The Mill Field

The Mill Field is a 3.4-hectare public open space in Mill Hill, part of the London Borough of Barnet. It slopes steeply down from The Ridgeway, a road that runs along its upper edge. The site may once have held a windmill, first recorded in 1321 and gone by 1754. The upper section is managed as a park with a football pitch and wide views across west London. The lower slopes remain more natural, with grassland, hedgerows, scattered trees and patches of creeping thistle. The lower area includes a spring-fed pond that feeds a small stream, likely a tributary of Burnt Oak Brook. The pond supports a rich wetland flora, and wild flowers such as devil’s-bit scabious and Common Tormentil grow here. The small copper butterfly has been recorded on the site. Hedgerows mark former field boundaries, adding structure to the landscape. Access to The Mill Field is from The Ridgeway near Hammers Lane. The contrast between the managed upper park and the wilder lower slopes makes it a place where nature and recreation meet. Visitors can walk the slopes, watch wildlife, or use the football pitch. The views from the top stretch across west London on clear days.