Whetstone High Road is part of the Great North Road. The village lived off trade from the road, rather like a modern service station. There were inns, and also smiths, wheelwrights and harness makers to deal with any maintenance needed on coaches and carriages. A Mr Baxendale, who was the head of Pickfords in the early 19th century, built a large house at Whetstone as well as a hospital for horses. His estate was converted into modern housing in the 20th century.