Potten End
Encyclopedia
Potten End is a village in west Hertfordshire
, England
. It is located in the Chiltern Hills
, two miles east-north-east of Berkhamsted
, three miles north west of Hemel Hempstead
and two miles south east of the National Trust
estate of Ashridge
. Nearby villages include Nettleden
, Great Gaddesden
and the hamlet of Frithsden
. The joint Parish Council for Nettleden with Potten End CP administers under Dacorum
Borough Council.
The village name derives from the earlier form "Pottern" which refers to a place where pots and pottery were made. "End" is an old term common in Hertfordshire defining any outlying settlement in a far corner of a parish or manor.
At the centre of the village there is a Green and pond. The village largely comprises residential properties, together with Holy Trinity Church; a primary/junior school Potten End First School; a village shop; and two public houses, Martin's Pond and The Plough. A number of small businesses are also based in the village. Recreational facilities include cricket and football fields, bowls club and a children's grassed play area. A Village Hall provides community use for a wide variety of regular and special events.
There has been only minimal building development in the village in recent years and no immediate prospect of the surrounding farming land being given over to residential expansion. The Parish Council are keen to retain this status quo but are concerned that eventually the green belt will be lost by the growth of Hemel Hempstead
where the gap is now down to little more than a mile from the boundary at Hempstead Lane.
The geography of Potten End is such that most of the village is situated on a small plateau of land extending from Ashridge to the north and rising from the valleys of the River Gade
to the east and from the River Bulbourne
to the west. The Green lies at a height of 550 m (168 ft) above mean sea level. Consequently all roads from Potten End lead downhill, some of which can be difficult to negotiate after snowfall.
The long distance county footpath The Hertfordshire Way
passes on the west side of the village.
Public transport to/from the village comprises an infrequent bus service (to Hemel Hempstead & to Berkhamsted) of five return trips a day. The nearest rail link is at Berkhamsted station, 2 miles distant.
Following his retirement from professional cricket Fred Titmus
and his wife Stephanie ran the post office and newsagent's shop in the village for 20 years. Subsequently this facility transferred to the village shop but following a review by the Post Office, the sub post office counter was removed in 2006 despite a strenuous campaign to save it by the village and local MP.
A small baptist chapel (with small graveyard) also existed. This was on a site set back from the general frontage of properties on The Front. The chapel was closed and the building sold in 1997 and is now a private residence.
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...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is located in the Chiltern Hills
Chiltern Hills
The Chiltern Hills form a chalk escarpment in South East England. They are known locally as "the Chilterns". A large portion of the hills was designated officially as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1965.-Location:...
, two miles east-north-east of Berkhamsted
Berkhamsted
-Climate:Berkhamsted experiences an oceanic climate similar to almost all of the United Kingdom.-Castle:...
, three miles north west of Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead is a town in Hertfordshire in the East of England, to the north west of London and part of the Greater London Urban Area. The population at the 2001 Census was 81,143 ....
and two miles south east of the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
estate of Ashridge
Ashridge
Ashridge is an estate and house in Hertfordshire, England; part of the land stretches into Buckinghamshire and it is close to the Bedfordshire border. It is situated in the Chiltern Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, about two miles north of Berkhamsted and twenty miles north west of...
. Nearby villages include Nettleden
Nettleden
Nettleden is a village in Hertfordshire, England. It is in the Chiltern Hills, about four miles north west of Hemel Hempstead, surrounded by Little Gaddesden, Great Gaddesden and Frithsden. Nettleden with Potten End is a civil parish in Dacorum District.The village name of Nettleden is Anglo Saxon...
, Great Gaddesden
Great Gaddesden
Great Gaddesden is a village and civil parish in Dacorum Hundred in Hertfordshire, England. It is located in the Chiltern Hills, north of Hemel Hempstead. The parish borders to Flamstead, Hemel Hempstead, Nettleden and Little Gaddesden and also to Studham in Bedfordshire.The Church St. John the...
and the hamlet of Frithsden
Frithsden
Frithsden is a small hamlet in Hertfordshire, England. It is located in the Chiltern Hills, about two miles north of Berkhamsted, to which it belongs.The village name is derived from the wood le Fryth...
. The joint Parish Council for Nettleden with Potten End CP administers under Dacorum
Dacorum
The Borough of Dacorum is a local government district in Hertfordshire, England that includes the towns of Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted, Tring and Kings Langley. The district, which was formed in 1974, had a population of 137,799 in 2001...
Borough Council.
The village name derives from the earlier form "Pottern" which refers to a place where pots and pottery were made. "End" is an old term common in Hertfordshire defining any outlying settlement in a far corner of a parish or manor.
At the centre of the village there is a Green and pond. The village largely comprises residential properties, together with Holy Trinity Church; a primary/junior school Potten End First School; a village shop; and two public houses, Martin's Pond and The Plough. A number of small businesses are also based in the village. Recreational facilities include cricket and football fields, bowls club and a children's grassed play area. A Village Hall provides community use for a wide variety of regular and special events.
There has been only minimal building development in the village in recent years and no immediate prospect of the surrounding farming land being given over to residential expansion. The Parish Council are keen to retain this status quo but are concerned that eventually the green belt will be lost by the growth of Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead is a town in Hertfordshire in the East of England, to the north west of London and part of the Greater London Urban Area. The population at the 2001 Census was 81,143 ....
where the gap is now down to little more than a mile from the boundary at Hempstead Lane.
The geography of Potten End is such that most of the village is situated on a small plateau of land extending from Ashridge to the north and rising from the valleys of the River Gade
River Gade
The River Gade is a river running almost entirely though Hertfordshire. It rises from a spring in the chalk of the Chiltern Hills at Dagnall, Buckinghamshire and flows through Hemel Hempstead, Kings Langley and Croxley Green to Rickmansworth where it joins the The River Colne...
to the east and from the River Bulbourne
River Bulbourne
The River Bulbourne is a river in Hertfordshire, England. It runs from Dudswell in Northchurch, through Berkhamsted , Bourne End and Boxmoor to where it joins the River Gade at Two Waters in Apsley near Hemel Hempstead. The total length of the river is 11 Km....
to the west. The Green lies at a height of 550 m (168 ft) above mean sea level. Consequently all roads from Potten End lead downhill, some of which can be difficult to negotiate after snowfall.
The long distance county footpath The Hertfordshire Way
Hertfordshire Way
The Hertfordshire Way is located in Hertfordshire, England, and is a 166-mile circular walk around the county, with a recently added 24-mile extension. The route mainly passes through open countryside and small villages; St Albans and the county town, Hertford are the only large towns on the route...
passes on the west side of the village.
Public transport to/from the village comprises an infrequent bus service (to Hemel Hempstead & to Berkhamsted) of five return trips a day. The nearest rail link is at Berkhamsted station, 2 miles distant.
Following his retirement from professional cricket Fred Titmus
Fred Titmus
Frederick John Titmus MBE was an English cricketer, whose first-class career spanned five decades. Although he was best known for his off spin , he was an accomplished lower-order batsman who deserved to be called an all-rounder, even opening the batting for England on six occasions...
and his wife Stephanie ran the post office and newsagent's shop in the village for 20 years. Subsequently this facility transferred to the village shop but following a review by the Post Office, the sub post office counter was removed in 2006 despite a strenuous campaign to save it by the village and local MP.
Open Day
Every two years on the last Sunday in June, the village hosts an Open Day, with special outdoor events and a number of private gardens open to the public. The last such event was held on 26 June 2011.Places of Worship
The Anglican church of Holy Trinity was consecrated in 1868 and for its first thirty years operated as a Chapel of Ease to Berkhamsted St. Peter, before becoming the church of the newly created ecclesiastical parish of Potten End. In recent years the church has reformed links with St. Peter as part of the Berkhamsted Team Ministry. The parish lies within the Church of England Diocese of St. Albans. The church has a graveyard within its boundaries and in 2006 an additional Parish Burial Ground was consecrated on an area of land down Hempstead Lane. The monthly church newsletter is delivered to every household in the village and includes local news and articles, council reports and historical items from the 'Potten End Archivist'.A small baptist chapel (with small graveyard) also existed. This was on a site set back from the general frontage of properties on The Front. The chapel was closed and the building sold in 1997 and is now a private residence.