Potters Bar Travel Guide

Unlike the neighbouring village of South Mimms (which features in the Domesday Book of 1086), Potters Bar is a fairly new town with few old buildings.

Its only real claim to architectural fame is the impossible-to-spell Wyllyott's Manor - a Grade II listed building in a little close adjacent to the ill-fated railway station. It is thought to date back to the turn of the 17th century, with the heritage listing suggests that it was possibly constructed for a gentleman called Robert Taylor between 1594 and 1603. It comprises a heavily restored house and barn complex with exposed timber beams and tile hipped roofs.

To paraphrase the current occupant's website, apparently the Manor of Wyllyotts has an older history than that of the current buildings and dates back to the 13th century when the estate covered 2000 acres. There is some suggestion that the original complex may have been moated, although there is no evidence of a moat structure today. The first reference to the Manor of Wyllyotts is in 1268, when Sir Roger Leukenor was Lord of the Manor, and although the family held the property until 1562, they did not live there. The first known occupants were the Pouns family in 1387.

The Manor and Manor house descended through many families until in 1687 James Hickson, a London Alderman and member of the Guild of Brewers, bequeathed the estate to the Guild for the upkeep of his almshouses nearby. For much of the 18th and 19th centuries there was a farm on the site but the tenants who farmed the land let the buildings fall into neglect.

It was extensively restored by Hugh Seabrook who purchased the property in 1925 and the Potters Bar Urban District Council became the owners in 1937. In 1973, it was sold to the Goodhews restaurant chain and for the last couple of decades, Wyllyott's Manor has housed a succession of restaurants and bars which have met with varying degrees of success. Today it is known as The Old Manor Bar and Restaurant.

However, when I was a child, it more prosaically housed the rates office, and I vividly recall accompanying my Mum here to pay the rates bill!

An oft frequented place at lunchtime. The queues can seem long but you are usually quickly served. The friendly staff serve up a tasty selection of baguettes, rolls and sandwiches in an Italian deli style. 

Eat in at one of their small tables or takeaway back to your desk. 

 

Favorite Dish: I like a bit of tuna mix in a sundried tomato ciabatta, although I am also partial to the bacon and avocado mix.

This is a lovely Italian restaurant and quite up market for Potters Bar, fine dining if you will.  I have been here for lunch on a number of occasions, most of the time somebody else is paying for a business lunch, although I have been for Christmas or birthday’s if I’m feeling flush.
 
Saying that, it doesn’t have to be that expensive, and you can enjoy a tasty plate of pasta for a reasonable price.
 
I think it has changed owners recently, but the high standard has still been kept up.
 
They have a celebrity picture wall and this used to be mainly divided between Tottenham players on one wall and Arsenal on the other.  The previous owner used to ask which team you supported before showing you one to one of the walls.

Favorite Dish: Their specials are very good.

I had the spaghetti with lobster on my last visit.  The sardines for starters are also very good.  Leave some room for the dessert trolley.

We have been known to eat here quite frequently on a Friday night. It's never really that busy but the food and service are excellent. It used to be called the Potters Bar Tandoori, or just the PBT.

There are a number of Indian restaurants with a short walk and so they all have to try to be a the top of their game.

One distraction is that they still haven't managed to fix the hand dryer in the men’s toilets. It used to be that when you tried to use it all the lights in the restaurant would fuse. They might have fixed it by now.