belonged to the Abbey of St. Albans.  The structure is Early Norman, with a western tower of brick, through the lower portion of which the church is entered.  The N. wall is probably the most ancient church wall in this part of the county.  There is a lich-gate at the N. entrance to the churchyard.  A son of Bishop Burnet, the historian, was once rector here, and is buried in the church.  Tradition states that Thomson the poet was tutor to the son of Lord Binning when that nobleman lived at the old Manor House, the site of which is now a part of the rectory garden.  Near the church, too, stood once a house in which Lady Arabella Stuart was confined. Belmont House (C.  A. Hanbury, Esq., D.L., J.P.) marks the site where stood Mount Pleasant, once the property of the Belted Will Howard, Warden of the Western Marches, referred to in the “Lay of the Last Minstrel”. Little Grove, a house on Cat Hill (Mrs. Stern), stands where stood formerly the house of the widow of Sir Richard Fanshawe, Bart., Ambassador to Spain in the reign of Charles I. The whole neighbourhood is varied and undulating; the eastern extremity of the parish touched the confines of Enfield Chace until late in the eighteenth century.

BARNET, HIGH (formerly “Chipping Barnet” from the market granted by Henry II. to the Abbots of St. Albans, which was held every Monday), stands on the hill-top about 11 miles N.W. from London, and 9 miles S.E. from St. Albans.  As stated above, the manor belonged to the Abbots of St. Albans, and Chauncy tells a story in this connection which is worth repeating:  “Anno 18, Edw.  I., the Abbot of St. Albans (Roger de Norton, 24th Abbot) impleaded several Persons for prostrating his Ditch and burning his Hedges and Fences in the Night at Bernet; Richard Tykering, one of the Defendants, said, that because the Abbot enclosed his Pasture with Hedge and Ditch, so that he and the Tenants there, could not have their common, as their Ancestors were wont to have, they did lay open the same.  The Abbot answered that they ought not to have Common there; but ’twas found by the Jury that the Tenants ought to have Common; and Judgment was given against the said Richard Tickering only for that he burnt the Hedge.”  Other squabbles between abbot and peasant are referred to in this book, in the section on St. Albans.  The Parish Church of St. John the Baptist stands at the junction of the roads from London, Enfield and St. Albans.  It has known many changes.  A church stood upon the spot so long ago as circa 1250, to which a detached tower was added about a century later.  The body of this structure was almost wholly replaced by a new building, reaching to and including the tower, near the end of the abbacy of John de la Moote (1396-1401).  The present church is the result of the restoration and enlargement under the direction of Mr. W. Butterfield, in 1875; it is of flint and worked stone, partly Dec. and partly Perp.  The old tower was lowered sufficiently