Pinner was originally a hamlet, being recorded from medieval times. The oldest part of the town including the High Street has a number of Tudor buildings, and the parish church of St John the Baptist dates from at least the early 1200s (having originated as a chapel in the parish of Harrow on the Hill). Pinner has had an annual street fair since 1336, when it was granted by Royal Charter by Edward III. It remains popular today, being the last of its kind in Middlesex. The fair started as market-style affair and has over time evolved in to a funfair. It was featured in Sir John Betjeman's BBC TV documentary Metro-land (1973). Pinner has three main shopping areas; Bridge Street, High Street and Marsh Road. Bridge Street (the central business district) has the majority of the shops and is far more urban in its character. In recent years many chain stores have opened up on Bridge Street, making the suburb less 'village like' and more in line with other suburban shopping developments. The chain stores themselves have created a fair amount of retail competition, especially as almost all the stores have equivalents run by independent owners that are nearby.