River Colne
The Colne flows south westwards
Post to the north Whitehorse Lane
Barnet Road
This is on the old main route from London to Holyhead. It is eighteen miles from London and three miles from St Albans and was a convenient first stop for coaches after the steep climb up Ridge. It was turnpiked early with an Act covering the section from St. Albans to South Mimms in 1715. The road became part of the A6 and by passed in the early 1960s.
Telford's Bridge. This replaced the ford around which a settlement had grown along the main road. The bridge was actually not by Thomas Telford - the engineer to the Turnpike Trust was James MacAdam but this was built by a local contractor. This is the Seven Arch Bridge over the Colne - on an embankment with seven semi-circular red brick arches progressively larger towards centre. In 1948 the brick parapets were replaced by metal railings. In 1977 it was strengthened and returned to something which looked more like the original. In 1998 Repairs were done by Wrekin Construction.
Berkeley House. This is now offices. Built around 1760, with 19th stucco
Ridgeview Lodge. This was Ridgeview Residential Club which may possibly have dated from the 1940s and could have been hostel accommodation for war workers. In 1967 it was rebuilt and became a temporary accommodation and homelessness hostel closing in 2009. It was then leased to the University of Hertfordshire in 2010 as Student Accommodation
The Colney Fox. It is thought that the building was originally Tyttenhanger Lodge used as a boy's school ‘prep’ school owned by a Mr. Trollope which moved to Seaford. In the 1940's and 1950's it was called The Watersplash Hotel, with a restaurant and swimming pool. Now restored and renamed.
Watersplash Lido. May have been the swimming pool for the school taken over by the hotel when they took over the building.
Cooper's Wood - This is next to the Colney Fox Pub and was woodland on part of a new housing site now transferred to the Parish Council. It is named after Robin Cooper, a local teacher.
Sainsburys.This is on the site of John Dale’s Aluminium Foundry. This smelting and process plant was active during the Second World War working with the aircraft industry
Bull. This pub was built in the 16th maybe on the site of an earlier building. It has a timber frame and plastered walls. This is a survivor of what were at one time twenty six inns in the village - in 1922 ten remained.
Saw mills.
Nightingale Cottage. Two 18thcottages currently in use as a nursery
Brier Cottage. 16th timber frame house later altered
Colne Cottage. In the same row of buildings as Brier Cottage but the central part was demolished and replaced by an office
London Coal Duty Marker. South side of the road near the bridge. Erected 1861-2 to mark the limit of coal duty in London area.
Ashley Mead
Bell Lane
Bell Roundabout. This used to be a roundabout on the A6 at the end of the London Colney bypass between the older turnpike road through the village, and the B55. It later became part of a double roundabout with the M25 and is part of junction 22
Bell Inn. This old pub built to handle traffic on the turnpike road is now a burger bar.
Burr Close
Green Dragon Pub. Built as an inn in the 17th. It is timber framed with 18th red brick outside. Inside is some 17th timber panelling on the first floor, said to have come from Salisbury Hall.
1-4 18th cottages. They are on a track at the side of the Pub.
High Street
1-518th red brick house with 19th shop fronts.
27house which was once a shop. It has a 17th timber frame, cased in brick in the 18th. In the ground floor is a 20th double shop front with garage doors.
28 The Bakery. This was two cottages one of which is 18th with decorative brickwork below the eaves. The other is smaller and may have been an addition. There is also an timber outbuilding behind used as a garage and workshop
29 18thhouse with a timber frame
31- 33 17th timber framed housing with later brick outside
43-53 Mullingar Cottages. Built in 1878 of brick
Lowbell Lane
10 The Willows, London Colney Islamic Centre in what was a house used by Cemex Aggregates organisation.
Lowbell Lane Lake, Used for Carp fishing. The Lake is a widening of the Colne.
London Colney By Pass
Riverside Industrial Estate
Riverside Chemical Works. The F.W.Berk Company were based in Stratford East London but in 1947 the first hydrochloric acid plant was erected here by A.D.Berk. In 1951 they started extracting fuller's earth at Aspley Heath. This was transported to a processing plant here and a clay development laboratory was set up
M25
Riverside
St Peters Church of England. Designed in 1825 by George Smith. Stained glass windows of the ascension designed by the Dowager Marchioness of Waterford and made by Hughes in 1865.
The Vicarage. This dates from 1836 and replaced an older building which was in a range which included the now demolished Swan Pub. A flint and brick garden wall survives
Robins Close
54House built around 1830 in red brick.
Square walled garden.
Waterside
Lake – this is an old gravel pit, into which the River has been diverted. It is wide and long and is used as a fishing and nature reserve
The Millstone
Colne House. Built around 1800 in brick
Riverside Cottage, this was an outbuilding to Colne Cottage built in the 19th
Summerville, 19th cottage, in white painted brick and pebble dash sides.
Colneford Cottage. This was originally two 18thcottages
Watermede. This was originally two 18th brick and timber cottages
Waterside House. 18th timber framed house
River View. 19thbrick cottage
Osier Cottage. 19th cottage with a modern extension
Sources
British Listed Buildings. Web site
Colney Fox, Web site
Green Dragon. Web site.
SABRE. A6. Web site.
Smith. London Engineering Heritage
St. Albans City Council. Web site
The Colne flows south westwards
Post to the north Whitehorse Lane
Barnet Road
This is on the old main route from London to Holyhead. It is eighteen miles from London and three miles from St Albans and was a convenient first stop for coaches after the steep climb up Ridge. It was turnpiked early with an Act covering the section from St. Albans to South Mimms in 1715. The road became part of the A6 and by passed in the early 1960s.
Telford's Bridge. This replaced the ford around which a settlement had grown along the main road. The bridge was actually not by Thomas Telford - the engineer to the Turnpike Trust was James MacAdam but this was built by a local contractor. This is the Seven Arch Bridge over the Colne - on an embankment with seven semi-circular red brick arches progressively larger towards centre. In 1948 the brick parapets were replaced by metal railings. In 1977 it was strengthened and returned to something which looked more like the original. In 1998 Repairs were done by Wrekin Construction.
Berkeley House. This is now offices. Built around 1760, with 19th stucco
Ridgeview Lodge. This was Ridgeview Residential Club which may possibly have dated from the 1940s and could have been hostel accommodation for war workers. In 1967 it was rebuilt and became a temporary accommodation and homelessness hostel closing in 2009. It was then leased to the University of Hertfordshire in 2010 as Student Accommodation
The Colney Fox. It is thought that the building was originally Tyttenhanger Lodge used as a boy's school ‘prep’ school owned by a Mr. Trollope which moved to Seaford. In the 1940's and 1950's it was called The Watersplash Hotel, with a restaurant and swimming pool. Now restored and renamed.
Watersplash Lido. May have been the swimming pool for the school taken over by the hotel when they took over the building.
Cooper's Wood - This is next to the Colney Fox Pub and was woodland on part of a new housing site now transferred to the Parish Council. It is named after Robin Cooper, a local teacher.
Sainsburys.This is on the site of John Dale’s Aluminium Foundry. This smelting and process plant was active during the Second World War working with the aircraft industry
Bull. This pub was built in the 16th maybe on the site of an earlier building. It has a timber frame and plastered walls. This is a survivor of what were at one time twenty six inns in the village - in 1922 ten remained.
Saw mills.
Nightingale Cottage. Two 18thcottages currently in use as a nursery
Brier Cottage. 16th timber frame house later altered
Colne Cottage. In the same row of buildings as Brier Cottage but the central part was demolished and replaced by an office
London Coal Duty Marker. South side of the road near the bridge. Erected 1861-2 to mark the limit of coal duty in London area.
Ashley Mead
Bell Lane
Bell Roundabout. This used to be a roundabout on the A6 at the end of the London Colney bypass between the older turnpike road through the village, and the B55. It later became part of a double roundabout with the M25 and is part of junction 22
Bell Inn. This old pub built to handle traffic on the turnpike road is now a burger bar.
Burr Close
Green Dragon Pub. Built as an inn in the 17th. It is timber framed with 18th red brick outside. Inside is some 17th timber panelling on the first floor, said to have come from Salisbury Hall.
1-4 18th cottages. They are on a track at the side of the Pub.
High Street
1-518th red brick house with 19th shop fronts.
27house which was once a shop. It has a 17th timber frame, cased in brick in the 18th. In the ground floor is a 20th double shop front with garage doors.
28 The Bakery. This was two cottages one of which is 18th with decorative brickwork below the eaves. The other is smaller and may have been an addition. There is also an timber outbuilding behind used as a garage and workshop
29 18thhouse with a timber frame
31- 33 17th timber framed housing with later brick outside
43-53 Mullingar Cottages. Built in 1878 of brick
Lowbell Lane
10 The Willows, London Colney Islamic Centre in what was a house used by Cemex Aggregates organisation.
Lowbell Lane Lake, Used for Carp fishing. The Lake is a widening of the Colne.
London Colney By Pass
Riverside Industrial Estate
Riverside Chemical Works. The F.W.Berk Company were based in Stratford East London but in 1947 the first hydrochloric acid plant was erected here by A.D.Berk. In 1951 they started extracting fuller's earth at Aspley Heath. This was transported to a processing plant here and a clay development laboratory was set up
M25
Riverside
St Peters Church of England. Designed in 1825 by George Smith. Stained glass windows of the ascension designed by the Dowager Marchioness of Waterford and made by Hughes in 1865.
The Vicarage. This dates from 1836 and replaced an older building which was in a range which included the now demolished Swan Pub. A flint and brick garden wall survives
Robins Close
54House built around 1830 in red brick.
Square walled garden.
Waterside
Lake – this is an old gravel pit, into which the River has been diverted. It is wide and long and is used as a fishing and nature reserve
The Millstone
Colne House. Built around 1800 in brick
Riverside Cottage, this was an outbuilding to Colne Cottage built in the 19th
Summerville, 19th cottage, in white painted brick and pebble dash sides.
Colneford Cottage. This was originally two 18thcottages
Watermede. This was originally two 18th brick and timber cottages
Waterside House. 18th timber framed house
River View. 19thbrick cottage
Osier Cottage. 19th cottage with a modern extension
Sources
British Listed Buildings. Web site
Colney Fox, Web site
Green Dragon. Web site.
SABRE. A6. Web site.
Smith. London Engineering Heritage
St. Albans City Council. Web site