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If you are looking for an emergency contact within the council, please visit our contact Barnet Council page What is an emergency? An emergency is an event that threatens human welfare or the environment, or a major security threat such as war or terrorism. Emergencies and disasters can strike at any time.

High Barnet is known for its market, which has existed in various forms and at various locations since at least the 12th century. There may well have been a livestock market at High Barnet before the granting of the charter by King John in August 1199. The old market was originally located where Wood Street divides from the High Street, and was held on Mondays in 1588, and on Wednesdays by the 18th century.

Rate books at the Local Studies Centre 'Rates' were local taxes paid to the council for every property in the borough, like today's Council Tax. Rate books are arranged by areas and then by streets. They list the owner, the occupier and the tax paid. They are useful for dating property and confirming the residents. The following rate books are available on microfilm:

The area was originally and informally known as New Hendon (1878 to 1890). Before that there were no streets or houses, only the Welsh Harp (see Brent Reservoir) and three farms: Upper and Lower Guttershedge, and Cockman's in the Wood.

Finchley Common was an area of land in between Finchley, Friern Barnet and Muswell Hill, which had been Finchley Wood and was under the authority of the Bishop of London. By the 15th century the people of Finchley claimed the right to collect wood and graze their animals in and around the wood. In the 16th century the Bishop had much of the wood cleared, and it became an open, uncultivated area called a common.

Some businesses may be entitled to a discount on their business rates. This is called business rate relief. Barnet Council's discretionary business rate relief scheme (revaluation support) is for the financial period from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2021. The rate relief scheme supports the following principles:

A small hamlet known to exist from at least 1294 was called Cricklewood by 1321. By the 1750s the Crown Inn (rebuilt in 1889) was providing refreshment for coach travellers. The first signs of Cricklewood becoming an area of town could be seen by the 1850s, with a number of substantial villas and houses along the Edgware Road such as Rockhall Lodge and Rockhall Terrace.

There's plenty of opportunities for older residents in Barnet to increase their levels of physical activity: