Parish of St Giles, South Mimms , Church of England

The parish of South Mimms was the most northerly parish in Middlesex, and its borders formed the county borders. It was around 6,386 acres in size and was surrounded by Northaw, North Mimms, Ridge, Chipping Barnet, Enfield, and Monken Hadley. The parish included the modern areas of Potters Bar and High Barnet.

The first mention of churchwardens is found in 1580. Churchwardens were elected by the vicar and the Vestry. Vestry meetings appear to have been held infrequently until 1812, when they were held eighteen times a year until 1834, when they dropped to four or five times a year. Meetings were held in local inns until 1804 when they were held either at the church or the workhouse. From 1724 two overseers of the poor were elected, in 1801 a parish doctor was appointed, and a beadle was employed from 1812. Vagrancy was a problem in the area and there was a high demand for outdoor relief. In 1724 a workhouse was established in Blackhorse Lane. A surveyor of highways is first mentioned in 1752, although a salaried surveyor responsible for the whole parish was not employed until 1793. The parish joined Barnet Poor Law Union in 1835.

A church in South Mimms is first mentioned in 1140. The present church of Saint Giles dates to the thirteenth century, with fourteenth and sixteenth century extensions and restorations dating to the 1870s.

A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5: Hendon, Kingsbury, Great Stanmore, Little Stanmore, Edmonton Enfield, Monken Hadley, South Mimms, Tottenham (1976).