| Palmers Green | |
|---|---|
.jpg) The Triangle at the centre of Palmers Green | |
  Palmers Green Location withinGreater London | |
| Population | 15,162 (ward,2011)[1] |
| OS grid reference | TQ309927 |
| • Charing Cross | 8 mi (12.9 km) S |
| London borough | |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LONDON |
| Postcode district | N13 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| UK Parliament | |
| London Assembly | |
| 51°37′04″N0°06′33″W / 51.6178°N 0.1092°W /51.6178; -0.1092 | |
Palmers Green is a suburban area innorth London, England, within theLondon Borough of Enfield. It is located within theN13 postcode district, around 8 miles (13 km) north ofCharing Cross. It is home to the largest population of Greek Cypriots outsideCyprus and is often nicknamed "Little Cyprus" or "Palmers Greek".[2]
Recorded asPalmers grene 1608, 'village green associated with a family called Palmer' (mentioned in local records from the 14th century), from theMiddle Englishgrene.[3]
Palmers Green was once a tinyhamlet in the parish ofEdmonton, situated at the junction ofGreen Lanes and Fox Lane. Its population was very small, and there were no more than a few isolated houses in the mid-17th century. Local records mention a Palmers Field in 1204 and a Palmers Grove in 1340. Palmers Green is mentioned as a highway in 1324 (inWestminster AbbeyMuniments).
By 1801, the area had grown to a village of 54 buildings, including two inns (according to the Middlesex Record Office). In 1871 the railway line fromWood Green toEnfield was opened and astation was built in Aldermans Hill to serve Palmers Green (half a mile away from the nearest houses).
The area remained largely undeveloped for thirty more years, as local landowners refused to sell their large estates for building. In 1902, however, large tracts of land were sold for building and the area began to develop rapidly. The first large-scale developments were on the Old Park estate between Fox Lane and Aldermans Hill, and the Hazelwood Park Estate between Hazelwood Lane and Hedge Lane, within the latter development the building that now serves as Hazelwood Infant School and Hazelwood Junior School was built in Hazelwood Lane in 1908.
Notable local buildings includeBroomfield House andTruro House. The formerSouthgate Town Hall has now been converted into flats. The former Pilgrims Rest (reflecting the namePalmers – "medieval pilgrim who carried a palm branch as a token of having visited the Holy Land") has already been demolished for housing.The Fox public house, which has been in its present guise since 1904, was once the site of the Electric Mouse comedy venue.[citation needed]
TheIntimate Theatre was opened in a building that had been built in 1931 as St Monica's Church Hall. Among the actors who performed there wereRichard Attenborough,Vivien Leigh,Roger Moore and (in a mime production)David Bowie. It is no longer a repertory theatre and the building is no longer used exclusively for theatrical performances, but it is still often referred to as the Intimate Theatre. In 1992 the building housed aRadio Cracker studio.
In 1988, Palmers Green's only hospital,Greentrees Hospital, was closed and demolished.[4]
There is aparade of shops known as Palmers Green Shopping Centre alongGreen Lanes, with many restaurants, clothing shops, independently owned cafes, beauty salons, and branches ofSuperdrug, a formerWetherspoons (TheAlfred Herring),Boots andMorrisons.
Broomfield House, inBroomfield Park, remains a burnt-out shell despite numerous redevelopment proposals and an appearance on theBBC Two programmeRestoration.[5] The Conservatory in the park has recently reopened after a refurbishment.[6]
After more than 20 years of discussion, theNorth Circular A406 was widened to two lanes each way atBounds Green in 2010 with various junction improvements. Some major congestion still exists on the A406.
Continuous segregated cycle lanes, junction improvements and rearranged on-street parking on and around Green Lanes have been created byEnfield Council following a successful bid for "Mini Holland" funding fromTransport for London. The lanes extend as far south as the A406. The aim is to encourage more commuter, school journeys and leisure cycling than was possible under the previous road layout, which combined four lane sections subject to speeding and other dangers to cyclists. Less than one year into their full opening, automated cycle counts at September 2018 already suggest 10-12k trips by bike per month within Palmers Green.
Public access to theNew River waterway has been improved with waterside paths and access gates.
According to the 2011 census, 64% of the ward's population is white (34% British, 27% other, 3% Irish). 6% was Indian and 5% of 'any other ethnic group'. The main foreign languages areTurkish, spoken by 795 people, andGreek, spoken by 605.[7]
Palmers Green is covered by theSouthgate and Wood Green constituency for elections to theHouse of Commons of the United Kingdom.
Palmers Green is part of thePalmers Green ward for elections toEnfield London Borough Council.
Green Lanes, thehigh street of Palmers Green, is featured in the "Knight Bus" sequence in the filmHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.[8]
Palmers Green is mentioned inJona Lewie's song "You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties" (1980).[9] The song's lyrics were written by Lewie's friendKeef Trouble, a fellow member of Brett Marvin and the Thunderbolts. The reference to Palmers Green was prompted by the fact that Trouble had split up with his girlfriend and was at a party thrown by his friend Charles "Charlie Farley" Hallinan nearThe Fox, Palmers Green.[10] Jona Lewie slightly amended the words, but still mentioned the "do in Palmers Green".
A train service runs atPalmers Green railway station, operated byGreat Northern, with southbound trains running toMoorgate and northbound trains running toStevenage viaHertford North. Some trains also terminate atGordon Hill. During May 2019, the train service was disrupted due to platform works at Stevenage.
Bus routes34,102, 121,141, 232, 299, 329,W4, W6, W9 and theN29 operate locally.
TheNorth Circular Road andA10 are the main trunk roads. The A111 through Southgate gives access to theM25 motorway at junction 24.
An electrictramway along Green Lanes as far asWinchmore Hill was developed in 1907, helping to further develop the area. The tramway is now long gone.
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