Welcome

This week we've got a deep dive into the history of College Farm, avoiding road rage on Regents Park Road and ... Mr Finchley.

🐄3 Moo-velous Facts About College Farm

You’ve probably seen College Farm – on Regents Park Road, between Fitzalan Road and Allandale Avenue. Now a conservation area and the location of a saddlery and pet supplies outlet it is run by the College Farm Trust . College Farm is currently not open to members of the public, and a group has been working to get it re-opened since 2014, with more news in 2021.

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However, there’s a rich, hidden history – here’s 3 things.

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1: It’s been there since 1302.

The farm is first mentioned in a legal document during Edward II's reign when Henry de Bedyk, Lord of the Manor of Bibsworth, Finchley, sold what was then called Sheep House Farm, with its mill and 146 acres of land. He grazed sheep there and collected the taxes on staples of wool for the whole shire of Middlesex.

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2: It's the home of Express Dairy.

The Express Dairy Company bought Sheephouse Farm in 1868, renaming it College Farm because, from every field, you could see the copper top of Christ’s College in Hendon Lane, Finchley.

​Sir George Barham, founder of Express Dairies, commissioned renowned architect Frederick Chancellor to draw up plans for a new, model dairy-farm. This was to be a model to the dairy industry to promote hygiene which, at that time, was not a high priority in the London dairies. It was built by Steed Brothers of Camden in 1883 for £4,942.

By 1909, College Farm swapped milking pails for day-trippers, reinventing itself as one of London’s must-see attractions. With tea rooms, dairy exhibits, and fields framed by new suburban streets, it became Finchley’s own countryside escape in the city.

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3: It has a listed element.

The storage silo is Grade II listed since 1986. Built in 1883 to the design of Frederick Chancellor as part of the Express Dairy Company's pioneering model farm. The building is in a deteriorating condition and there’s currently no clear plan on next steps

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So a bit of history - and don't forget, you can always go visit the cows. 🐄

Events

ARTS

Tuesday 12th August

​Canary Wharf Free Movie Nights | Tue, Aug. 12 | Canada Square Park, Canary Wharf, E14 | Free | Movie nights are lighting up Canary Wharf again. Grab your blanket, your crew, and a front-row spot under the stars. showing multiple movies for all ages like Mama Mia, Paddington In Peru, and Dirty Dancing.

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Friday 15th August

​Crouch end Family Films | Fri, Aug. 15 | 165 Tottenham Ln, N8 9BY | £1 | Film lovers of all ages can enjoy an extra treat this August, with tickets to your favourite family films at our Kids' Club for just £1.

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Saturday 30th August

​Introduction to Watercolour Painting | Sat, Aug. 30 | 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm | Our Yard at Clitterhouse Farm, NW2 1AP | £15 adults £10 child | Explore your creativity with our inspiring Watercolour Painting Session perfect for all skill levels. All materials provided.

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COMMUNITY

Tuesday 19th August

​City Church Crawl | Tue, Aug. 19 | 9:20 am to 11:50 am | St Mary At Finchley, 26 Hendon Lane, N3 1TR | Free | St Mary at Finchley is excited to announce details of Helen Skelton’s sponsored Church Crawl incorporating nine fascinating churches in the City of London to raise money for our Church and Churchyard Project.

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MUSIC

Sunday 31st August

​Natural Aspect Summer Concert | Sun, Aug. 31 | 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm | Parliament Hill Fields, Hampstead Heath, NW5 1QR | Free | The Natural Aspect Summer Concert returns to Hampstead Heath. Come and celebrate the end of summer on the Heath by the bandstand with everyone. There will also be a free circus skills workshop.

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KIDS

Thursday 14th August

​Splash Into The Spires This Summer | Thu, Aug. 14 | 11:00 am to 3:00 pm | The Spires, 111 High St, Barnet EN5 5XY | Free | Children can get creative with ocean inspired crafts, including recycled roll octopuses, paper plate sea shells or fish, and egg carton turtles. There’s something different to enjoy each week.

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Saturday 30th August

​Queens Park Book Festival - Zadie Smith & Nick Laird: Wierdo | Sat, Aug. 30 | 11:30 am to | Queen's Park Kingswood Avenue NW6 6SG | £5 | Join Zadie Smith and Nick Laird as they reveal their new book Weirdo Goes Wild!

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SPORTS

​Whetstone Wildcats - Womens Sessions | Mon, Sep. 01 | 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm | Totteridge Academy School, Barnet Lane, N20 8AZ | Free | Kickabout style recreational football. Open to all ladies of all abilities, have fun, get fit and make new friends enjoying some football fun.

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NATURE

Saturday 30th August

​Nature Walk - Bug Safari | Sat, Aug. 30 | 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm | Parliament Hill, Heath Lodge, NW5 1QR | Free | Join for a guided bug walk with the resident expert to learn more about the bugs and insects that can be found on Hampstead Heath. All welcome - but anyone under 18 should be accompanied by a responsible adult.

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​Wetland Planting Event | Sat, Aug. 30 | 11:00 am to 3:00 pm | Multiple locations | Free | Join Thames21 to bring the newly excavated wetlands back to life. Help plant 1,300 plants on the banks of the Wetland Cells in Edgeware and other areas in North West London and North London.

Events - Book Ahead

Saturday 6th September

​Churchyard Tree Trail Tour | Sat, Sep. 06 | 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | St Marys Church, Hendon, NW4 4JT | Free | Tree Trail Tour: A Nature-Filled Journey Through the Churchyard’s Leafy Treasures, Take a peaceful stroll through our historic churchyard and discover the beauty and stories behind the trees that grace this sacred space.

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Saturday 27th September

​Gorilla Circus: RPM | Sat, Sep. 27 | 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm | artsdepot | Tickets from £19 | RPM is a mesmeric new show combining exhilarating acrobatics, adrenaline-pumping street dance and breath-taking roller skating, set on a giant moving treadmill.

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Thursday 9th October

​The Coveryard: Dancing On Our Own | Thu, Oct. 9 | 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm | artsdepot | From £21 | Join The Coveryard for a genre-bending celebration of the alt-divas of the 90s. Expect unholy genre swaps, four-way mash-ups, six-part harmonies, and most of all...expect the unexpected.

Local Lowdown

Reading

• Chapter two for High Barnet’s beloved free bookshop. Now settled into The Spires (in the old EE unit opposite Waitrose), it’s back in business. It's hunting for donated books and shelves. For now, treasures are boxed on the floor, but the welcome from locals has been rapturous.

Eating

• Spices sparkle. Namaaste Kitchen in South Grove has landed in the Asian Catering Federation's UK’s Top 100 Curry Houses. Expect Bollywood-bright chairs, heavenly cocktails from raspberry vodka to mango lassi, and chef Sabbir Karim’s creations. Perfect for your next curry quest.

Cricketing

• Two six-wicket hauls lit up Park Road earlier in the month as North Middlesex stormed back to the top of the table. Ben Lockrose’s steady 56 set up a defendable 193 before Max Harris tore through Hampstead with figures of 6-16, sealing a 90-run win and some serious title momentum.

Jamming

• Gridlock incoming. Regents Park Road’s getting some maintenance from 15th-18th August. There will be some serious slowdowns between Arden Road and Fitzalan Road. If you fancy skipping the traffic jams, now’s a great time to plan a detour.

Re-opening

• Fresh pints are pouring. The Gipsy Queen Tavern on Malden Road is back after its whirlwind revamp-then-closure drama. New owners Clapham Leisure offer 23 taps, cocktails, tasty grub, and soon - games galore. It’s a proper comeback for Kentish Town’s pub scene, so pop by and see what’s brewing.

The Finchleyite: Mr Finchley

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​Mr Finchley, the mild-mannered clerk who once swapped the ledgers of City life for unexpected adventures, has been charming readers since Victor Canning’s 1934 debut Mr Finchley Discovers His England.​

Over three novels, he bumbles, befriends, and blunders his way across countryside and continent, always with a gentle humour that still feels fresh.

This week, the BBC has revived his spirit with a radio serialisation, bringing Edwardian whimsy and Canning’s deft character sketches to life for a new audience. It airs on Thursday, and it’s well worth a listen if you need a tonic against modern hustle.

And while this amiable gent never hailed from Finchley itself, we think he makes an excellent namesake — in manners, if not in postcode.

Editors' Note - From Tessa

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The adults in the Davis household have enjoyed two child-free weeks as our teenagers have all been away on summer camps.
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This is the first time in 18 years of parenting we have achieved this. A significant milestone.

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It's been lovely, but definitely ready to have them back and enjoy some holiday-time as a family.

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Also, let us know about local events or local news. We curate our content to keep it a 5-minute read, so can't include everything we're sent.

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You can now get a guaranteed (paid) listing for local events or local lowdown/news items.

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​And email us with any projects or ideas you'd like us to write about.

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Tessa Davis Sasha Frieze