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history>Chapel Street

Chapel Street, East Finchley

East Finchley's lost street

What 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)