Potters Bar

infobox UK place
country = England
official_name= Potters Bar
map_type= Greater London
latitude= 51.698
longitude=-0.183
population= 21,618 [http://www.hertsdirect.org/infobase/docs/pdfstore/tabKS01sett.pdf Herfordshire County Council] - Office for National Statistics, 2001 Census, Usual resident population (numbers)]
shire_district= Hertsmere
shire_county = Hertfordshire
region= East of England
constituency_westminster= Hertsmere
post_town= POTTERS BAR
postcode_district= EN6
postcode_area= EN
dial_code= 01707
os_grid_reference= TL255015

Potters Bar is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire, England, [http://www.hertsmere.gov.uk/hertsmere_web/res/filestore/dnld_100003/Community_Strategy_First_Review.pdf;internal&action=save.action Hertsmere Borough Council] - Community Strategy First Review (PDF)] located 18 miles (29 km) north of central London. In 2001 it had a population of 21,618.

The town started life in the early 13th century and remained a small settlement until the arrival of the Great Northern Railway in 1850. [http://www.pbhistory.co.uk/history.html PBHistory] - The history] It is part of the London commuter belt [ [http://www.north-herts.gov.uk/lcb-strategy-final111004_1_.pdf North Hertfordshire] - A Housing Strategy for the London Commuter Belt Sub-region 2005 - 2008 (PDF)]

Etymology

The origin of the Potters component of the town's name is uncertain but is generally thought to have been derived from evidence of a Roman pottery that was thought to have been sited locally, or from the family Pottere who lived in the South Mimms parish. [http://www.pbhistory.co.uk/name.html PBHistory] - Whats in a name?] The Bar component is thought to refer to the gates leading from the South Mimms parish and into the Enfield Chase parish, or possibly from some sort of toll on the Great North Road. The original "Bar" is said to have been at what is now the Green Man pub, or at the current entrance to Movern House.

History

Potters Bar was located on the Great North Road, one of two road routes from the City of London to the north of England. [ [http://www.pbhistory.co.uk/transport/gnr.html PB History] - The Great North Road] The road was originally numbered as the A1, and later the A1000.

Potters Bar was historically part of Middlesex [ [http://www.pbhistory.co.uk/middlesex.html PBHistory] - Potters Bar, Middlesex] and formed the Potters Bar Urban District of that county from 1934. [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit_page.jsp?u_id=10135590 Vision of Britain] - Potters Bar UD ( [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/bound_map_page.jsp?first=true&u_id=10135590&c_id=10001043 historic map] )] From 1894 to 1934 its area had formed the South Mimms Rural District. [ [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit_page.jsp?u_id=10220920 Vision of Britain] - South Mimms RD ( [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/bound_map_page.jsp?first=true&u_id=10220920&c_id=10001043 historic map] )] In 1965 the district was transferred to Hertfordshire while most of the rest of Middlesex became part of Greater London. [ [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10061441 Vision of Britain] - Middlesex unit history] [London Government Act 1963, 1963 c. 33, s. 3 (1)]

The urban district covered an area of 6,129 acres. In 1939 it had a population of 13,681 and in 1971 this was 24,613. [ [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/data_cube_table_page.jsp?data_theme=T_POP&data_cube=N_TPop&u_id=10135590&c_id=10001043&add=N Vision of Britain] - Potters Bar UD historic population] In 1974 the urban district was abolished and the area became part of the borough of Hertsmere. Having been part of Middlesex, the area continued to form part of the Metropolitan Police District; with the creation of the Greater London Authority it was transferred to the Hertfordshire Constabulary in 2000. [HMSO, Greater London Authority Act 1999. 1999 c. 29]

Transport

The A1 was built as a major 'arterial' road and a crossroads at Bignells Corner linked it to the Barnet - St Albans road. Potters Bar is now also served by junction 24 of the M25 motorway.

Potters Bar railway station is the highest on the line between London's King's Cross railway station and York. The First Capital Connect route serving Potters Bar links the town to various North London suburbs in the southbound direction before terminating at either King's Cross or Moorgate station. Northbound, the railway connects Potters Bar to Peterborough, Cambridge and Letchworth Garden City as well as towns en route to these destinations such as Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City and Stevenage. [ [http://www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk/pages/destinations/network-map/ First Capital Connect] - Network and Stations]

Potters Bar has a bus depot which services local bus routes as well as some London bus routes. The 84 bus route travels to New Barnet in the South and St. Albans in the northwesterly direction. Other routes include the 298 to Arnos Grove, the 313 towards Enfield and Chingford, the 242 to Waltham Cross and the 398 service to Borehamwood. There are also school bus services run from various places to Dame Alice Owen's School and to Chancellor's School.

Potters Bar rail accidents

Potters Bar has been the scene of two major train crashes. On the night of 10 February 1946, a local train hit buffers at the station, became derailed, and two express trains travelling in opposite directions struck the wreckage. On 10 May 2002 a northbound train derailed at high speed, killing seven and seriously injuring another eleven. In memorial to those killed, a small piece of art work that resembles 7 faces, was erected on 10 May 2003 and can be seen at the station. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk/2002/potters_bar_crash/default.stm BBC News] - In Depth Potters Bar Crash]

Education

Mount Grace School is a mixed grant maintained School in Potters Bar opened in 1954. [ [http://www.mountgrace.org.uk/ Mount Grace School] ] The school used to be a Manor House which was turned into a school long ago.

Dame Alice Owen's School is a mixed grant-maintained school in Potters Bar. [ [http://www.school-portal.co.uk/damealiceowens/ UniServity School Portal] - Dame Alice Owen's School] Originally founded in 1613 and based in Islington until the 1960s, Dame Alice Owen's School is unusual in its 'Visitation' and 'Beer Money' traditions. [ [http://www.school-portal.co.uk/GroupRenderCustomPage.asp?GroupID=64099&ResourceId=238991 UniServity School Portal] - Dame Alice Owen's School history] The trustees of the Dame Alice Owen Foundation are the Worshipful Company of Brewers. It is a partly selective school (25% of its intake is on the basis of pupils doing well on its entry test). It also reserves some places for children from Islington. It specialises in languages, and offers GCSEs in a wide range of languages. It has recently become a music and science college on top of being a language college. It is generally considered to be the best of the three secondary schools in Potters Bar, performing better than Chancellors and Mount Grace.

Sports, entertainment and recreation

Potters Bar has a King George's Field in memorial to King George V which is situated behind the Furzefield Centre (A national centre of sporting excellence), a swimming pool and leisure centre run by Hertsmere council. [ [http://www.hertsmereleisure.co.uk/furzefield.asp Furzefield Centre] ] Also in the town is Potters Bar Town F.C., Potters Bar Swimming Club (PBSC) [ [http://www.pottersbarsc.co.uk/ Potters Bar Swimming Club] ] , a tennis club, a cricket club, a golf course and the Wyllyotts Centre; a theatre, cinema and events venue. It is also the location of the town's museum. [ [http://www.hertsmereleisure.co.uk/wyllyotts.asp Wyllyotts Centre] ] Potters Bar is also home to the Hertfordshire Showband (formally known as the Marching Blues) [ [http://www.hertfordshire-showband.org Hertforshire Showband] ] .

In 1983, the area around Potters Bar was used for the on-location filming of the comic-horror film, "Bloodbath at the House of Death". Also, in 2005, David Walliams and Matt Lucas shot two scenes for the third season of the comedy, "Little Britain". [ [http://www.britmovie.co.uk/genres/horror/filmography/053.html Bloodbath at the House of Death (1984) ] ]

Famous Residents

* James Carter - celebrated jazz musician and former actor Fact|date=September 2007
* Acker Bilk - Famous clarinetist divides his time between Pensford, Somerset and Potters Bar [http://www.somersetmade.co.uk/scrumpyandwestern/ackerbilk.php#band] -Scrumpy & Western, Acker Bilk biography]
* Terry Lightfoot - jazz musician was born in Potters Bar spent his early years there Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.