toneroWhat is now known as High Road East Finchley was built across the common
in the 1300s to provide a route to the north; the common was enclosed in 1811.
In 1830 a non-conformist chapel (enlarged in 1845) was constructed on the
old common next to the road. A decision was made in 1853 to construct the
first new road linking the Market Place to the High Road and the chapel, and
was named appropriately enough Chapel Street.
After a fire, the Congregationalists moved to a new church on the corner of
East End Road and the old chapel was sold, despite opposition, in 1895 for
St Mary’s RC church.
On the night of November 11, 1940, a German bomber destroyed much of the Market
Place area including the church building. The RC church moved north to its
current location. The damaged area and more was redeveloped in the 1960s.
A few white tiles in the High Road give a clue to the former whereabouts of
the chapel.
Looking East from Market Place
Looking west from
the new buildings (Notice Jackson’s coal yard in middle distance, The
George behind)
Looking West towards
Market Place (The building with white board is where the old hand fire engine
was housed)
Photos taken by Mr. Pryor, landlord of the Alexandra Public House, Church Lane in June 1960 prior to demolition. (By courtesy of The Finchley Society)