River Ver. Colney Street

River Ver
The Ver flows southwards
TL 15706 02178

Interesting area in a village south of St. Albans.  There is the site of an early aircraft factory, water mill remains and some Second World War defence structures

Post to the west Smug Oak Lane
Post to the north Radlett Aerodrome
Post to the south Netherwylde
Post to the east Springfield Farm

Handley Page Way
Named after the factory which was on site

M25

Moor Mill Lane
The Lane is now divided into two by the M25 with the southern section now a private road to the Premier Inn.
The northern section leads to areas used for processing aggregate. This includes some hard standing
Moor Mill. The mill site is probably that listed at Domesday and to which there are 13th references.
Moor Mill House and Mill. These are in a single range together. The mill house dates from around 1700 and the mill is 19th. Mill has a painted brick ground floor and weather boarded upper floor and 4 stable doors. There is a sack hoist above the doors, and above is a hoisting bay. The whole complex is now part of a Premier Inn Motel and Beefeater pub.

Old Parkbury Lane
The lane runs through Ventura Park trading estate, previously part of the Handley Page factory complex.
Memorial plaque. Alongside the road is a memorial plaque to the Handley Page factory and to the aircraft made there.
Old Parkbury Farmhouse. The building is 15-16th but refronted in the 19th. It has a timber frame

River Ver
Alongside the river in this area there was much modification for watercress beds. Later these sites were used for gravel extraction and work on aggregates. Many pits created by this work were subsequently used for landfill with domestic and other waste.

Watling Street/Radlett Road
In the 1950s the road was narrow for most of the way to St. Albans, though portions of it were being considerably widened.
107 Hailam Veterinary clinic. This was the Red Cow.
Frogmore Lodge. This was the lodge to Frogmore House allegedly demolished for Lady Yule because she didn't want a grand house nearby to rival hers. This is now Winslo Lodge and Winslo Stables.
Colney Street Farm. There is a collapsed pillbox in the fields behind the farm, and slightly to the north.
218 George and Dragon. 17th pub with a timber frame and plastered front closed and now a private house.
The old school house. 19th school which became Coleny Street infants school on he site of security house
Forge Cottages – four red brick cottages with the name in the frint and also “BAC 1903’. There was a smithy on this site in the mid 19th
Parkbury Lodge. This is now under the trading estate.
Handley Page complex now a trading estate   – with a roadway down from end of runway


Sources
British Listed Buildings. Web site
Colney Street. Wikipedia Web site
Premier Inn. Web site
Whitelaw. Hidden Hertfordshire

Comments

Unknown said…
Forge cottages has RAC and built in 1905 on the brickwork on the front of cottages.My Grandparents moved in 1918/9 where my mother and aunties and some cousins were born.Also there used to be another public house and shop and houses across the road from the george & dragon.They were demolished in the 1960s for Handley Page extentions. Also across the road from forge cottages was a large manor house with a high wall and gardens this was again demolished in the early 1970s.A village was destroyed for progress all for nothing as Hanley Page went broke. hope this is of some help Bruce Matthews

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