St Mary the Virgin, East Barnet

St Mary the Virgin stands on Church Hill in East Barnet, a Church of England parish church within the Diocese of St Albans. The present building is mostly a 19th-century structure, though its north wall dates from the original church of 1080. The tower, built in 1828, rises fifty feet and can be seen from a distance. The churchyard contains a lychgate erected in 1872 and rebuilt in 1991, and a young yew tree planted in 2000 from a cutting believed to be over two thousand years old. The church is Grade II* listed by Historic England. The church’s history reflects centuries of change. The north wall survives from the 11th-century chapel, while the chancel was rebuilt around 1400 and extended in 1880. In 1861 two bells were cast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, later replaced in 1960 by three new bells donated in memory of Mr and Mrs Taylor. The interior features a replica 12th-century crucifix above the doors and a wrought-iron Corona installed in 2000, symbolising Christ’s kingship. The church register dates back to the 16th century, and monuments from the 17th century remain. Inside, the nave contains modern pews installed in 1868, replacing earlier box pews. The chancel’s east window, added in 1880, depicts scenes from the Annunciation, Crucifixion and Resurrection, with Saint Mary the Virgin featured in every panel. The north wall, illuminated at night, is the oldest surviving part of the church. A statue brought from the shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham stands on the window ledge, and the organ, built in 1920, occupies the transept chamber. The church’s interior blends medieval remnants with Victorian additions, creating a space shaped by centuries of worship and memory.