A Plan of Enfield Chase in the County of Middlesex

Map from Hugh Westlake's survey of Enfield Chase 1700

A Survey and Admeasurement of Enfield Chase in the County of Middlesex

Enfield Chase is an area of

Enfield Enfield may refer to: Places Australia * Enfield, New South Wales * Enfield, South Australia ** Electoral district of Enfield, a state electoral district in South Australia, corresponding to the suburb ** Enfield High School (South Australia) ...

that is named for a former royal hunting ground. Much of the former area of the Chase has been developed, but a large part survives between

Cockfosters Cockfosters is a suburb of north London to the east of Chipping Barnet, lying partly in the London Borough of Enfield and partly in the London Borough of Barnet. Before 1965, it was in the counties of Middlesex and Hertfordshire. Origins ...

in the west and

in the east as Trent Country Park.

Etymology

Enfield Chase was recorded as ''Enefeld Chacee'' in 1325 and ''chace of Enefelde'' in 1373, from the

Middle English Middle English (abbreviated to ME) is a form of the English language that was spoken after the Norman conquest of 1066, until the late 15th century. The English language underwent distinct variations and developments following the Old English ...

''chace'', meaning "a tract of ground for breeding and hunting wild animals".

History

In the reign of Henry II the parish of

Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...

and adjoining parishes were for the most part a forest which was then so extensive that it reached from the

City of London The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London f ...

to about north. Enfield Chase was part of this forest and also belonged to the citizens of London. By 1154 what had been known as the Park of Enfield or Enfield Wood had been converted into a hunting ground, or chase. It appears it was not known as Enfield Chase until the early 14th century. For hundreds of years the chase was owned at first by the Mandeville and then the de Bohun families while local inhabitants of Edmonton and Enfield manors claimed common rights. It is believed that Princess Elizabeth (later

Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". El ...

) often hunted on the Chase after she was granted the estate of West Lodge Park by her brother

Edward VI Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death in 1553. He was crowned on 20 February 1547 at the age of nine. Edward was the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour and the first E ...

in 1547. In a charter of 1166-89 the hamlet of Southgate, sited around what is now Southgate Underground station, receives a mention. It takes its name from its location at the South Gate of the old hunting ground, later known as Enfield Chase. By an act in 1777, the Enfield Chase ceased to exist as an entity. The Chase then covered an area of . By this Act it was cut up and divided among the following authorities: It was extensively deforested after the Act, and only a small amount of the original forest remains, although some areas have been replanted. In what is London’s largest reforestation project,

Thames21 Thames21 is a British charity concerned with water improvement projects across London, focused on the Thames and its tributaries. Thames 21 developed from a partnership programme launched in 1994 called ''ThamesClean'', supported by Keep Britain Ti ...

is working in partnership with Enfield Council to restore 60 hectares in the Salmons Brook catchment, part of the greater River Lea catchment. Boxer's Lake Open Space in Oakwood is one remnant of the Chase.

References and sources

;References ;Sources * Delvin, S. (1988) ''A History of Winchmore Hill''. Hyperion Press. . * Newby, Herbert W. (1949) ''"Old" Southgate''. London: T. Grove.

External links

*https://pasttenseblog.wordpress.com/2016/07/09/today-in-london-rebel-history-poachers-battle-game%C2%ADkeepers-enfield-chase-1725/comment-page-1/ {{LB Enfield Areas of London Districts of the London Borough of Enfield Southgate, London Middlesex

Etymology

History

See also

References and sources

External links