Enfield

Enfield is London’s most northern Borough. A busy market area originally mentioned in the Domesday Book written in 1086, Enfield is now a wonderful mix of beautiful countryside, green spaces and parks, vibrant markets and bustling shopping centres catering to the area’s ecliptic mix of residents.

Did You Know?

• The Rose and Crown Pub on Clay Hill was once owned by the grandparents of infamous highwayman, Dick Turpin. It is rumoured Turpin hid from the authorities there. Today, you’ll find a historic pub serving up traditional British fare – Turpin, along with a number of other mysterious figures, reportedly haunt the building to this day.
• Enfield was formerly a part of the historic county of Middlesex. The present borough was formed in 1965 when the boroughs of Enfield, Edmonton and Southgate were amalgamated into Greater London.
• Nobody knows the true age of St Andrew’s Church which is located in the heart of the town of Enfield. In the Domesday Book, commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, a priest is mentioned as holding roughly 30 acres of land in Enfield. However, there is no proof that any church existed during the Saxon or Norman era. The earliest concrete evidence of a parish church in Enfield was written in 1136.

Why Enfield?

Enfield lies on the edge of London, opening out onto the beautiful sprawling countryside of the county of Hertfordshire with the areas of Broxbourne, Welwyn Hatfield and Hertsmere to the north and the expansive Epping Forest in Essex to the northeast.

Historically, the Borough of Enfield was a collection of small settlements located around the royal hunting grounds of Enfield Chase. The area was recorded as Enefelde in the Domesday Book in 1086. Later in 1325, the area was recorded as Enefeld Chacee. The village green in Enfield later became a historic marketplace –  a tradition that continues to this day in the dazzling array of markets that pepper the Borough.

Enfield has excellent transport links as well as a range of recreational and activity facilities including several bustling shopping areas, more than 900 hectares of parkland, three golf clubs and a number of cinemas, theatres and museums. Enfield is undoubtedly a thriving place to live and work and is an excellent choice for first-time buyers, families and young professionals alike.

Architecture & Property

In the centre of the town of Enfield, you’ll find period cottages, Victorian homes and the charming Gentleman’s Row, a parade of traditional Georgian houses overlooking New River.

Enfield also boasts an ecliptic mix of 1920s and 1930s semi-detached and terrace houses. The Willow Estate just north of the town centre also has a number of semi-detached houses, particularly on Tenniswood Road and Aldersbrook Avenue.

Going Out

La Caverna has been serving authentic Italian food since 1977 and is a local favourite for traditional pizza and pasta. There’s also Greek on the Green, a traditional Greek restaurant, that is hugely popular with residents and visitors alike.

Holtwhites Bakery, an artisan baker, has large queues outside every Saturday morning. There’s also Zaza, an Italian eatery that is a part of a small franchise, both located on Chase Side.

The town centre of Enfield is home to numerous chain eateries, including Nando’s and Pizza Express. However, for some authentic charm, The Crown & Horseshoes pub in Horseshoe Lane has a nice garden with exceptional food and drink – you’ll also be able to enjoy lovely views of the New River.

For little art and culture, there’s The Dugdale Centre in London Road which regularly puts on plays, musicals, children’s shows, musical events and films. The centre is also home to the Enfield Museum and a very popular café.

Local Amenities

• Enfield Town Market, held from Thursday through to Saturday every week, is a local favourite for fresh bread and pastries, delicious produce and an ecliptic mix of both international food and traditional British fare. The market first received its charter in 1303, making Enfield Town Market over 700 years old!
• Enfield boasts a number of sporting and leisure facilities such as the QE11 Stadium which has been used by a number of British Olympic athletes including Sebastian Coe, Daley Thompson, and Linford Christie.
• The town of Enfield has its own department store called Pearsons. There is also a large shopping centre in the borough called The Palace Gardens & Exchange which boasts a number of chain stores including New Look, H&M and TK Maxx.
• Along Southbury Road and the A10, also known as the Great Cambridge Road, there are many out-of-town shopping centres where you’ll find Morrisons, Furniture Village, DFS, Dunelm, M&S, Next Home, Nike and Boots.
• The Southbury Leisure Centre in Southbury Road is a council-owned swimming centre close to Enfield town centre.
• Cineworld, a chain of multiplex cinemas, is located on Southbury Road.

Green Spaces

The jewel in Enfield’s crown is Forty Hall, a Jacobean manor house built in 1632 by the former Lord Mayor of London, Sir Nicholas Rainton. Today the house is a Grade I listed building situated in 273 acres of lush green space with an ornamental lake, medieval fishing ponds and streams, pleasure grounds, a walled garden and plenty of Georgian and Victorian flora and fauna.

Education

Enfield is undoubtedly a thriving place to live and work. The Borough has a number of exceptional schools and proves an excellent choice for first-time buyers and families alike.

Enfield Grammar School was established in 1558 and is partly housed in a portion of the Old Hall, a magnificent Tudor structure. St. Ignatius’ College, one of the best-performing institutions in the region, and the Latymer School, which was established in 1624, are also located in the borough of Enfield. Among the borough’s top elementary schools are Kingfisher Hall and St. George’s RC. Enfield is also home to many exceptional secondary schools, including Highlands School and Ark John Keats Academy.