River Ver
The Ver flows southwards, dividing into two for some of the route
Watling Street/Redbourn Road
This is Telford’s Holyhead road. Watling Street originally went through Verulamium and the Telford Road joins it here.
Roman Road - Telford re-aligned Watling Street for the Holyhead Road in the 19th. The point where it joins can be seen on the west side of the road slightly north of the river crossing is a small gate across a footpath
North of the river crossing the road was administered by the Dunstable and Shafford House turnpike from 1821 – their northern limit was the Black Bull Inn at Dunstable. They were abolished in 1877,
Shafford Farm. The Farmhouse is 17th with a timber frame cased in
red brick in the 19th. The farm and the surrounding estate are part of the Childwickbury Estate
Barn. 16thbuilding which could be earlier but, altered and possibly moved in the 19th.It is weather boarded with a corrugated iron roof and a painted brick base. There is a 19th cart entrance on one side and a stable wing. There is also a smaller barn which probably began as a granary. It is 17th with a stable range added in the 19th. There is a sack hoist with a weather boarded gable.
Shafford Cottages
Shafford Mill, converted to housing in the 1980s. It is a 19th building in brown stock brick. It was used as a corn mill
Shafford Stud. This was built in the 1920s. Maple, of the furniture store, had a Shire horse stud here.
Shafford House
Bow Bridge Pumping Station. This is pumping water from deep aquifers.
Watercress Hall –this was on the other side of Watling Street from Hogg End Lane where a field entrance and path remain. Watercress was said to be grown on this stretch of the Ver to this point
Sources
Affinity. Web site
British Listed Buildings. Web site
National Archives. Web site
Sabre Wiki. Web site
The Ver flows southwards, dividing into two for some of the route
Watling Street/Redbourn Road
This is Telford’s Holyhead road. Watling Street originally went through Verulamium and the Telford Road joins it here.
Roman Road - Telford re-aligned Watling Street for the Holyhead Road in the 19th. The point where it joins can be seen on the west side of the road slightly north of the river crossing is a small gate across a footpath
North of the river crossing the road was administered by the Dunstable and Shafford House turnpike from 1821 – their northern limit was the Black Bull Inn at Dunstable. They were abolished in 1877,
Shafford Farm. The Farmhouse is 17th with a timber frame cased in
red brick in the 19th. The farm and the surrounding estate are part of the Childwickbury Estate
Barn. 16thbuilding which could be earlier but, altered and possibly moved in the 19th.It is weather boarded with a corrugated iron roof and a painted brick base. There is a 19th cart entrance on one side and a stable wing. There is also a smaller barn which probably began as a granary. It is 17th with a stable range added in the 19th. There is a sack hoist with a weather boarded gable.
Shafford Cottages
Shafford Mill, converted to housing in the 1980s. It is a 19th building in brown stock brick. It was used as a corn mill
Shafford Stud. This was built in the 1920s. Maple, of the furniture store, had a Shire horse stud here.
Shafford House
Bow Bridge Pumping Station. This is pumping water from deep aquifers.
Watercress Hall –this was on the other side of Watling Street from Hogg End Lane where a field entrance and path remain. Watercress was said to be grown on this stretch of the Ver to this point
Sources
Affinity. Web site
British Listed Buildings. Web site
National Archives. Web site
Sabre Wiki. Web site