The station opened in 1924 as Burnt Oak (Watling) and was designed by Stanley Heaps. The name Burnt Oak was inspired by a tradition that the Romans had a site in the local area in which they lit fires to signify a boundary mark – hence burnt oak. Watling was dropped from the station name around 1950.

The first ever Tesco was founded in the area at 9 Watling Avenue in 1929 and there is still a shop at this site.  When the store first opened, tins had no labels in order to keep costs down.