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Showing posts from June, 2013

River Colne - Brightwells

River Colne The Colne flows south westwards and then turns abruptly west TQ 09214 94232 Open area to the south of Watford with old gravel extraction sites along the Colne and a large private school. Post to the east Oxhey Post to the south Hampermill Post to the west Tolpits Vicarage Road Brightwells Farm . The site is referred to from the Middle Ages and was the name of a manor. It is thought that there was a hamlet or village associated with the site. It has also been known as Hatters Farm. Brightwells Spring Chaffinch Lane Community Centre . Run by Watford CVS King George V Playing Fields Hampermill Lake. Gravel extraction site until the 1960s.   Merchant Taylors School. This is a private school for boys, originally located in the City. Since 1933 it has been at Sandy Lodge. It was founded in 1561 by Sir Thomas White Sir Richard Hilles, Emanuel Lucar and Stephen Hales. Tolpits Lane Holywell Hospital . Watford and District Isolation Hospital.   In the late

River Colne. Oxhey

River Colne The Colne flows south westwards Post to the north Watford Stadium Post to the west Brightwells Broadfield Lane Oxhey Hall Community Association Hall and Sports Centre . Established 1940. Eastbury Road The Happy Hour Pub Hamper Mill Lane Moreton Hall – Ebury Children’s Centre and a number of local clubs. Bushey Cricket Club , It is believed that the Club was formed before 1864. The home ground is owned by Veolia Water Company and was created in the 1940s and owned by the Colne Valley Water Company. There is a bowling green, two hard court tennis courts, and a pavilion Oxhey Hall . 16 th house extended in the 17 th and remodelled in 1870. It has a Timber frame with stock brick casing. The house is on a moated site. Barn – 17th or early 18 th with a timber frame, and weather boarded. Eastbury Pumping Station . The Colne Valley Water Company built the Pumping Station in 1873. It is thought that the last beam type pumping engine was installed here in 1919 from

River Colne. Watford Stadium

River Colne The Colne flows south and divides in two, and reunites Post to the east Watford Lower High Street Post to the south Oxhey Cardiff Road At one time called Pest House Lane, Sewage works and pumping station. The sewage pumping station was initially at the end of what is now Cardiff Road, and dates from before 1870.   A sewage works was built later further to the west. Cardiff Road Power Station .   Watford Council were granted an Electric Lighting Order in 1897 for the supply of e1cctrical energy, and two years later works were erected and cables laid. The power station was built in the early 1900s and operated by the Watford Corporation Electricity Department until nationalisation. It was by the railway and there was a rail siding into the site. It appears to have been a large gothic building with six chimneys.   It was later converted to oil firing. Eastern Electricity Board had a maintenance depot and workshop on the site after the power station itself was demolis

River Colne. Watford Lower High Street

River Colne The Colne flows south and west, with a canalised diverted section to the west. Post to the south Watford Post to the west Watford Stadium Aldenham Road 1 The Railway Arms . This is a stock brick building with a stable behind dating from the mid-19 th .   If ‘arms’ is not just the commonly used pub designation but refers to heraldic arms – then it might be named for those of the London Midland and Scottish Railway   The inn sign shows a ‘'Royal Scot' class locomotive in original parallel boiler form, surmounted by the LMS circular device as used on coaching stock’. A.T Roberts, Mechanical Engineers . This firm was established in 1896 as a ‘smithy’ on a site which was previously a chalk pit. Electricity sub station . Blackwell Drive This is the drive to Wiggenhall now a road of suburban housing mainly built in the 1950s Bridge Place Bus depot . This was operated by National from 1925 and used by London General Country Service from 1926 and subsequently

River Colne Watford

River Colne The Colne flows south Post to the north Watford Junction Post to the south Watford Lower High Street Beechen Grove This road was once a short lane running roughly between Sutton Road to Loates Lane. It has been transformed and enlarged as part of the ringway system which runs in a one-way loop around the central High Street shopping centre.   More recently it has been extended south and west to meet the A441 and carry on through roundabouts to Stephenson Way Queens and Palace Car Parks . Monumental car park entrances. Palace named for the Palace Theatre Beechen Grove School in Red Lion Yard, now under the Harlequin Centre. This was a 19 th boys school The Woodman’s Arms . Now under the Harlequin Centre Timber Yard on the site where the school was later built. Beechen Grove Subway . With geometric tiles in bright colours Cambridge Road Mosque . Watford’s Muslim community dates from the 1950s and fundraised from the 1970ls to buy land in here. Work on The Watf