Whetstone, London
| Whetstone | |
|---|---|
 Whetstone
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| Whetstone shown within Greater London | |
| OS grid reference | TQ265935 |
| London borough | |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LONDON |
| Postcode district | N20 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| UK Parliament | |
| London Assembly | |
Whetstone /ˈwɛtstoʊn/ is a place in the London Borough of Barnet, bearing the postcode N20. It is to the east of Totteridge, and these areas are known together as Totteridge & Whetstone. This combined area is the 63rd richest area in the UK, an acclamation which can be credited to Totteridge Lane, a long road home to many multi-millionaires.
The High Road, the main road in the area, is the A1000 and part of the traditional Great North Road from London to Edinburgh.
Whetstone originated in medieval times. It was an important staging post for coaches going north from London. There has been an inn on the site of the present Griffin pub for centuries, though the present building dates from 1928. The buildings to the left of the pub (viewed from the High Road) are late 15th century.
It is thought that Whetstone was named after the whetstone used to sharpen knives and other tools, a chunk of which is located on the High Road, on the pavement outside the Griffin pub (see picture). Some question this and suggest the stone was placed there as a mounting block for climbing on to horses as the Griffin was a coaching inn. It is also said that the name Whestone is merely a corruption of an old Anglo-Saxon name. Legend has it that it was used by soldiers about to fight in the Battle of Barnet.
There were early 19th century buildings opposite the Griffin pub [1] on the corner of Totteridge Lane, but they were demolished in 2001 and replaced by a new Boots the Chemist.
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