www.knightfrank.com Tel: 01442 861610 01442 Tel: BERKHAMSTED 136 High Street, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire HP4 3LT 3LT HP4 Hertfordshire Berkhamsted, Street, High 136 Published with the support of Knight Frank Knight of support the with Published A SHORT GUIDED TOUR OF TOUR GUIDED SHORT A ..................................................................................................... queries. any have you Centre, and the Town Clerk would be happy to help if if help to happy be would Clerk Town the and Centre, Berkhamsted Town Council has its offi ces in the Civic Civic the in ces offi its has Council Town Berkhamsted • St. Peter’s Church Guide Church Peter’s St. • • The Graham Greene Trail Greene Graham The • Leaflets history of our our of www.berkhamsted.gov.uk glimpse glimpse © Reprinted in 2009 by Rosewood Publishing Ltd Publishing Rosewood by 2009 in Reprinted © Compiled by John Cook Published by Berkhamsted Town Council Town Berkhamsted by Published Cook John by Compiled A A Email: [email protected] Email: Tel: 01442 228945 Fax: 01442 877910 01442 Fax: 228945 01442 Tel: Berkhamsted, Herts HP4 3HD. HP4 Herts Berkhamsted, The Civic Centre, 161 High Street, Street, High 161 Centre, Civic The Berkhamsted Town Council Town Berkhamsted Contact details Contact The buildings on the south have side of the High Street side-on. been shown Map showing location of blue plaques showing Map No. 1 The London and No. 3 The Grand Junction Canal Birmingham Railway Now called the Grand Union Canal, it was opened through Berkhamsted in 1798. It soon became the main route for goods Berkhamsted is a lively between the The world’s fi rst inter-city railway was built through manufacturing towns of town set in a valley of the Berkhamsted in 1837. Its route closely follows the the West Midlands and London, and a principal transport artery Chiltern Hills, with a history Grand Union Canal through the town and across of the Industrial Revolution. the Chiltern Hills beyond. The engineer was The canal system of England was inspired by the 3rd Duke of going back beyond Saxon Robert Stephenson, son of George Bridgewater, the ‘Father of Inland Navigation’, who lived in nearby Stephenson, the pioneer of railways. The Ashridge. During the 20th century wide boats were built here times. Its claims to fame present station was built in 1875 when more and launched sideways into the canal. Berkhamsted is still a include strong royal, tracks were added, and the buildings have gateway to 2,000 miles of inland waterway. some fi ne polychrome brickwork. The canal climbs steeply through the town and there are six literary and teaching locks in Berkhamsted. connections. No. 4 The Crystal Palace There are three canalside pubs in Berkhamsted, of which the Crystal This short walk, which starts and ends at Palace is one. Originally the railway station, takes you through the No. 2 Berkhamsted Castle it had a glazed front, heart of the town. The Castle was built following the granting of inspired by Joseph Paxton’s the English crown to William the Conqueror Great Exhibition building of 1851. Paxton’s nephew by the Saxon chiefs here in Berkhamsted in William was Lord Brownlow’s agent and lived nearby. Although it cannot cover all places worth 1066. Its walls and buildings were fi rst made The pub’s gable has fi ne original carved bargeboards. visiting or describing, we hope it will provide of wood, but later rebuilt in the local materials of fl int and hard chalk. No. 5 The Berkhamsted a fl avour of the town and spur you on to Nearly all the walls and buildings have Totem Pole explore more of Berkhamsted, its historic disappeared over the centuries, but the A genuine Canadian totem pole – a gift to John impressive earthworks – and the moats dug Alsford when he owned the timber yard that stood waterway and its surrounding countryside. by hand out of the fl inty soil – remain. on this site. It has four faces and the carving is full of All kinds of historic events have taken symbolism. place here. Famous people associated with Most of the buildings referred to have blue the Castle include Geoffrey Chaucer, who was No. 6 The Boote plaques with numbers that correspond with those Clerk of Works, and Thomas Becket, the The Boote bears the date 1605 and is a typical oak Constable of the Castle in the 12th century. framed building of its time. It was one of at least six against the entries in this leafl et. Nos 1-32 It was the favourite home of the Black Prince, pubs which existed in Castle who honeymooned here with the Fair Maid of Kent. A visitor Street at one time. room is open during the summer months. Historically Castle Street was the second most For further information about The castle is open every day except important thoroughfare in the Berkhamsted please see back page. Christmas Day and New Year’s Day town. Before the railway came admission is free. it linked the High Street directly to the Castle. Heritage Leaflet - almost final.indd 2 22/4/09 10:47:50 Heritage Leaflet - almost final.indd 3 final.indd almost - Leaflet Heritage 22/4/09 10:47:54 22/4/09 No. 7 The Gardener’s No. 16 Graham No. 25 William Cowper’s School Arms Greene’s All along the High Street the original façades of the old houses One of a pair of mid-19th century Birthplace can be seen above the modern shop fronts. Here a single shop houses originally built as ale houses 200 metres up Chesham Road has been made from three houses, the middle one of which but fi rst used as shops. Henry Nash, is St. John’s, a boarding house of dates from the early 18th century – William Cowper went to a local historian and benefactor lived Berkhamsted School. The writer school here. here. Graham Greene was born here Nash had a strong interest in education and helped establish in 1904 when his father was No. 26 The Town Hall Berkhamsted School for Girls as well as Berkhamsted Mechanics’ housemaster. Greene made many references to Berkhamsted in This building was designed in the Gothic style by the eccentric Institute, early meetings of which were held in this house. his writing. Victorian architect Edward Buckton Lamb. His initials and the Between Chapel Street and the High Street is an attractive date of the building are on row of old cottages, many of which are listed. No. 17 The Swan the front. The Town Hall At the top of Castle Street is Berkhamsted’s long, straight A 16th century inn, one of three old coaching inns which stand housed the corn High Street. It was a Roman road – Akeman Street – and before side by side in the centre of the town, each with a way through market (the medieval that probably a Belgic track, so it has been used for at least 2,000 to a yard behind. The Swan is now ‘dry’ and provides a meeting market hall having been years. place and sheltered accommodation for young people. destroyed in a fi re), with a large assembly hall as well No. 8 The Dower No. 18 The King’s Arms as rooms for the Mechanics’ House For two centuries the King’s Arms Institute above. A listed house of the early 1800s was the principal inn of the town. with a lovely porch and doorcase, Coaches from London to Aylesbury No. 27 The characteristic of the architectural and the north would stop here Market Square elegance of the pre-Victorian age. to change horses. The exiled King The ancient trading centre of the historic town of Berkhamsted expanded greatly in Louis XVIII of France, a frequent Berkhamsted was the 19th century. Between Manor Street and Ravens Lane is a caller, became especially fond of the the Market House. handsome terrace of Victorian cottages designed as an landlord’s daughter, Polly Page. It stood in the road architectural entity, with interesting James Snook, a highwayman, was an near this spot for brickwork details and terracotta ostler here. He was hanged for his some 250 years features on the roof all intact. crimes on Boxmoor in 1802 where s memorial stone can still be before being burnt The walk crosses the road and found. The arms on the sign are not in fact those of any king but down in 1854. returns on the other side. of Queen Anne. No. 9 The Poplars 173 High Street contains parts of what is thought to be No. 28 ‘Grab-All Row’ One of a number of substantial 19th century middle-class houses the earliest known jettied urban building in the country. Its oldest The attractive row of shops along this part of the High Street along the High Street, only a timbers date from the 13th century. At fi rst thought to have was built in the old market square and acquired the name of few of which have remained as been a shop, it is now believed to be a three-bay cross wing to an Grab-All Row. The vine is ancient, dating from early in the 19th residences. It takes its name from aisled hall. century. At the time Berkhamsted had a fl ourishing trade in the tall Lombardy poplar trees, which cultivation of vines, and vine-growing in Berkhamsted was used to line this part of the High No. 19 179 High Street mentioned in the Domesday Book. Street. The actor Sir Michael This building dates from the 1920s and Hordern was born here in 1911.