Colney Hatch Lunatic Asylum (later Friern Hospital) was served directly by a dedicated railway station originally named Colney Hatch station (opened August 1850), which was later renamed to New Southgate.
Based on historical accounts, there was a specific, often-referenced, side access point of entry designed for transporting patients via the railway. Indeed, the station entrance was pivotal to the area’s transition from rural to suburban, providing direct access to the institution which, upon opening in 1851, was the largest of its kind in Europe.
A footpath, often referred to as the “Line Path,” ran parallel to the high outer wall surrounding the asylum, and an entrance gate was located near the footbridge that crossed the railway line. This side access allowed for the discreet transport of patients into the institution.
The station went through several name changes, including “Southgate and Colney Hatch” (1855), “New Southgate and Colney Hatch” (1876), and finally “New Southgate and Friern Barnet” in 1923, before settling on New Southgate in the 1970s.
The former asylum site, located on Friern Barnet Road (N11), has been redeveloped into luxury apartments known as Princess Park Manor.