SOUTHGATE Piccadilly Line
Although Southgate does not immediately strike one as the most exciting of places, a wander down the High Street will lead you to interesting things - including some lovely old buildings and a very ancient oak tree.
The Tube station is circular (1933 Charles Holden), and famously appeared in the film ‘The End of the Affair’. Take the exit marked High Street and go left, crossing towards the parade of shops that follows the curve of the station. Continue left and go over Ashfield Parade. Looking back at the station you will be able to appreciate its full sweep. The clean lines of the main building are in Art Deco/Streamline Moderne style – they contrast with the funny little turret (for the electrical engineers among you, it’s a model of a Tesla Coil) that sits in the centre of the roof. Modern Southgate stretches out behind the station – not a pretty sight. Back in the High Street, The Grange to your left is an enormous and daunting modern block. Soon you will pass the 1960’s buildings of the Southgate College.
Next comes a more attractive run of early nineteenth century houses (Nos.111- 117) with shady front gardens and a little later on at Nos. 107-109 an early 19c pair of cottages mixed in with some more modern flats etc. Some more older properties further along include a plumber’s premises with weatherboarded building at the rear.
When you reach the Green you will see an interesting sequence of buildings, mainly Georgian. Nos. 23-31 were built in 1777on charity land, probably as almshouses.
At the end comes the inviting Cherry Tree Inn. Records for this pub date back to 1721 and it is known that there had already been some kind of public house on the site for nearly a hundred years before that. The present Cherry Tree is a cheerful mixture of building styles, as various additions have been made through the centuries.
Turn right away from the main road into the trees opposite the pub to see a trio of elegant eighteenth century houses: Old House with a late Georgian door case, next Essex House (photo), then Arnoside, the bell on the roof a reminder that it was once a school. Now cross over Waterfall Road and walk towards Christchurch with its handsome tower (designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, a leading architect of the Victorian gothic revival style).
Walk further along past an old burial ground (locked) until you see an archway with a gate. This is the entrance to Minchenden Oak Memorial Garden created in 1934. Go through the gate (push really hard, it sticks) to find one of those deserted, half-forgotten parks which have an slightly mysterious atmosphere. In this tiny garden you will see an enormous oak, a survivor from the ancient Forest of Middlesex. I hesitate to use the word ‘awesome’ but there is no other word for this giant, thought to be about 800 years old. Usually such ancient trees are sad sights, with many bare branches and few leaves. Not this one. OK, it does bear a few scars, but it is in very good condition, with a full canopy of foliage. I know yew trees live a lot longer, but they are evergreen and there is something particularly exciting in the thought that this oak tree has produced new leaves every spring over so many centuries. There is an old and rather dilapidated, mossy wooden seat round the huge trunk. Those of a romantic turn of mind will, I think, find the place quite compelling – and enjoy learning that members of the Southgate Green Association sell Minchenden Oak seedlings at local school fairs.
From here you can return to Southgate Tube Station, this time walking back on the east side of the High Street to have a look at Southgate House, now part of Southgate College. It is set back from the road, so you have to go into the college grounds to see the imposing neo-classical villa. Although there have been later additions, the late eighteen century core is still dominant. Southgate is a place full of contrasts!
MAP
Southgate is just one walk from the many to be found at London Tube Rambles. There are architectural gems, beautiful country views, historic places and whacky buildings to be found, even in the most unpromising areas covered by the Greater London Underground stations. Usually the places listed are within a mile of the Tube - often only five minutes walk away. If you reached this as an individual page via a search engine, you might like to go to www.londontuberambles.co.uk to see the other destinations explored . You'll be amazed at what's out there!
© DR2008