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No. 655 OCTOBER 2025 Edited by Robin Densem
HADAS DIARY – Forthcoming lectures and events
Tuesday October 14th 2025. Dr. Wendy Morrison – “Our Cross to Bare: Chalk carvings in the Central Chilterns”
Tuesday November 11th 2025. Dr. Signe Hoffos – “Pre Fire Churches of the City of London churches lost to the great fire of London in 1666” this replaces the previous lecture entitled “Lost Churches of the City of London: 500 years of City churches lost to fire, war and urban redevelopment” as this had been heard by members a few years ago.
No lecture in January 2026
Tuesday February 10th 2026. Dr James Bromwich. “Great archaeological discoveries and great archaeologists of France: Alexandre du Mège: a founder of archaeological research in France – or rogue? Léon Joulin: an outstanding intellect and a founder of modern archaeology. Émile Chénon: a leading nineteenth century lawyer with a love for archaeology. Sophie Krausz: in the forefront of twenty-first century archaeology and museum presentation”
Tuesday March 10th 2026. Les Capon from AOC Archaeology is back after his last very interesting lecturethis time he will talk about archaeological material evidence from Bricks to Gold.
Tuesday April 14th 2026. Scott Harrison on “Behind the Battle of Barnet banners. People of the War of the Roses. The lives of people that fought at the Battle of Barnet and the life society and culture of the late fifteenth century.”
Lectures held in the Drawing Room, Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley N3 3QE. 7.45 for 8pm.
Buses 13, 125, 143, 326, 382, and 460 pass close by, and it is a five-ten-minute walk from Finchley Central Station on the Barnet Branch of the Northern Line where the Super Loop SL10 express bus from North Finchley to Harrow also stops. Tea/Coffee/biscuits available for purchase after each talk.
Events news
Some HADAS members are going on a “bus pass” visit to the Secrets of the Thames exhibition at the London Museum in Docklands in early November. This will be on a Saturday and the cost of entry is from £16. If you are interested in joining them, please email secretary@hadas.org
HADAS have been granted special access to Tudor Hall in High Barnet on Thursday the 23rd of October before this Barnet Museum is staying open beyond normal hours from 4.30 pm just for HADAS we will visit the Hall afterwards. This will be a rare opportunity to have access to a genuine Elizabethan Building especially as the building is likely to be privately sold. I urge members to take advantage of this one off special access for the Museum and the Hall. Please email chairman@hadas.org.uk to express interest or if you have questions. Meanwhile here is a link to Barnet Museum BARNET MUSEUM – Home and information on the building: https://www.highlivingbarnet.com/tudor-hall/
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HADAS Coach trip. HADAS are planning a coach trip next April the cost would be between £599 and £699 for 4 daysand 3 nights to the Peak District area. However, we would need a minimum number to go ahead. If you are interested please email stating whether you require a single or double room with your name and the name of any guests coming with you by the 14th of November to the chairman@hadas.org.uk
The archaeology and heritage working party sessions in the HADAS workroom at Avenue House are held on Sunday mornings, from 10.30am. The sessions are open to all HADAS members and are both important and convivial. It would be wise to check with the committee (committee-discuss@hadas.org.uk) that the session will be held before you travel as just occasionally a session is cancelled.
Images of St Pancras Old Church, Kings Cross: A Worthwhile Site to Visit. Robin Densem
I visited the church in late 2024 and early 2025 while assembling this article. I had walked past the church some 40 years ago and its location, away from a visible ancient settlement, was mysterious to me, as was its name. Recently, one of the owners of the main archaeological firm I work for wrote a piece extolling the worthwhileness of visiting the church that he often saw from his train window. And that spurred me on.
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There is a plaque in the church listing of the pretty much continuous succession of priests at the church since 1181, and a list 1183-1938 can also be seen on the internet at https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol19/pt2/pp124-131#h2-s1 (accessed 28th January 2025).
The church was restored and enlarged in 1847-8 when the tower that had stood at the west end was demolished, and the building was extended in that direction, over the site of the old tower. A new tower was built on the south side of the church. When excavating in the old foundations of the west tower workmen stumbled across a trove of treasures that had probably been hidden there during the course of the 17th century English Civil War when the church had been used as military lodgings. Six feet down, the current guidebook explains, the workers found an Elizabethan silver chalice, and a paten that is used nowadays, every Sunday at mass. They also uncovered an altar stone believed to date from the eleventh century, but which might be earlier, and that is kept behind a clothe below the present altar.
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OTHER SOCIETIES’ EVENTS Eric Morgan and Sue Loveday
As always, please check with the Societies’ website before planning to attend, since not all societies and organisations have returned to pre-covid conditions.
Wednesday 8th October, 2.30 pm. Mill Hill Historical Society. Trinity Church, 100, the Broadway, London.NW7 3TB. Brent Cross Town, An exciting new development in North London. Talk by Carol McNish. Please visit www.millhill-hs.org.uk
Saturday 1st November, 10.30 am. – 4.30 pm. Geologists’ Association Festival of Geology. Geological Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London. W1J 0BG. Free. Lots of stalls from Geological Societies from all over the country including The Amateur Geological Society selling jewellery, gems, fossils, rocks, minerals, books, maps, etc. Also talks. Please visit www.geologistsassociation.org.uk
Wednesday, 12th November. 2.30 pm. Mill Hill Historical Society. Trinity Church (address as for Wednesday8th October above). St. Lawrence Church, Little Stanmore (Handel’s Church). Talk by Stuart Cawthorn. Please visit www.millhill-hs.org.uk
Wednesday 12th November, 7.30 pm. Willesden Local History Society, St. Mary’s Church Hall, bottom of Neasden Lane (around corner from the Magistrates’ Court) London, NW10 2DZ. Volunteer for the International Brigade. Talk by Dave Chapple. The story of young Howard Andrews of Kilburn who joined the International Brigade in July 1936 to volunteer to fight in the Spanish Civil War against Fascism. Please visit www.willesden-local-history.co.uk for further details.
Friday 14th November, 7.30 pm. Enfield Archaeological Society, Jubilee Hall, 2 Parsonage Lane/Junction Chase Side, Enfield, EN2 0AJ. The Battle of Barnet, 1471. Talk by Peter Masters (Cranfield University).Please visit https://www.enfarchsoc.org/ for further details. Visitors charge £1.50, Refreshments to be available, Sales and Information from 7 pm.
Saturday 15th November, 10.30 am. – 5.30 pm. LAMAS Local History Conference. Wilberforce Room,London Museum at Docklands, West India Quay, off Hertsmere Road, London. E14 4AL. Food Glorious Food, on the theme of Food in London History. Conference starts at 11 am. Afternoon refreshments included. Tickets are £15 (£17.50 after 1st November or £20 in cash only on the day, subject to availability).For more information, including the full programme and to book online please visit www.lamas.org.uk/conferences-and-lates/ via the Events page.
Wednesday 19th November, 3 pm. Edmonton Hundred Historical Society. Jubilee Hall (address as for E.A.S. Friday 14th November, above). 150 years of Christ Church, Enfield Chase Side. Talk by Stephen Gilburt (Enfield Society). Please see Saturday 13th September in the August Newsletter.
Thursday 20th November 8 pm. Historical Association. Hampstead and N.W. London Branch. Fellowship House, 136A Willifield Way, London, NW11 6YD (off Finchley Road, Temple Fortune). The Armenian Genocide. Talk by Paula Kitchin, also on Zoom. Please email Dudley Miles (HADAS) on dudleyramiles@googlemail.com or telephone 07469 754075 for details of link and how to pay (there may be a voluntary charge of £5). Refreshments to be available.
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Friday 21st November, 7.30 pm. Wembley History Society. St. Andrew’s Church Hall (behind St. Andrew’s new church) Church Lane, Kingsbury. London. NW9 8RZ. Victorian London’s Health Crisis. Talk by Rob Casey will show how water and sanitation infrastructure made London susceptible to water born disease. Visitors charge £3. Refreshments in the interval.
Wednesday 26th November, 7.30 pm. Friern Barnet and District Local History Society. North Middlesex Golf Club, the Manor House, Friern Barnet Lane, London. N20 0NL. How the Trains came to Barnet. Talk by Denis Bird (Barnet Local History Society). Please visit www.friern-barnethistory.org.uk. Non-members charge £2. A Bar will be available.
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With many thanks to this month’s contributors: Eric Morgan and Sue Loveday
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Hendon and District Archaeological Society
Chair Sandra Claggett, c/o Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley N3 3QE
email : chairman@hadas.org.uk
Hon. Secretary Janet Mortimer 34 Cloister Road, Childs Hill, London NW2 2NP
(07449 978121), email: secretary@hadas.org.uk
Hon. Treasurer Roger Chapman, 50 Summerlee Ave, London N2 9QP (07855 304488)
email: treasurer@hadas.org.uk
Membership Sec. Jim Nelhams, 61 Potters Road, Barnet EN5 5HS (020 8449 7076)
email: membership@hadas.org.uk
Website: www.hadas.org.uk
HADAS is registered with the UK Charity Commission (Registration number 269949)
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