Elstree
Encyclopedia
Elstree is a village
in the Hertsmere
borough of Hertfordshire
on the A5 road, about 10 miles north of London
. In 2001, its population was 4,765, and forms part of the civil parish of Elstree and Borehamwood
, originally known simply as Elstree.
The village often lends its shorter name to businesses and amenities in the adjacent town of Borehamwood
, and the names of Elstree and Borehamwood can be used interchangeably. Elstree is perhaps most well-known for giving its name to the Elstree Film Studios
where a number of famous British films were made, and BBC's Elstree Studios, where the TV soap opera EastEnders
is made, but these, too, are located in nearby Borehamwood.
The local newspaper is the Borehamwood and Elstree Times. Together with Borehamwood, the village is twinned with Offenburg
in Germany and Fontenay-aux-Roses
in France.
is on the Thameslink Line
between London Kings Cross
and Bedford. It was originally built by the Midland Railway
in 1868, and is located just north of the 980m Elstree Tunnels.
The area of Borehamwood to the west of the railway line, formally Deacon's Hill
, is colloquially called Elstree even though it is not contiguous with the village. Elstree South tube station
was due to be an extension of the Northern Line
, planned in the 1930s, but never completed.
. Through the village, the road is called (from south to north) Elstree Hill South, The High Street, and Elstree Hill North. The 18th century grade II listed building, Elstree Hill House is still on Elstree Hill South, and used to be the home of the old Elstree School
(see Schools). In the early 1900s, it was noted that:
has a paved 656 metre runway, suitable for light aircraft use. Its origins extend back to the early 1930s when it was a grass landing strip for the local Aldenham House country club. A concrete runway was put down during World War II
, and Wellington Bombers were modified here. On Saturday 31 November 1975, racing driver Graham Hill was killed when his light aircraft crashed on Arkley Golf Course, 3 miles short of the airport. The aerodrome used to be a base for Capital Radio
's Flying Eye helicopter traffic reports.
Today, the aerodrome is home to The London School of Flying, and as a destination for celebrities visiting Elstree film studios.
was sited on the edge of Elstree close to the A41, it was opened in 1956, closed in 1986, and demolished in 1996. It is now a large business park.
, the town also lends its name to a series of ships called the Elstree Grange (rebuilt 1916, 1944, 1979), at one time sunk during the Second World War.
. The tudor-style building dates back to 1540, was converted into a hotel in the 1960s, and has featured in many TV and film productions, such as the 1968 Hammer Horror classic, The Devil Rides Out
. Notable guests have included Peter Sellers
, Tom Cruise
, John Cleese
and Stanley Kubrick
. It was the country home of armaments manufacturer and First Baronet Sir (Arthur) Trevor Dawson
, (1866–1931).
.
, a preparatory co-educational boarding day school, Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School
, an independent public school
(ie. fee-paying), Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls
, and St Nicholas Church of England V.A Primary School.
, a boys' preparatory school was located in Elstree from 1848 until 1938 before relocating to Woolhampton
, Berkshire
before the outbreak of Second World War
.
Hillside School was located in Elstree between 1874 and 1886, before eventually becoming Dorset House School
in 1905, (not to be confused with Hillside School in nearby Borehamwood.)
(London Loop) goes through Elstree, before continuing as Section 16, a 10 mile (16km) walk from Elstree to Cockfosters.
is both a recreational facility and a breeding centre for rare livestock
. Section 15 of the London Loop
walk passes by. In 1873 nearby Tykes Water stream was dammed in order to create Tykes Water lake. Tykes Water Bridge features in the open credits to the Peter Cushing
and Christopher Lee
film, Dracula A.D. 1972
, and used in the opening title of the Avengers TV series
.
writes:
In 1886, the Photographic Society of Great Britain featured an exhibition of photos of Elstree Reservoir by Edgar Clifton. During World War I
, then Major Keith Caldwell
with No. 74 Squadron RAF, used Elstree Reservoir for target practice. In 1918, one of the pilots accidentally killed a local resident when his machine gun misfired.
In 1723, topographer John Norden
noted in his book Speculum Britanniae
, that in the country of Hartfordshire (sic) was one "Elstre or Eglestre". In an earlier edition, he writes:
Nemus aquilinum is the Latin for "grove of eagles".
Robinson Crusoe
author, Daniel Defoe
wrote in his 1748 travel guide that:
In 1811, topographer Daniel Lysons
writes:
and his two sons, Vortimer
and Catigern
, took part in the Battle of Elstree, then called the Battle of Ailestreu, where the Saxon Horsa was killed. It's possible there is confusion with the Battle of Aylesbury. George Moberly writes:
. On the dissolution of the monastery, it was granted by Henry VIII, to Anthony Denny, Esq
(1501 – 1549).
In 1607, Anthony Denny's grandson Edward Denny
, sold part of the estate, with all manorial rights, to Robert Briscoe, Esq., who solid it the same year to Sir Baptist Hicks
. Part of the estate became the Manor of Boreham, and sold to Edward Beauchamp, where it remained in the Beauchamp-Protor family
until 1748, when it was sold to James West, Esq.
M.P. for St. Alban's, who, in or about 1751, aliened it to Gulston, Esq. of Widdial, who sold it to a gunsmith called Pigfatt, who, within a few years, conveyed it to Thomas Jemmet, Esq. In 1774 it was purchased of Mr. Jemmet by the late George Byng, Esq.
M.P. for Middlesex, who passed it into his son, by which time this estate was called the Manor of Boreham.
In 1776, the House of Lords granted:
In 1796 topographer Daniel Lysons
writes:
(c. 1742–1779), singer and mistress of John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich
, was buried in the parish church (illustrated, right) after she had been shot dead by the Rev. James Hackman
, Rector
of Wiveton
in Norfolk
.
Since the 1780s, a private school has been located in Elstree. This has included Elstree School
from 1848 to 1938, and Hillside school between 1874 and 1886 (before moving and becoming Dorset House School
).
of William Weare, killed in Radlett and the body disposed of in a pond in Elstree by John Thurtell. The incident was recalled by Charles Dickens
in his Weekly Journal. An inquest of the deceased was held on 31 October by county coroner Benjamin Rooke at the local Artichoke public house.
.
was the local government area, before being abolished and merged with Hertsmere
. On 20th March 1957, Armorial Bearings were granted. The arms and crest are described as follows:
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in the Hertsmere
Hertsmere
Hertsmere is a local government district and borough in Hertfordshire, England. Its council is based in Borehamwood. Other towns in the borough include Bushey, Elstree, Radlett and Potters Bar.-History:...
borough of Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
on the A5 road, about 10 miles north of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In 2001, its population was 4,765, and forms part of the civil parish of Elstree and Borehamwood
Borehamwood
-Film industry:Since the 1920s, the town has been home to several film studios and many shots of its streets are included in final cuts of 20th century British films. This earned it the nickname of the "British Hollywood"...
, originally known simply as Elstree.
The village often lends its shorter name to businesses and amenities in the adjacent town of Borehamwood
Borehamwood
-Film industry:Since the 1920s, the town has been home to several film studios and many shots of its streets are included in final cuts of 20th century British films. This earned it the nickname of the "British Hollywood"...
, and the names of Elstree and Borehamwood can be used interchangeably. Elstree is perhaps most well-known for giving its name to the Elstree Film Studios
Elstree Studios
"Elstree Studios" refers to any of several film studios that were based in the towns of Borehamwood and Elstree in Hertfordshire, England, since film production begun in 1927.-Name:...
where a number of famous British films were made, and BBC's Elstree Studios, where the TV soap opera EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
is made, but these, too, are located in nearby Borehamwood.
The local newspaper is the Borehamwood and Elstree Times. Together with Borehamwood, the village is twinned with Offenburg
Offenburg
Offenburg is a city located in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. With about 60,000 inhabitants, it is the largest city and the capital of the Ortenaukreis.Offenburg also houses University of Applied Sciences Offenburg...
in Germany and Fontenay-aux-Roses
Fontenay-aux-Roses
Fontenay-aux-Roses is a commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.École Normale Supérieure was a girls school located in the area....
in France.
Elstree & Borehamwood railway station
Elstree & Borehamwood railway stationElstree & Borehamwood railway station
Elstree & Borehamwood railway station is in the Hertsmere district of Hertfordshire. The station lies on the Midland Main Line and is served by First Capital Connect trains as part of the Thameslink Line service. It is in Travelcard Zone 6...
is on the Thameslink Line
Thameslink
Thameslink is a fifty-station main-line route in the British railway system running north to south through London from Bedford to Brighton, serving both London Gatwick Airport and London Luton Airport. It opened as a through service in 1988 and by 1998 was severely overcrowded, carrying more than...
between London Kings Cross
King's Cross Thameslink railway station
King's Cross Thameslink station is a closed railway station in central London, which served the Thameslink route. It was replaced by new Thameslink platforms at St Pancras in December 2007. The last operator of the station was First Capital Connect...
and Bedford. It was originally built by the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
in 1868, and is located just north of the 980m Elstree Tunnels.
The area of Borehamwood to the west of the railway line, formally Deacon's Hill
Deacon's Hill
Deacon's Hill is an area of Elstree, Hertfordshire, England. It is the part of the town which lies to the immediate west of the railway line and is informally known as being part of Elstree by its residents, even though it is geographically separate from the village of that name...
, is colloquially called Elstree even though it is not contiguous with the village. Elstree South tube station
Elstree South tube station
Elstree South tube station was an unbuilt London Underground station in Elstree, Hertfordshire. It was designed by Charles Holden...
was due to be an extension of the Northern Line
Northern Line
The Northern line is a London Underground line. It is coloured black on the Tube map.For most of its length it is a deep-level tube line. The line carries 206,734,000 passengers per year. This is the highest number of any line on the London Underground system, but the Northern line is unique in...
, planned in the 1930s, but never completed.
Road links
The old A5 road (Watling Street) goes through Elstree village, where it is designated as the A5183 roadA5183 road
The A5183 road is a de-trunked section of the A5. It covers the section between Junction 9 of the M1 motorway and Edgware in north London, largely along Watling Street...
. Through the village, the road is called (from south to north) Elstree Hill South, The High Street, and Elstree Hill North. The 18th century grade II listed building, Elstree Hill House is still on Elstree Hill South, and used to be the home of the old Elstree School
Elstree School
Elstree School is an English preparatory school based in Woolhampton, near Reading in Berkshire.-1848-1938 in Elstree, Herts:As its name suggests, the school was originally founded in 1848 in Elstree, Hertfordshire, at Hill House on Elstree Hill, an 18th-century Grade II Listed Building...
(see Schools). In the early 1900s, it was noted that:
- ".. the hill roads are remarkably direct and seldom curve to avoid the steep pitch, and it has been suggested that the roads were originally slides for the timber which used to be sent to London for fuel."
Elstree Aerodrome
Elstree AerodromeElstree Airfield
Elstree Airfield is based in Elstree, located east of Watford, Hertfordshire, England.Elstree Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee .-Bibliography:*Richard Riding and Grant Peerless,...
has a paved 656 metre runway, suitable for light aircraft use. Its origins extend back to the early 1930s when it was a grass landing strip for the local Aldenham House country club. A concrete runway was put down during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and Wellington Bombers were modified here. On Saturday 31 November 1975, racing driver Graham Hill was killed when his light aircraft crashed on Arkley Golf Course, 3 miles short of the airport. The aerodrome used to be a base for Capital Radio
Capital Radio
Capital London is a London based radio station which launched on 16 October 1973 and is owned by Global Radio. On 3 January 2011 it formed part of the nine station Capital radio network.- Pre-launch :...
's Flying Eye helicopter traffic reports.
Today, the aerodrome is home to The London School of Flying, and as a destination for celebrities visiting Elstree film studios.
London Transport works
London Transport's Aldenham WorksAldenham Works
The Aldenham Works, or Aldenham Bus Overhaul Works, was the main London Transport Bus overhaul works. It was located on the edge of the Hertfordshire village of Elstree and not Aldenham despite being officially called Aldenham Works. In its heyday, 50 buses a week were overhauled there, and it was...
was sited on the edge of Elstree close to the A41, it was opened in 1956, closed in 1986, and demolished in 1996. It is now a large business park.
Elstree Grange
Originally a 19th century steam ship owned by the Houlder BrothersHoulder Line
The Houlder Line were a number of related British Shipping companies originally established by the Houlder brothers. was operated by the Houlder Line and was torpedoed in the North Atlantic in 1940. was operated by the Houlder Line...
, the town also lends its name to a series of ships called the Elstree Grange (rebuilt 1916, 1944, 1979), at one time sunk during the Second World War.
Grade II Listed Buildings
Elstree is home to a number of Grade II listed buildings, including some at Grade II* (particularly important buildings), such as:- Holly Bush Public House (15th century)
- Aldenham HouseAldenham HouseAldenham House near Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, was the seat of Vicary Gibbs, a wealthy financier and avid plant collector who once amassed a larger collection of Chinese flora than the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew...
and Stable Block (c.1672) - The Leys, built in 1901 by Scottish architect and designer, George Henry WaltonGeorge Henry WaltonGeorge Henry Walton , was a noted Scottish architect and designer of remarkable diversity. George was the youngest of twelve talented children of Jackson Walton, a Manchester commission agent and himself an accomplished painter and photographer, by his second wife, the Aberdeen-born Quaker Eliza...
.
Edgwarebury Hotel
The Edgwarebury Hotel & Restaurant is located on Barnet Lane, and operated by Corus HotelsCorus Hotels
Corus Hotels is a group of 10 hotels based in the UK, with 2 hotels in Malaysia. The hotels are owned by London Vista Hotel Limited, which is part of Malayan United Industries...
. The tudor-style building dates back to 1540, was converted into a hotel in the 1960s, and has featured in many TV and film productions, such as the 1968 Hammer Horror classic, The Devil Rides Out
The Devil Rides Out (film)
The Devil Rides Out is a 1968 British film based on the 1934 novel The Devil Rides Out by Dennis Wheatley...
. Notable guests have included Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Richard Henry Sellers, CBE , known as Peter Sellers, was a British comedian and actor. Perhaps best known as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther film series, he is also notable for playing three different characters in Dr...
, Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
, John Cleese
John Cleese
John Marwood Cleese is an English actor, comedian, writer, and film producer. He achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and performer on The Frost Report...
and Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick was an American film director, writer, producer, and photographer who lived in England during most of the last four decades of his career...
. It was the country home of armaments manufacturer and First Baronet Sir (Arthur) Trevor Dawson
Trevor Dawson
Commander Sir Arthur Trevor Dawson, 1st Baronet , known as Sir Trevor Dawson, was an English armaments manufacturer....
, (1866–1931).
Other buildings
A house in Elstree was designed by architect Edward John May (1853-1941) was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1887. St Nicholas Parish Church was designed by English architect Philip Charles HardwickPhilip Charles Hardwick
-Life:Philip Charles Hardwick was a notable English architect of the 19th century who was once described as "a careful and industrious student of mediaeval art"...
.
Schools
Elstree is home to Aldenham SchoolAldenham School
Aldenham School is a co-educational independent school for pupils aged thirteen to eighteen, located between Elstree and the village of Aldenham in Hertfordshire, England...
, a preparatory co-educational boarding day school, Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School
Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School
The Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School is a British independent school for boys aged 4–19. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and of the Haileybury Group....
, an independent public school
Public School (UK)
A public school, in common British usage, is a school that is neither administered nor financed by the state or from taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of endowments, tuition fees and charitable contributions, usually existing as a non profit-making charitable trust...
(ie. fee-paying), Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls
Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls
Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls is an academically high-achieving British independent school in Elstree, near Borehamwood, in the county of Hertfordshire. It is often known as "Habs" or "Habs girls", to distinguish it from the neighbouring Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School...
, and St Nicholas Church of England V.A Primary School.
Earlier schools
Elstree SchoolElstree School
Elstree School is an English preparatory school based in Woolhampton, near Reading in Berkshire.-1848-1938 in Elstree, Herts:As its name suggests, the school was originally founded in 1848 in Elstree, Hertfordshire, at Hill House on Elstree Hill, an 18th-century Grade II Listed Building...
, a boys' preparatory school was located in Elstree from 1848 until 1938 before relocating to Woolhampton
Woolhampton
Woolhampton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. The village is situated on the London to Bath road between the towns of Reading and Newbury...
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
before the outbreak of Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Hillside School was located in Elstree between 1874 and 1886, before eventually becoming Dorset House School
Dorset House School
Dorset House School is a co-educational preparatory school near Pulborough in West Sussex, England. There are 135 pupils, made up of 118 boys and 17 girls, whose ages range from 2yrs to 13yrs...
in 1905, (not to be confused with Hillside School in nearby Borehamwood.)
Sport
Elstree Cricket Club was formed in 1878, and still plays in the Herts Saracens League. 18-hole Radlett Park Golf Club was founded in 1984, having recently being renamed from Elstree Golf & Country Club. It is closer to Elstree than Radlett.Leisure
Section 15 of the London Outer Orbital PathLondon Outer Orbital Path
The London Outer Orbital Path — more usually the "London LOOP" — is a signed walk along public footpaths, and through parks, woods and fields around the edge of Outer London, England, described as "the M25 for walkers"...
(London Loop) goes through Elstree, before continuing as Section 16, a 10 mile (16km) walk from Elstree to Cockfosters.
Parks
Aldenham Country ParkAldenham Country Park
Aldenham Country Park is a parkland and woodland, including a reservoir, created in 1971 and now part of the Watling Chase Community Forest, located near Elstree, Hertfordshire in England....
is both a recreational facility and a breeding centre for rare livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
. Section 15 of the London Loop
London Outer Orbital Path
The London Outer Orbital Path — more usually the "London LOOP" — is a signed walk along public footpaths, and through parks, woods and fields around the edge of Outer London, England, described as "the M25 for walkers"...
walk passes by. In 1873 nearby Tykes Water stream was dammed in order to create Tykes Water lake. Tykes Water Bridge features in the open credits to the Peter Cushing
Peter Cushing
Peter Wilton Cushing, OBE was an English actor, known for his many appearances in Hammer Films, in which he played the handsome but sinister scientist Baron Frankenstein and the vampire hunter Dr. Van Helsing, amongst many other roles, often appearing opposite Christopher Lee, and occasionally...
and Christopher Lee
Christopher Lee
Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee, CBE, CStJ is an English actor and musician. Lee initially portrayed villains and became famous for his role as Count Dracula in a string of Hammer Horror films...
film, Dracula A.D. 1972
Dracula AD 1972
Dracula A.D. 1972 is a 1972 Hammer Horror film directed by Alan Gibson, written by Don Houghton and starring Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and Stephanie Beacham. Unlike earlier films in the Hammer Dracula series, Dracula A.D...
, and used in the opening title of the Avengers TV series
The Avengers (TV series)
The Avengers is a spy-fi British television series set in the 1960s Britain. The Avengers initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed . Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants...
.
Elstree Reservoir
The damn was built in 1795 by French prisoners of war. English watercolour landscape painter John HassellJohn Hassell (artist)
John Hassell was an English watercolour landscape painter, engraver, illustrator, writer, publisher and drawing-master. He wrote a biography of fellow artist George Morland....
writes:
- "At the top of Stanmore hill we enter on Bushy heath, and at some distance on the right in the valley catch a view of the celebrated reservoir, the property of the Grand Junction Company, on Aidenham common, at the foot of the village of Elstree. This noble sheet of water occupies a space of considerable extent on the verge of Aidenham common, which thirty years ago was a barren waste; here the improvements in agriculture are indeed conspicuous, for at this place a poor, sandy, meagre, wretched soil has now by good husbandry been converted into rich pasturage.
- "The reservoir has all the appearance of a lake; and when the timber that surrounds it shall have arrived at maturity, it will be a most delightful spot. From this immense sbeet of water, in event of drought or a deficiency of upland waters, the lower parts of the Grand Junction and the Paddington canals can have an immediate supply. The feeder from this reservoir enters the main stream near Rickmansworth, above Batchworth mills, and supplies the millers below with 300 locks of water, to whose interest the Duke of Northumberland is a perpetual trustee."
In 1886, the Photographic Society of Great Britain featured an exhibition of photos of Elstree Reservoir by Edgar Clifton. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, then Major Keith Caldwell
Keith Caldwell
Air Commodore Keith Logan "Grid" Caldwell CBE, MC, DFC & Bar was a New Zealand fighter ace of the Royal Flying Corps in World War I who also rose to the rank of Air Commodore in the Royal New Zealand Air Force during World War II.-Early life:Born in Wellington, the son of David Robert Caldwell and...
with No. 74 Squadron RAF, used Elstree Reservoir for target practice. In 1918, one of the pilots accidentally killed a local resident when his machine gun misfired.
Climate
Etymology
The name "Elstree" derives from the Anglo-Saxon phrase "Tidwulf's Tree", which is mentioned as "Tidulfres treow" in an 11-12th century manuscript of of an A.D. 786 charter. It is thought that "the "T" being lost in the wrong division of 'aet Tidwulfes treo'" (meaning "at Tidwulf's Tree").In 1723, topographer John Norden
John Norden
John Norden was an English cartographer, chorographer and antiquary. He planned a series of county maps and accompanying county histories of England, the Speculum Britanniae...
noted in his book Speculum Britanniae
Speculum Britanniae
Speculum Britanniae , published in London from 1593, was a projected, but unfinished, chorography of Britain by John Norden . It was intended to take the form of a series of county maps, accompanied by place-by-place written descriptions...
, that in the country of Hartfordshire (sic) was one "Elstre or Eglestre". In an earlier edition, he writes:
- "ELSTREE n. 20. in OFFAES grant EAGLESTRE
- Nemus aquilinum: a place wherit may be thought Eagles bredd in time past, for though it be nowe hilly and heathy - it hath beene replenished with stately trees, fit for such fowle to breede and harbour in. It is parcell of the libertie of S. Albans.
Nemus aquilinum is the Latin for "grove of eagles".
Robinson Crusoe
Robinson Crusoe
Robinson Crusoe is a novel by Daniel Defoe that was first published in 1719. Epistolary, confessional, and didactic in form, the book is a fictional autobiography of the title character—a castaway who spends 28 years on a remote tropical island near Trinidad, encountering cannibals, captives, and...
author, Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe , born Daniel Foe, was an English trader, writer, journalist, and pamphleteer, who gained fame for his novel Robinson Crusoe. Defoe is notable for being one of the earliest proponents of the novel, as he helped to popularise the form in Britain and along with others such as Richardson,...
wrote in his 1748 travel guide that:
- "Idlestrey or Elstre, is a Village on the Roman Watling-street, on the very Edge of Middlesex; but it is chiefly noted for its Situation, near Brockly-hill, by Stanmore, which affords a lovely View cross Middlesex, over the Thames, into Surry."
In 1811, topographer Daniel Lysons
Daniel Lysons
Daniel Lysons was a notable English antiquary and topographer of the late 18th and early 19th century, who published the four-volume The Environs of London ....
writes:
- "The name of this place has been variously written; — Eaglestree, Elstree, Ilstrye, Idlestrye, etc. Norden says that it is called, in Offa's grant to the Abbey of St. Alban's, Eaglestree, that is, says he, "Nemus aquilinum, a 'place where it may be thought that eagles bred in time past'." It has been derived also from Idel-street, i.e. the noble road; and Ill-street, the decayed road. May it not have been, rather, a corruption of Eald-street, the old road, i.e. the ancient Watling-streetWatling StreetWatling Street is the name given to an ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Britons mainly between the modern cities of Canterbury and St Albans. The Romans later paved the route, part of which is identified on the Antonine Itinerary as Iter III: "Item a Londinio ad...
, upon which it is situated?"
5th century: Battle of Ailestreu (Elstree)
In the 5th century, Briton warlord VortigernVortigern
Vortigern , also spelled Vortiger and Vortigen, was a 5th-century warlord in Britain, a leading ruler among the Britons. His existence is considered likely, though information about him is shrouded in legend. He is said to have invited the Saxons to settle in Kent as mercenaries to aid him in...
and his two sons, Vortimer
Vortimer
Vortimer is a figure in British tradition, a son of the 5th-century Britonnic ruler Vortigern. He is remembered for his fierce opposition to his father's Saxon allies...
and Catigern
Catigern
Catigern is a figure of Welsh tradition, said to be a son of Vortigern, the tyrannical King of the Britons, and the brother of Vortimer. A figure of this name also appears in the Welsh genealogies, though he is given different parentage...
, took part in the Battle of Elstree, then called the Battle of Ailestreu, where the Saxon Horsa was killed. It's possible there is confusion with the Battle of Aylesbury. George Moberly writes:
- "NenniusNenniusNennius was a Welsh monk of the 9th century.He has traditionally been attributed with the authorship of the Historia Brittonum, based on the prologue affixed to that work, This attribution is widely considered a secondary tradition....
, M.H.B.Monumenta Historica BritannicaMonumenta Historica Britannica , Or Materials for the History of Britain, From the Earliest Period, is an incomplete work by Keeper of the Records of the Tower of London Henry Petrie, assisted by John Sharpe. Only the first volume covering material prior to the Norman Conquest was printed in 1848...
p. 69, calls the place of battle where Hors fell Episford; Britannicè 'Sathenegabail' = the Saxon battle. The Saxon Chronicle, ad a. 455, calls it Ægæles-threp, and Henry of HuntingdonHenry of HuntingdonHenry of Huntingdon , the son of a canon in the diocese of Lincoln, was a 12th century English historian, the author of a history of England, Historia anglorum, "the most important Anglo-Norman historian to emerge from the secular clergy". He served as archdeacon of Huntingdon...
, M.H.B. p. 708, Ailestreu. This would naturally be Elstree, of which name there is a place in Herts; but BedaBedeBede , also referred to as Saint Bede or the Venerable Bede , was a monk at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter at Monkwearmouth, today part of Sunderland, England, and of its companion monastery, Saint Paul's, in modern Jarrow , both in the Kingdom of Northumbria...
's description of its situation has caused it rather to be referred to AylesfordAylesfordAylesford is a village and civil parish on the River Medway in Kent, 4 miles NW of Maidstone in England.Originally a small riverside settlement, the old village comprises around 60 houses, many of which were formerly shops. One pub, a Post Office and four small independent shops remain...
in Kent, near which is a small village called Horsted."
16th - 18th Century
The Manor of Elstree was formerly included in the manor of Parkbury, and belonged to the Abbey of St. AlbansSt Albans Cathedral
St Albans Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral church at St Albans, England. At , its nave is the longest of any cathedral in England...
. On the dissolution of the monastery, it was granted by Henry VIII, to Anthony Denny, Esq
Anthony Denny
Sir Anthony Denny was a confidant of Henry VIII of England. Denny was the most prominent member of the Privy chamber in Henry's last years having, together with his brother-in-law John Gates, charge of the "dry stamp" of Henry's signature, and attended Henry on his deathbed. He also served as...
(1501 – 1549).
In 1607, Anthony Denny's grandson Edward Denny
Sir Edward Denny, 4th Baronet
Sir Edward Denny, 4th Baronet was an Irish baronet and composer.-Life:He was the eldest son of Sir Edward Denny, 3rd Baronet and Elizabeth Day, daughter of the Hon. Robert Day. In 1827, Denny became High Sheriff of Kerry. In 1831, he succeeded his father as baronet and inherited a substantial...
, sold part of the estate, with all manorial rights, to Robert Briscoe, Esq., who solid it the same year to Sir Baptist Hicks
Baptist Hicks, 1st Viscount Campden
Baptist Hicks, 1st Viscount Campden was an English merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1621 and 1628 when he was raised to the peerage as Viscount Campden....
. Part of the estate became the Manor of Boreham, and sold to Edward Beauchamp, where it remained in the Beauchamp-Protor family
Proctor-Beauchamp Baronets
The Beauchamp-Proctor, later Proctor-Beauchamp Baronetcy, of Langley Park in the County of Norfolk, is a title in the Baronetage of Great Britain. It was created on 20 February 1745 for the twenty-two-year-old William Beauchamp-Proctor, subsequently Member of Parliament for Middlesex...
until 1748, when it was sold to James West, Esq.
James West (antiquary)
James West FRS was a British politician and antiquary, who served as President of the Royal Society between 1768 and 1772....
M.P. for St. Alban's, who, in or about 1751, aliened it to Gulston, Esq. of Widdial, who sold it to a gunsmith called Pigfatt, who, within a few years, conveyed it to Thomas Jemmet, Esq. In 1774 it was purchased of Mr. Jemmet by the late George Byng, Esq.
George Byng (1735–1789)
George Byng was a British Member of Parliament.He sat for Wigan from 1768 to 1780 and Middlesex from 1780 to his death.He was the son of Robert Byng and grandson of George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington...
M.P. for Middlesex, who passed it into his son, by which time this estate was called the Manor of Boreham.
In 1776, the House of Lords granted:
- "An Act for dividing and closing the Common or Waste Ground, called Boreham Wood Common, in the Parish of Elstree otherwise Idletree, in the Country of Hertford."
In 1796 topographer Daniel Lysons
Daniel Lysons
Daniel Lysons was a notable English antiquary and topographer of the late 18th and early 19th century, who published the four-volume The Environs of London ....
writes:
- "The parish of Elstree contains about 3000 acres of land, which is divided between arable and pasture nearly in an equal proportion. The soil is, for the most part, clay. Boreham Wood, a waste of nearly 700 acres, was inclosed about the year 1778, and is now in culture. This parish pays the sum of 151L 11s. to the land-tax, which is raised by a rate of about 1s. 9d. in the pound".
Murders
Martha Ray murder
In 1779, Martha RayMartha Ray
Martha Ray was a British singer of the Georgian era. Her father was a corsetmaker and her mother was a servant in a noble household. Good-looking, intelligent, and a talented singer, she came to the attention of many of her father's patrons. She is best known for her affair with John Montagu, 4th...
(c. 1742–1779), singer and mistress of John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich
John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich
John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, PC, FRS was a British statesman who succeeded his grandfather, Edward Montagu, 3rd Earl of Sandwich, as the Earl of Sandwich in 1729, at the age of ten...
, was buried in the parish church (illustrated, right) after she had been shot dead by the Rev. James Hackman
James Hackman
James Hackman , briefly Rector of Wiveton in Norfolk, was the murderer who killed Martha Ray, singer and mistress of John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich.-Early life:...
, Rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of Wiveton
Wiveton
Wiveton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated on the west bank of the River Glaven, inland from the coast and directly across the river from the village of Cley next the Sea...
in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
.
Since the 1780s, a private school has been located in Elstree. This has included Elstree School
Elstree School
Elstree School is an English preparatory school based in Woolhampton, near Reading in Berkshire.-1848-1938 in Elstree, Herts:As its name suggests, the school was originally founded in 1848 in Elstree, Hertfordshire, at Hill House on Elstree Hill, an 18th-century Grade II Listed Building...
from 1848 to 1938, and Hillside school between 1874 and 1886 (before moving and becoming Dorset House School
Dorset House School
Dorset House School is a co-educational preparatory school near Pulborough in West Sussex, England. There are 135 pupils, made up of 118 boys and 17 girls, whose ages range from 2yrs to 13yrs...
).
The Elstree Murder of William Weare
In 1823 Elstree became notorious for the Elstree murderRadlett murder
The Radlett murder, also known as the Elstree murder, was a murder in Radlett, Hertfordshire, England, in 1823. The victim, William Weare, was killed in Radlett and the body disposed of in a pond in Elstree. It gained a great deal of attention and was the subject of numerous books and stage plays...
of William Weare, killed in Radlett and the body disposed of in a pond in Elstree by John Thurtell. The incident was recalled by Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
in his Weekly Journal. An inquest of the deceased was held on 31 October by county coroner Benjamin Rooke at the local Artichoke public house.
The Elstree Murder of Eliza Ebborn
On 17 August 1882, Eliza Ebborn of Watford was murdered by 24-year-old shoemaker George Stratton, who was subsequently sentenced to death. She was buried at Elstree Parish Church.Administrative districts
Elstree used to be in the Hundred of Cashio, also known as the Liberty of St AlbansLiberty of St Albans
The Liberty of St Albans was a liberty situated within Hertfordshire, but enjoying the powers of an independent county. It was originally associated with the abbey of St Albans, and later with the borough corporation. It was absorbed by Hertfordshire in 1874...
.
Elstree Rural District
From 1941 to 1974, Elstree Rural DistrictElstree Rural District
Elstree was a rural district in Hertfordshire, England from 1894 to 1974.It was formed under the Local Government Act 1894 as Barnet Rural District, as successor to the Barnet rural sanitary district...
was the local government area, before being abolished and merged with Hertsmere
Hertsmere
Hertsmere is a local government district and borough in Hertfordshire, England. Its council is based in Borehamwood. Other towns in the borough include Bushey, Elstree, Radlett and Potters Bar.-History:...
. On 20th March 1957, Armorial Bearings were granted. The arms and crest are described as follows:
- The background of royal ermine, represents the royal visits to and associations with the district, principally the visit of Henry VIII and his court to Tyttenhanger in 1525 to avoid the "sweatinge sicknesse" and the visits of Charles II to Salisbury Hall in Shenley. The oak tree with the Saxon crown represents Saxon Elstree - "Tidwulf's tree" - around which the district has grown. The tree also represents Boreham Wood and the district's woodlands, the gold acorns symbolize growth and prosperity. The waves at the base represent the River Colne, Aldenham Reservoir and link with the waves in the arms of the Hertfordshire CC and the Greater London Council.The gold saltire on blue is from the arms of the Abbey of St. Albans, the manor of Elstree came into the possession of the Abbey in 1188, and Tyttenhanger in Ridge stands on the site of a former possession of the Abbey, and the whole area lies in the Liberty of St. Albans. The scallop shells, the badge of pilgrims, recalls their passage along Watling Street through Elstree to St. Albans.
- The hart is from one of the supporters of the County Council arms, wearing a mural crown, symbol of civic government. The spool of film (unique in civic heraldry) recalls the industry which had made the name of Elstree and Boreham Wood so widely known in modern times.
- The motto is taken from the wall of Shenley Cage, and also links with the County motto "Trust and fear not". "
Clubs, Societies and Organisations
- Elstree And Boreham Wood History Society, (inc. Elstree and Borehamwood Museum)
- Elstree, Borehamwood & Radlett mencap Society.
- Elstree Golf & Country Club.
Notable residents
- See also notable pupils at:
- (a) Aldenham SchoolAldenham SchoolAldenham School is a co-educational independent school for pupils aged thirteen to eighteen, located between Elstree and the village of Aldenham in Hertfordshire, England...
(b) Elstree SchoolElstree SchoolElstree School is an English preparatory school based in Woolhampton, near Reading in Berkshire.-1848-1938 in Elstree, Herts:As its name suggests, the school was originally founded in 1848 in Elstree, Hertfordshire, at Hill House on Elstree Hill, an 18th-century Grade II Listed Building...
before it moved in 1938, (b) Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' SchoolHaberdashers' Aske's Boys' SchoolThe Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School is a British independent school for boys aged 4–19. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and of the Haileybury Group....
, (c) Haberdashers' Aske's School for GirlsHaberdashers' Aske's School for GirlsHaberdashers' Aske's School for Girls is an academically high-achieving British independent school in Elstree, near Borehamwood, in the county of Hertfordshire. It is often known as "Habs" or "Habs girls", to distinguish it from the neighbouring Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School...
Books
- Richard Riding and Grant Peerless, Elstree Aerodrome: The Past in Pictures, The History Press Ltd (26 Nov 2003), ISBN 0750934123, ISBN 978-0750934121, 192 pages.
- Robert Bard, Elstree and Borehamwood Past, Publisher: Phillimore & Company, Limited, 2006, ISBN 1905286112, 9781905286119, 128 pages
- Stephen A. Castle, William Brooks, The Book of Elstree & Boreham Wood, Publisher: Barracuda Press, 1988, ISBN 0860234061, 9780860234067, 136 pages
- G. R. T. Eales, A Lecture on the history of Elstree, Publisher: Scott, Greenwood & Son, 1922
- Anthony Frewin, John Mansbridge, Elstree & Boreham Wood through two thousand years, Publisher: Ann and Lionel Leventhal, 1974, ISBN 0950382205, 9780950382203, 47 pages.
- Paul Welsh, Elstree and Borehamwood in Old Picture Postcards, ISBN 9028830138, 9789028830134, 80 pages.
- J. Roy Avery, The Elstree murder, Publisher: Haberdasher's Aske's School, 1963, 19 pages.
- Thomas Burke, Murder at Elstree: or, Mr. Thurtell and his gig, Publisher: Longmans, Green and co., 1936, 177 pages
- Elstree Rural District: official guide, Forward Publicity Limited, Edition 9, illustrated, Publisher: Home Pub., 1972. ISBN 0717402339, 9780717402335. 72 pages.
- William Hawtayne, A sermon preach'd at Elstree in Hertfordshire, on the twentieth of January, 1714. Mr. Hawtayne's thanksgiving-sermon on the 20th of January, 1714. Printed for Tim Goodwin. 20 pages.
- Franklyn de Winton Lushington, Sermons to young boys delivered at Elstree school, Publ. 1898. Republished Kessinger Publishing LLC 2010. ISBN 1166952088, 9781166952082.
- The first register book of the parish church of Elstree, 1655-1757, Translated by Arthur R. T. Eales, publisher: pr.by Coombes, 1914, 76 pages.
- I. C. M. Sanderson, A history of Elstree School and three generations of the Sanderson family, Publisher Elstree School, 1978.
- John Hill, Hertfordshire Militia Lists: Elstree & Shenley, Issue ML 102 of Militia Series, Publ. Hertfordshire Family & Population History Society, 2000, ISBN 1903245060, 9781903245064, 13 pages
- An Illustrated Guide to the Elstree Country Club, Elstree, Herts, publ. Elstree Country Club, 1950, 12 pages. (at the British Library), retrieved 22 Sep 2011.
Journals
- "Medieval Pottery From Elstree, Otterspool & Prehsi", Academic Journal Offprint From St. Albans Architectural And Archaeological Society Transactions (1961)
- Renn, Derek F, "Further finds of medieval pottery from Elstree: with a survey of unglazed thumb-pressed jugs", Hertfordshire Archaeology 1968, pp.124-7
- Stephen Castle and Michael Hammerons, "Excavations Elstree, Middlesex, 1974-6". At Archaeology Data Service Website, retrieved 22 Sep 2011
External links
- 'Parishes: Elstree', A History of the County of Hertford: volume 2 (1908), pp. 349–51.
- 'Elstree', The Environs of London: volume 4: Counties of Herts, Essex & Kent (1796), pp. 24–8.
- Archaeology Data Service: Archsearch
- Elstree Village at BBC Domesday Project online, retrieved 22 Sep 2011
- Elstree Church records at the London Family History Centre.
- "Elstree with Boreham Wood" 1855 Post Office Directory, via Historical Directories
- "Elstree with Boreham Wood, 1894 Kelly's Directory of Essex, Herts & Middx