Editing Whetstone, London (section)

===Early history===
In medieval times the [[Knights Hospitallers|Hospitallers]] had a settlement nearby in Friern Barnet probably where Friary Park is now and alongside the old road to London. In 1340 the Bishop of London opened a gate into his park (the Highgate) which enabled a straight road across Finchley Common along the ridge there. The Hospitallers' settlement moved further west and became known as West Town, also known variously as "le Weston" (1398), "Wheston" (1417), and "Whetstonestret" (1439).<ref name=friern>[http://www.friern-barnethistory.org.uk/userfiles/file/Newsletters/2010-Onwards/2014/No-57-Apr-2014.pdf "Whetstone Notes"], John Heathfield, ''Friern Barnet Newsletter'', No. 57 (April 2014), p. 4. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171226020746/http://www.friern-barnethistory.org.uk/userfiles/file/Newsletters/2010-Onwards/2014/No-57-Apr-2014.pdf |date=26 December 2017 }}</ref>

It the northernmost settlement in the [[Ossulstone]] hundred.

Until the late 19th century its tiny developed area was one of two main settlements in the ancient parish of [[Friern Barnet]], the other being [[Colney Hatch]].  Friern Barnet remained its ecclesiastical parish and [[civil parishes in England|its civil form]] was at that time giving way to urban and rural districts, in this case [[Friern Barnet Urban District]].