The Burroughs

The Burroughs was called the Burrows from 1316 until the 1890s, and took its name from local rabbit warrens. An unnamed Tudor inn, with its own brewery, provided refreshments for travellers. This inn may have been the White Bear, so called from at least 1736. Here the lord of the manor held his court until at least 1916. The present pub was built in 1932.

Between 1690s and the 1860s Hendon fair was held at Pentecost near the White Bear. Local hay farmers would hire the mowers and hay makers at the fair for the summer harvest of grass. It was renowned for dancing and country sports and attracted many visitors apart from local farmers and hay workers.

The Burroughs has a number of interesting buildings:

  • some 18th and 19th-century houses survive close to the junction of the Burroughs and Watford Way
  • the modern Methodist chapel (designed by Welch & Lander) was built in 1937, but there was a Methodist chapel in 1827 (reached by the footpath now called Chapel Walk)
  • the Catholic Church of Our Lady of Dolours was opened around 1863, and rebuilt in 1927

Civic buildings

  • Hendon Town Hall was built in 1901 (designed by T.H. Watson), and extended at the back in 1929. Margaret Thatcher made her first appearance and speech as Prime Minister in 1979. A sculpture, called the 'Family of Man' by Itzhak Ofer, was unveiled in the front in 1981
  • Hendon's first proper fire station was built in 1914 (designed by A. Welch), replacing the voluntary firehouse in Church End
  • Hendon Library (designed by T. M. Wilson) opened in 1929. Eileen Colwell, a pioneer children's librarian, worked at Hendon Library.

The Middlesex University building was built between 1937 and 1939 for Middlesex County Council as Hendon Technical Institute (designed by H. W. Burchett). Later it became known as Hendon College, and formally became part of what is now Middlesex University in 1973.

Just beyond the University is Daniel's Almshouses. These were established in the will of Robert Daniel in 1729, and rebuilt around 1800. They provide housing for old people and are still in use today.