Editing Hornsey (section)

==Locale==
Hornsey is relatively old, and the oldest recorded village [1202, according to the Place Names of Middlesex] now in London. Originally a village, it grew up along Hornsey High Street- at the eastern end of which is the churchyard and tower of the former St Mary's parish church, which was first mentioned in 1291. At the western end is [[Priory Park, Haringey|Priory Park]]. This was the administrative centre of the historically broad parish.{{Full citation needed|date=July 2022}}

North of Hornsey High Street, and immediately to its south, some of the area is [[public sector housing]], surrounded by the late-Victorian terraces developed by builders such as John Farrer.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://hornseyhistorical.org.uk/john-farrer-man-changed-hornsey/|title=John Farrer - The Man Who Changed Hornsey|last=Owen|first=Janet|publisher=Hornsey Historical Society|year=2009|isbn=978-0905794402|location=London}}</ref> Between the western end of the High Street and the bottom of [[Muswell Hill]], the character of the area changes; most being part of the Warner Estate built up with large late-Victorian houses. To the south west of the High Street is [[Priory Park, Haringey|Priory Park]].

The High Street has a variety of shops, coffee shops, restaurants and pubs, the oldest being the Three Compasses. The eastern section retains strips of grassed areas.

The 13th-century St Mary's Tower is all that remains of St Mary's Church. The [[nave]] was demolished in Victorian times and a grey stone church was built on the corner of Church Lane and Hornsey High Street. The tower was retained as there were not enough funds raised for a new bell tower. However, in the late '60s the Victorian church was demolished and St Mary's school was built on the site.

The 500-year-old Tower was restored and managed by the charity, Friends of Hornsey Church Tower (FoHCT). It is now used for open-air live performances and occasional services. The internal space, known as The Intimate Space, claims to be London's smallest performance space. It has become one of the four key venues of the Crouch End Festival that now runs an annual two-day music festival, The Tower Music Festival. Hornsey Parish Church holds open-air services there every Sunday.

Hornsey also has a Bowling Club<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hornsey Bowls Club, Hornsey|url=http://www.hornseybowlsclub.co.uk/community/hornsey-bowls-club-13612/home/|access-date=2020-06-19|website=www.hornseybowlsclub.co.uk}}</ref> which is situated on land owned by the London Diocesan Fund, part of the [[Diocese of London]]. The London Diocesan Fund had expressed an interest in building new homes on the site of the Bowling Club in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Haringey Council Planning website|url=https://www.haringey.gov.uk/sites/haringeygovuk/files/savills_on_behalf_of_london_diocesan_-_response.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200620051803/https://www.haringey.gov.uk/sites/haringeygovuk/files/savills_on_behalf_of_london_diocesan_-_response.pdf |archive-date=2020-06-20 |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Priory Park, Haringey|Priory Park]] is, along with Alexandra Park, the main park serving the area. It is a 6.5-hectare site. Two key events that happen in the park annually are the YMCA Fun Run and the Carter's Steam Fair. It has a cafe, kid's paddling pool and tennis courts.
The park was originally opened in 1896 as the Middle Lane Pleasure Grounds.[2] In 1926 the western section was added after the acquisition of a piece of land known as Lewcock's Field. The expanded park was renamed Priory Park The park was created in two sections. Two parcels of land at the eastern and southern ends were purchased in 1891 by the Borough of Hornsey at the instigation of Henry Reader Williams and opened in 1896 as the Middle Lane Pleasure Grounds. In 1926 the western section was added after the acquisition of a piece of land known as Lewcock's Field. During World War 1 this had been requisitioned by the council for allotments. After the war an initial plan for the council to develop the field for housing was dropped on grounds of cost, and an expanded park was renamed Priory Park in 1926. Some locals have suggested it be renamed Hornsey Park.

Hornsey is served by 6 major churches including Hornsey Parish Church, Holy Innocents, Moravian, Middle Lane Methodist, St John The Baptist Greek Orthodox Church and Campsbourne Baptist Church. Mosques in the area include [[London Islamic Cultural Society|Wightman Road Mosque]] and Diyanet Camii.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mosque Hornsey Diyanet Camii - London, N8 7QB, Informations and Prayer Times |url=https://www.local-masjid.com/mosque/hornsey-diyanet-camii/1712 |access-date=2023-08-11 |website=www.local-masjid.com}}</ref>