Glob ...

, actor. * Sir John Moore, Lord Mayor, circa 1674. * David Puttnam, film producer, born in Southgate in 1941. * Ted Ray (comedian) and Andrew Ray. * Rob Rinder, barrister and TV judge. * Henry Crabb Robinson, diarist, circa 1812. *

Dame Flora Robson Dame Flora McKenzie Robson (28 March 19027 July 1984) was an English actress and star of the theatrical stage and cinema, particularly renowned for her performances in plays demanding dramatic and emotional intensity. Her range extended from q ...

, star of stage and cinema, lived at 65 The Mall between 1910 and 1921. * Sarbel, pop singer, born 1981. *

John Henry Powell Schneider John Henry Powell Schneider (c. 1768 – 1861) was a merchant in London of Swiss origins. Early life and family John Schneider was born around 1768, into a family that had moved to England from Switzerland earlier in the century. He became head o ...

and Henry Schneider, lived at Beaver Hall. * Paul Scott (novelist), lived at various addresses in Southgate and Palmers Green. * Alan Sinfield, writer and theorist, born 1941. *

Rachel Stevens Rachel Lauren Stevens (born 9 April 1978) is an English singer, television personality, actress and businesswoman. She was a member of the pop group S Club 7 between 1999 and 2003. She released her solo debut studio album '' Funky Dory'' in S ...

, S Club 7 star, was born and raised in Southgate and attended Osidge Primary and

Ashmole School Ashmole Academy (formerly Ashmole School) is a secondary school with academy status in Southgate, England in the London Borough of Barnet. Under the direction of the headteacher Tim Sullivan, around 1,800 pupils (550 in the Sixth form) are edu ...

. * Samuel Sugden, 19th Century merchant, lived at Oak Lodge. * Richard Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville and Anne Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, lived at Minchington Hall. * Joseph Thornton, railway contractor, lived at Beaver Hall. * Isaac Walker, and The Walkers of Southgate. * Benjamin Waugh, founder of the

NSPCC The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) is a British child protection charity. History Victorian era On a trip to New York in 1881, Liverpudlian businessman Thomas Agnew was inspired by a visit to the New Y ...

, lived at Southgate Green in the 1880s. *

Andrew Weir, 1st Baron Inverforth Andrew Weir, 1st Baron Inverforth, PC (24 April 1865 – 17 September 1955) created and headed the firm of Andrew Weir and Co. shipowners of Glasgow. In the First World War he served as a minister in the coalition government: he was Surveyor Ge ...

, owned

. * Sir John Weld, 17th century merchant, owned Arnolds estate. * Sir Thomas Whitmore, 1st Baronet and Sir William Whitmore, 2nd Baronet, owned Arnolds estate. *

Amy Winehouse Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer and songwriter. She was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres, including soul, rhythm and blues and jazz. A m ...

, singer-songwriter, was raised in Southgate and lived on Osidge Lane. She attended Osidge Primary and

. * Sir Thomas Wolstenholme, Sir John Wolstenholme and Sir Nicholas Wolstenholme of Minchington Hall.

Politics

The

parliamentary constituency An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger state (a country, administrative region, or other poli ...

covering the part of Southgate in the London Borough of Enfield is

Enfield Southgate (UK Parliament constituency) Enfield Southgate is a constituency in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. It was created in 1950 as Southgate, and has been represented since 2017 by Bambos Charalambous, a member of the Labour Party. History From 1950 to the 1983 g ...

. Until his death in the

Brighton bomb A Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) assassination attempt against members of the British government took place on 12 October 1984 at the Grand Hotel in Brighton, East Sussex, England, United Kingdom. A long-delay time bomb was planted ...

ing in 1984, the constituency was represented by Sir Anthony Berry. In

1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of ...

, Michael Portillo, who succeeded Sir Anthony, lost the seat to

Stephen Twigg Stephen Twigg (born 25 December 1966) is a British Labour Co-op politician who was Member of Parliament for Enfield Southgate from 1997 to 2005, and for Liverpool West Derby from 2010 to 2019. He came to national prominence in 1997 by winn ...

, who after two terms lost in his turn to

David Burrowes David John Barrington Burrowes (born 12 June 1969) is a British politician. He was the Conservative Member of Parliament for Enfield Southgate from 2005 to 2017, is the co-founder of the Conservative Christian Fellowship. He has been the Chai ...

in May 2005. In the 2017 general election, Bambos Charalambous defeated Burrowes and became the new representative of the constituency.

Education

College

* Southgate College * Oak Hill College (in the

London Borough of Barnet The London Borough of Barnet () is a suburban London borough in North London. The borough was formed in 1965 from parts of the ceremonial counties of Middlesex and Hertfordshire. It forms part of Outer London and is the largest London boroug ...

)

Schools

Primary

De Bohun Primary School De Bohun Primary School (also known as De Bohun Primary School and Children's Centre and simply referred to as De Bohun School) is a 2–11 mixed, community primary school in Southgate, Greater London, England. It was established in 1936 and ...

* St Andrew's CE Primary * St Monica's RC Primary * Salcombe Preparatory School (Independent) * Vita et Pax School (Independent) * Walker Primary * West Grove Primary * Wolfson Hillel Primary * Osidge Primary School (in the London Borough of Barnet)

Secondary

* Southgate School * Ashmole Academy (in the London Borough of Barnet)

Religious facilities

Synagogues

There are four synagogues with Southgate in their name: Cockfosters and North Southgate, Palmers Green and Southgate Synagogue (both part of the

United Synagogue The United Synagogue (US) is a union of British Orthodox Jewish synagogues, representing the central Orthodox movement in Judaism. With 62 congregations (including 7 affiliates and 1 associate, ), comprising 40,000 members, it is the largest ...

), Southgate Progressive Synagogue in Oakwood, and

Chabad Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (), is an Orthodox Jewish Hasidic dynasty. Chabad is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements, particularly for its outreach activities. It is one of the largest Hasidic groups ...

Southgate. The former Southgate and District Reform Synagogue has now moved to Whetstone, and changed its name in February 2010 to Sha'arei Tsedek: North London Reform Synagogue. St Matthew by William Morris (1861)

Churches

Christ Church stands near Southgate Green. This was built on the site of

Weld Chapel Christ Church, Southgate, is a Church of England parish church in Waterfall Road, Southgate, London. It describes itself as a " liberal catholic Church of England parish". The building is grade II* listed with Historic England. In 2014 the chur ...

, which was built in 1615 and demolished in 1863. The clock on the church was placed there to celebrate

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previ ...

's diamond jubilee. The church contains London's largest collection of pre-raphaelite stained glass by Morris, Marshall Faulkner & Co (later

Morris & Co Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. (1861–1875) was a furnishings and decorative arts manufacturer and retailer founded by the artist and designer William Morris with friends from the Pre-Raphaelites. With its successor Morris & Co. (1875–194 ...

). The parish church of

St Andrew Andrew the Apostle ( grc-koi, Ἀνδρέᾱς, Andréās ; la, Andrēās ; , syc, ܐܰܢܕ݁ܪܶܐܘܳܣ, ʾAnd’reʾwās), also called Saint Andrew, was an apostle of Jesus according to the New Testament. He is the brother of Simon Pete ...

is on Chase Side. Emmanuel Evangelical Church meets in

Southgate Methodist Church Southgate Methodist Church is a Methodist church Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related Christian denomination, denominations of Protestantism, Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and pr ...

is on The Bourne, near Southgate Underground station. It was built in 1929, replacing a building on Chase Side. It is an active community hub.

Southgate Masonic Centre

The Southgate Masonic Centre is home to 160 Lodges of which 15 are from Middlesex, along with 5 Chapters. The Centre, a converted church hall, was opened in 1968. The Middlesex Lodges that joined had been meeting in pubs and similar venues and welcomed the opportunity to have their own Centre.

Oak Hill College

Oak Hill College is a theological college located on Chase Side. It trains both Anglican and Independent students for Church ministry in the UK and overseas.

Southgate Mosque

Southgate Mosque is located at Southgate House, Southgate High Street.

Taverns, inns and public houses

Ye Olde Cherry Tree, The Green, Southgate, London N14 - geograph

Because of the age of the former village and its position in a ring of villages one day's travel by coach from London, Southgate had many pubs: within the village centre there were six local licensed premises. Many were located on Chase Side but some, such as ''The Bell'', ''The Crown'' and the ''Chase Gate Tavern'', were demolished as part of 20th Century redevelopment and others have closed more recently; ''The Waggon'' (formerly ''Waggon and Horses'') became an Anatolian restaurant in 2013. ''The Rising Sun'' was the terminus for a local horsebus service to Colney Hatch (and there to Kings Cross) before the arrival of the railways, whereupon the service switched to the new station in Palmers Green. It was rebuilt in 1932, and substantially renovated in 2008, changing its name to ''The Sun'' and later ''The Maze Inn'' but was subsequently closed in 2016 and demolished in 2019. ''The Crown'' is commemorated in the name of ''The New Crown'' on Chase Side. ''The Hart'' (formerly ''The White Hart'') is the last long-standing pub in the immediate area, located on the adjoining Chase Road, near Southgate Circus roundabout. Other notable local pubs are ''

Ye Olde Cherry Tree Ye Olde Cherry Tree is a grade II listed public house on the corner of The Green and The Mall in Southgate, London, Southgate, north London, which dates from around 1695. History The Cherry Tree was built around 1695. It has since been altered ...

'' which overlooks Southgate Green, and ''The Woodman'' on Bourne Hill. Former public house ''The Woolpack'' on the nearby High Street is now a restaurant.

Local newspapers

The local newspapers are, as of 2018:

References

External links

{{Authority control Areas of London Districts of the London Borough of Enfield Places formerly in Middlesex District centres of London