Great North Road, near Monken Hadley, Barnet, Greater London, England
Battle of Barnet Monument
Battle & memorial
Place photograph
3.4
Wildland
Under 1 hour
Time
Check
Cost
Atmospheric
Feel
Why it's Wildland
3.4A stone obelisk marks the ground associated with the Battle of Barnet, fought on Easter Sunday, 14 April 1471. Its inscription remembers Edward IV’s victory over the Earl of Warwick during the Wars of the Roses—but the exact battlefield location remains disputed.
This is a compact, roadside encounter rather than a day out: its appeal lies in standing before an 18th-century battlefield memorial and reading its unusually direct inscription, while keeping in mind that the battle’s precise location has not been settled.
Atmospheric
Find your way
Open mapGreat North Road, near Monken Hadley, Barnet, Greater London, England
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The experience
A brief visit focused on the stone obelisk, its four-sided inscriptions and the contested landscape of the 1471 battle. Access and a safe approach are not confirmed.
Things to do
Read the battlefield inscription
The inscription names Edward IV and the Earl of Warwick and gives the battle date as 14 April 1471. It commemorates the battle, but does not establish that the fighting or Warwick’s death occurred at the monument itself.
A few minutes
Find the benchmark on the base
IWM records an Ordnance Survey benchmark on the obelisk’s base.
A few minutes
Make a day of it
Quick escape · Under 1 hour
A close look at the Highstone
- 01
Check access and safe stopping arrangements before setting out.
- 02
If the monument can be reached safely, inspect the four-sided obelisk and read its inscriptions.
- 03
Look for the Ordnance Survey benchmark on the base.
Verified history
The Battle of Barnet was fought on 14 April 1471 during the Wars of the Roses. The IWM record describes this four-sided stone obelisk on a square base as erected in 1740 by Sir Jeremy Sambrooke of Gobions; it was later moved from its original position on the edge of the battlefield. Its inscription commemorates Edward IV’s defeat of the Earl of Warwick. The Battlefields Trust notes that the precise battlefield location remains disputed.
Hidden details
The inscription is careful about what happened here — It says the battle was fought here and that Warwick was defeated and slain; it does not say he fell at the monument. The battle’s exact location is disputed.
When to go
· No particular time is established by the available sources. Prioritise a safe visit and check access before travelling.
The memorial is a stone monument, and the available evidence gives no seasonal reason to visit.
No site-specific weather or ground conditions are documented. The monument is recorded at a road junction; take care around traffic.
What to look for
Read the four sides of the obelisk: the battle inscription, the 1740 erection date, and the directions to Hatfield and St Albans. IWM also records an Ordnance Survey benchmark on the base.
The story
War & battle
Best time to go
Any season; the monument’s interest is historical rather than seasonal.
No particular time of year is supported by the available evidence. Check access and traffic conditions before setting out.
How long to spend
Under 1 hour
Perfect for
History lovers
Before you go
Address
Website
Listed hours
- Monday: Open 24 hours
- Tuesday: Open 24 hours
- Wednesday: Open 24 hours
- Thursday: Open 24 hours
- Friday: Open 24 hours
- Saturday: Open 24 hours
- Sunday: Open 24 hours
Check before visiting.
Google rating
Practical information
Opening & access
The monument is recorded at the junction of the Great North Road and Hadley Highstone. Public access and a safe place to stop are not confirmed; check before visiting and take care around traffic. Access arrangements are unconfirmed. Check before visiting; do not enter private land or restricted structures.
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Parking
Parking is not verified. Check before visiting; do not assume there is a safe stopping place beside the monument.
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Toilets
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Food & drink
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Dogs
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Accessibility
Step-free access, surfaces and safe pedestrian approach are not verified. Check before visiting.
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Cost
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Gallery
Place photographsKeep exploring
Around Battle of Barnet Monument
Within 50 km · approximate straight-line distances
