Turnford Brook - Cheshunt Park

Turnford Brook
The Turnford Brook flows eastwards to the River Lee
TL 34140 04912

Fairly posh countryside area with some interesting Second World War defence structures

Post to the north - West End and Beaumont
Post to the east - Turnford
Post to the south Flamstead End

Candlestick Lane
Stop Line. The section running eastwards from Park Lane Paradise is on the line of the Second World War anti-tank trench – Outer London Anti-Tank Line.
Pillbox. East of the lane and north of the golf course and in the corner of a field. Brick pillbox on the stop line and guarding the anti-tank trench in the Second World War.
Row of anti-tank blocks in Cheshunt Park Farm farmyard.
Meadows – wildlife sites

Park Lane
Roundcroft Wood. Oak and hornbeam with some sycamore.
The Lodge.  17th timber frame cottage, converted in the 19th to a picturesque Cottage Orne.  The lath and plaster infilling is rendered and faced with panels of industrial clinker and glass, with panels marked out in broken china. The upper floors are supported by 7 columns which are covered in clinker and there are twigs on some upper surfaces. It is one of three built for Oliver Cromwell (great grandson of the Protector) at the gates to Cheshunt Park.
Pillbox on the west side of the pathway running north from the lodge
Roundcroft entrance – an alley way to the housing estate marks the entrance drive to Roundcroft.
Cheshunt Park. Public open space since 1968 and the demise of the last member of the Debenham family. The estate is first noted in 1339 when it was owned by the Duke of Brittany. It was later a Crown estate and in 1526 passed Henry VIII's son, Henry Fitzroy and was later held by the Cecils. It returned to the Crown after the Commonwealth and in the 18th passed by a descendant of Oliver Cromwell. He built the house and the family continued to own it but from 1860 it was leased to Frank Debenham, and was later bought by his daughters. Debenham were a firm of auctioneers which today have become property developers DTZ.
Timeline amphitheatre. Built on the site of Brandtyngeshey which was the home of the Debenham family from 1865 and which was demolished in 1970. Built by Oliver Cromwell in 1795.
Fields in Cheshunt Park showing ridge and furrow remains – medieval agricultural practice.
Electricity Pylons - when they were being erected Roman pottery was found

Park Lane Paradise
Cheshunt Park Farm – entrance to big complex of buildings
Pillbox at the site of a Second World War road block near junction with Candlestick Lane. The Pillbox is covered in ivy and on the north side of the farm entrance.
Site of Pillbox at the junction with Gammons Lane

Paradise Hill
Paradise House. Mid 19th house, at one time home of theatrical costumier, Waller
Doggett Hill Wood – wildlife site.
Cromwell Wood – wildlife site named for local family

Priests Osiers

Roundcroft Estate
Housing on the site of Roundcroft.  This was demolished in the 1970s and which stood near the site of Roundcroft cottage, home of 18th painter James Ward.


Sources
British History Online. Cheshunt. Web site
Defence of Britain. Web site
Hertfordshire County Council. Web site
Pevsner and Cherry. Hertfordshire

 

Comments

Anonymous said…
I have been thrilled to find a mention of the home of Walter Waller (Theatrical Costumier) on your site: 'Paradise House'. Walter was married to my maternal great grandfather's sister Elizabeth Rendell Quick who was from Somerset. Walter was originally a master hairdresser from Shoreditch. They lived in Paradise House at the turn of the century.
Mary (18.6.2013)

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