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Elstree is a large village in the
Hertsmere Hertsmere is a local government district and borough in Hertfordshire, England. Its council is based in Borehamwood. Other settlements in the borough include Bushey, Elstree, Radlett and Potters Bar. The borough borders the three north London ...
borough of
Hertfordshire Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is one of the home counties in southern England. It borders Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire to the north, Essex to the east, Greater London to the south, and Buckinghamshire to the west. For govern ...
, England. It is about northwest of central London on the former A5 road, that follows the course of
Watling Street Watling Street is a historic route in England that crosses the River Thames at London and which was used in Classical Antiquity, Late Antiquity, and throughout the Middle Ages. It was used by the ancient Britons and paved as one of the main R ...
. In 2011, its population was 5,110. It forms part of the
civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authority ...
of
Elstree and Borehamwood Elstree and Borehamwood is a civil parish in the Hertsmere district, in Hertfordshire, England. Located approximately northwest of central London and adjacent to the Greater London boundary, it is an urbanised parish with suburban residential ...
, originally known simply as Elstree. The village often lends its shorter name to businesses and amenities in the adjacent town of
Borehamwood Borehamwood (, historically also Boreham Wood) is a town in southern Hertfordshire, England, from Charing Cross. Borehamwood has a population of 31,074, and is within the London commuter belt. The town's film and TV studios are commonly known ...
, and the names of Elstree and Borehamwood are used interchangeably. Elstree is perhaps best known for multiple Elstree Film Studio complexes, where many films were made, including
BBC Elstree Centre The BBC Elstree Centre, sometimes referred to as the BBC Elstree Studios, is a television production facility, currently owned by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The complex is located between Eldon Avenue and Clarendon Road in Boreh ...
, where the TV soap opera ''
EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a Television in the United Kingdom, British soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the Ea ...
'' is shot. This production centre is actually in Borehamwood. The local newspaper is the ''Borehamwood and Elstree Times''. Together with Borehamwood, the village is twinned with
Offenburg Offenburg ("open borough" - coat of arms showing open gates; Low Alemannic German, Low Alemmanic: ''Offäburg'') is a city located in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. With nearly 60,000 inhabitants (2019), it is the largest city and the ad ...
in Germany,
Fontenay-aux-Roses Fontenay-aux-Roses () is a Communes of France, commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre Zero, center of Paris. In 1880 a girls school École Normale Supérieure was opened in the town. It was one of ...
in France, and
Huainan Huainan () is a prefecture-level city with 3,033,528 inhabitants as of the 2020 census in north-central Anhui province, China. It is named for the Han-era Principality of Huainan. It borders the provincial capital of Hefei to the south, Lu'an ...
in China.


Transport


Elstree and Borehamwood railway station

Elstree & Borehamwood railway station Elstree & Borehamwood railway station is a railway station in the town of Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England. It primarily serves Borehamwood as well as the nearby village of Elstree, to the south-west. The station is situated on the Midland ...
is on the Thameslink line between
London St Pancras St Pancras railway station (), also known as London St Pancras or St Pancras International and officially since 2007 as London St Pancras International, is a central London railway terminus on Euston Road in the London Borough of Camden. It is ...
and
Bedford Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population of the Bedford built-up area (including Biddenham and Kempston) was 106,940, making it the second-largest settlement in Bedfordshire, behind Luton, whilst ...
. It was built by the
Midland Railway The Midland Railway (MR) was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844. The Midland was one of the largest railway companies in Britain in the early 20th century, and the largest employer in Derby, where it had its headquarters. It am ...
in 1868, and is located just north of the Elstree Tunnels. The area of Borehamwood to the west of the railway line, formally
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 separ ...
, is colloquially called ''Elstree'' even though it is not contiguous with the village. Elstree South Underground station was due to be an extension of the
Northern line The Northern line is a London Underground line that runs from North London to South London. It is printed in black on the Tube map. The Northern line is unique on the Underground network in having two different routes through central London, two ...
, planned in the 1930s, but never completed.


Road links

The old
A5 road A5 Road may refer to: ;Africa *A5 highway (Nigeria), a road connecting Lagos and Ibadan * A5 road (Zimbabwe), a road connecting Harare and Francistown ;Americas * Quebec Autoroute 5, a road in Quebec, Canada * County Route A5 (California) or Bowm ...
(
Watling Street Watling Street is a historic route in England that crosses the River Thames at London and which was used in Classical Antiquity, Late Antiquity, and throughout the Middle Ages. It was used by the ancient Britons and paved as one of the main R ...
) goes through Elstree village, where it is designated as the
A5183 road Watling Street is a historic route in England that crosses the River Thames at London and which was used in Classical Antiquity, Late Antiquity, and throughout the Middle Ages. It was used by the ancient Britons and paved as one of the main R ...
. Through the village, the road is called (from south to north) Elstree Hill South, 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 is an English preparatory school for children aged 3–13 at Woolhampton House in Woolhampton, near Newbury in the English county of Berkshire. The school has announced plans to become fully co-educational from September 2020. H ...
(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 Aerodrome London Elstree Aerodrome is an operational general aviation aerodrome located in Elstree, situated east of Watford, Hertfordshire, England. Elstree Aerodrome has Civil Aviation Authority Ordinary Licence P486, which allows flights for the pu ...
is licensed by the CAA and has a paved runway, suitable most for light aircraft and turbine powered G A aircraft. It also is one of the main helicopter centres for North London and is extending its provision in this area. In the early 1930s 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 or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, and
Wellington Bomber The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engined, long-range medium bomber. It was designed during the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey. Led by Vickers-Armstrongs' chief designer Rex Pierson; a key feature of the aircraft is its ...
s were modified here. After World War II the airfield was initially used to fly in converted Halifaxes stacked with food supplies to supplement the depleted British stocks; however, after an overloaded plane damaged the runway it was no longer used for this purpose. On 29 November 1975, retired F1 race car driver and
Embassy Hill Embassy Racing With Graham Hill, commonly abbreviated to Embassy Hill, was a short-lived Formula One team started by two-time Formula One World Champion Graham Hill. The team debuted in with a customer Shadow DN1 car, and began racing as a cons ...
car owner
Graham Hill Norman Graham Hill (15 February 1929 – 29 November 1975) was a British racing driver and team owner, who was the Formula One World Champion twice, winning in and as well as being runner up on three occasions (1963, 1964 and 1965). Despite ...
and his racing driver
Tony Brise Anthony William Brise (28 March 1952 – 29 November 1975) was an English racing driver, who took part in ten Formula One Grand Prix events in 1975, before dying in a plane crash with Graham Hill. Early life Brise was born in Erith, Kent, t ...
were piloting a twin-engine six-seat
Piper PA-23 The Piper PA-23, named Apache and later Aztec, is an American four- to six-seat twin-engined light aircraft aimed at the general-aviation market. The United States Navy and military forces in other countries also used it in small numbers. Origin ...
-250 Aztec (N6645Y) from France to London with four additional team members aboard. All six were killed when it crashed and burned in heavy fog on Arkley Golf Course, short of the runway.


London Transport works

London Transport's
Aldenham 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 in Aldenham. In its heyday, 50 buses a week were overhauled there ...
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 Brothers, 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 World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.


Buildings


Grade II listed buildings

Elstree is home to a number of
Grade II listed buildings In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
, including some at Grade II* (particularly important buildings), such as: *Holly Bush public house (15th century) *
Aldenham House Aldenham House is a former country house in Elstree, just south-east of Aldenham village and west of Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, which was the seat of the Gibbs family, who were the Barons Aldenham. The site today accommodates the Hilfie ...
and stable block (c.1672) *''The Leys'', built in 1901 by Scottish architect and designer,
George Henry Walton George Henry Walton (3 June 1867 Glasgow – 10 December 1933 London), was a noted Scottish architect and designer of remarkable diversity. Biography George Walton was born in Glasgow in 1862. He was the youngest of twelve talented children o ...
.


The Manor hotel

The Manor hotel, formerly known as the Edgwarebury Hotel, is located on Barnet Lane. 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 Hammer Film Productions Ltd. is a British film production company based in London. Founded in 1934, the company is best known for a series of Gothic horror and fantasy films made from the mid-1950s until the 1970s. Many of these involve classi ...
classic, ''
The Devil Rides Out ''The Devil Rides Out'' is a 1934 novel by Dennis Wheatley telling a disturbing story of black magic and the occult. The four main characters, the Duke de Richleau, Rex van Ryn, Simon Aron and Richard Eaton, appear in a series of novels by Wh ...
''. Notable guests have included
Peter Sellers Peter Sellers (born Richard Henry Sellers; 8 September 1925 – 24 July 1980) was an English actor and comedian. He first came to prominence performing in the BBC Radio comedy series ''The Goon Show'', featured on a number of hit comic songs ...
,
Tom Cruise Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (born July 3, 1962), known professionally as Tom Cruise, is an American actor and producer. One of the world's highest-paid actors, he has received various accolades, including an Honorary Palme d'Or and three Gol ...
,
John Cleese John Marwood Cleese ( ; born 27 October 1939) is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. Emerging from the Cambridge Footlights in the 1960s, he first achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and ...
and
Stanley Kubrick Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his films, almost all of which are adaptations of nove ...
. It was the country home of armaments manufacturer and First Baronet Sir (Arthur) Trevor Dawson, (1866–1931).Richard Davenport-Hines, 'Dawson, Sir (Arthur) Trevor, first baronet (1866–1931)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 200
accessed 21 September 2011
/ref>


Other buildings

A house in Elstree designed by architect
Edward John May Edward John May (1853–1941) was an English architect. Career E.J. May was the last pupil of Decimus Burton. He then went to the assist Eden Nesfield who was at the time working in partnership with Richard Norman Shaw. He entered the Royal ...
(1853–1941) was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1887. St Nicholas Parish Church was designed by English architect
Philip Charles Hardwick Philip Charles Hardwick (London 1822–1892) was an English architect. Life Philip Charles Hardwick was born in Westminster in London, the son of the architect Philip Hardwick (1792–1870) and grandson of architect Thomas Hardwick (junior) ( ...
.


Schools

Elstree is home to
Aldenham School Aldenham School is a co-educational independent school for pupils aged eleven to eighteen, located between Elstree and the village of Aldenham in Hertfordshire, England. There is also a preparatory school for pupils from the ages of five to ele ...
, and
Haberdashers' Boys' School Haberdashers' Boys' School (also known as Haberdashers', Habs, or Habs Boys), until September 2021 known as Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School, is a public school for pupils age 4 to 18 in Elstree, Hertfordshire, England. The school is a mem ...
, both
independent public schools Independent Public Schools (IPS) refers to an education reform first introduced in Western Australia in 2009 by the Department of Education (Western Australia), state's Department of Education. An independent public school is a State school, state/p ...
(ie. fee-paying),
Haberdashers' School for Girls Haberdashers' Girls' School is an Independent school (United Kingdom), independent day school in Elstree, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as "Habs" (or "Habs Girls" to distinguish it from the neighbouring Haberdashers' Boys' School). The ...
, and St Nicholas Church of England V.A Primary School. Just outside of Elstree, in the neighbouring town of
Borehamwood Borehamwood (, historically also Boreham Wood) is a town in southern Hertfordshire, England, from Charing Cross. Borehamwood has a population of 31,074, and is within the London commuter belt. The town's film and TV studios are commonly known ...
, are lots of schools. There is
Hertswood Academy Hertswood Academy (formerly Hertswood School) is a coeducational secondary school in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire which gained academy status in January 2013. The headteacher is Peter Gillett, who joined Hertswood Academy in January 2013. It was ...
,
Elstree Screen Arts Academy Elstree Screen Arts Academy (formerly Elstree University Technical College) is a university technical college (UTC) located in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, which opened in September 2013. The UTC specialises in behind-the-scenes media p ...
– the vocational school linked with
Elstree Studios Elstree Studios is a generic term which can refer to several current and demolished British film studios and television studios based in or around the town of Borehamwood and village of Elstree in Hertfordshire, England. Production studios ha ...
. There is also a Jewish high school called
Yavneh College, Borehamwood Yavneh College is a co-educational, Jewish, secondary and sixth form school. A comprehensive with five-form entry for ages 11–18 yrs, it is part of the Yavneh College Academy Trust. History When founded, the school was led by headteacher Dr. ...
. Yavneh was set up in 2013 by Dr
Dena Coleman Dena Coleman born Dena Friedman (7 September 1952 – June 2013) was a headteacher. She was a board member of the Jewish National Fund in the United Kingdom and she was founding head of Yavneh College, Borehamwood. Life She was born in Islington, ...
, ex-headteacher of
Hasmonean High School Hasmonean High School is a secondary school and sixth form with academy status for pupils from Orthodox Jewish families, situated in the London Borough of Barnet, England. History The school was founded by the late Rabbi Dr. Solomon Schonfel ...
. Dr Coleman was also a board-member of the
Jewish National Fund Jewish National Fund ( he, קֶרֶן קַיֶּימֶת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, ''Keren Kayemet LeYisrael'', previously , ''Ha Fund HaLeumi'') was founded in 1901 to buy and develop land in Ottoman Syria (later Mandatory Palestine, and subseq ...
. Just before her retirement in 2013, Dr Coleman died of
Meningitis Meningitis is acute or chronic inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, collectively called the meninges. The most common symptoms are fever, headache, and neck stiffness. Other symptoms include confusion or ...
. Now, Yavneh College is headed up by Mr Spencer Lewis, ex-head teacher of
King Solomon High School King Solomon High School is a Modern Orthodox Judaism comprehensive school located in Barkingside, Greater London, England. It was opened in 1993 by its first headmaster, Mr Alastair Falk. In March 2007, it was announced that Spencer Lewis wo ...
. Recently, the Yavneh Schools governors opened a primary school on the Hillside Avenue campuses.


Earlier schools

Since the 1780s, a private school has been located in Elstree.Donald P. Leinster-Mackay, ''The rise of the English prep school'', Publisher: Taylor & Francis, 1984, , , 398 pages.
page 28
Elstree School Elstree School is an English preparatory school for children aged 3–13 at Woolhampton House in Woolhampton, near Newbury in the English county of Berkshire. The school has announced plans to become fully co-educational from September 2020. H ...
, a boys' preparatory school, was located in Elstree from 1848 until 1938 before moving to
Woolhampton Woolhampton is a village and civil parish in West Berkshire, England. The village straddles the Bath road between the towns of Reading, to the east, and Newbury, to the west. Geography The village homes are clustered on the northern side of ...
, Berkshire before the outbreak of the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. Hillside School was located in Elstree between 1874 and 1886, before eventually becoming
Dorset House School Dorset House School is a co-educational preparatory school near Pulborough in West Sussex, England. There are 146 pupils, made up of 81 boys and 65 girls, whose ages range from 4yrs to 13yrs. History The school was founded in 1784 as Totteridge ...
in 1905, (not to be confused with Hillside School in nearby Borehamwood.)


Recreation


Sport

Elstree Cricket Club was formed in 1878, but no longer play 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. Hatch End Cricket Club also play in Elstree. They participate in the Herts Saracens League.


Leisure

Section 15 of the
London Outer Orbital Path The London Outer Orbital Path — more usually the "London LOOP" — is a 150-mile (242 km) signed walk along public footpaths, and through parks, woods and fields around the edge of Outer London, England, described as "the M2 ...
(London Loop) goes through Elstree,London Loop: Section 15 Hatch End to Elstree" route details, at Transport for London Website. Retrieved 22 September 2011
/ref> before continuing as Section 16, a 10-mile (16 km) walk from Elstree to Cockfosters.


Synagogues

Elstree was home to Ohr Yisrael Synagogue, an Orthodox synagogue with affiliation to the
Federation of Synagogues The Federation of Synagogues is a British Jewish organisation with headquarters in Hendon, London. It comprises a network of 19 constituent and seven affiliated communities. As well as looking after its member synagogues , the Federation has a beis ...
. However, the synagogue's present location is just within Borehamwood. The village currently sports two synagogues: The Shtiebel, an ultra-orthodox synagogue, and The Liberal Synagogue Elstree, just south of St. Nicholas' Church. According to census data, Elstree's population, including the Deacon's Hill area, was 36.0% Jewish, making it the only settlement with a Jewish plurality in the UK (the Christian population comprised 32.4% of the population). There is also 2
United Synagogue The United Synagogue (US) is a union of United Kingdom, British Orthodox Jewish synagogues, representing the central Orthodox movement in Judaism. With 62 congregations (including 7 affiliates and 1 associate, ), comprising 40,000 members, it ...
shuls in the area. One is on Croxdale road and the other is at
Yavneh College, Borehamwood Yavneh College is a co-educational, Jewish, secondary and sixth form school. A comprehensive with five-form entry for ages 11–18 yrs, it is part of the Yavneh College Academy Trust. History When founded, the school was led by headteacher Dr. ...
.


Parks

Aldenham Country Park Aldenham Country Park is a parkland and woodland, including Aldenham Reservoir. It is now part of the Watling Chase Community Forest, near Elstree, Hertfordshire, England. Aldenham Reservoir was excavated by French prisoners of war in 1795 to h ...
is both a recreational facility and a breeding centre for rare livestock. Section 15 of the
London Loop The London Outer Orbital Path — more usually the "London LOOP" — is a 150-mile (242 km) signed walk along public footpaths, and through parks, woods and fields around the edge of Outer London, England, described as "the M25 ...
walk passes by. In 1873 nearby Tykes Water stream was dammed to create Tykes Water lake. Tykes Water Bridge features in the open credits to the
Peter Cushing Peter Wilton Cushing (26 May 1913 – 11 August 1994) was an English actor. His acting career spanned over six decades and included appearances in more than 100 films, as well as many television, stage, and radio roles. He achieved recognition ...
and
Christopher Lee Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee (27 May 1922 – 7 June 2015) was an English actor and singer. In a long career spanning more than 60 years, Lee often portrayed villains, and appeared as Count Dracula in seven Hammer Horror films, ultimat ...
film, ''
Dracula A.D. 1972 ''Dracula A.D. 1972'' is a 1972 British horror film, directed by Alan Gibson and produced by Hammer Film Productions. It was written by Don Houghton and stars Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and Stephanie Beacham. Unlike earlier films in Hammer ...
'', and used in several episodes of the Diana Rigg and Linda Thorson seasons of ''The Avengers'', including the final Thorson opening titles. It also features in the film ''
Mosquito Squadron ''Mosquito Squadron'' is a 1969 British war film made by Oakmont Productions, directed by Boris Sagal and starring David McCallum. The raid echoes Operation Jericho, a combined RAF–Maquis raid which freed French prisoners from Amiens jail in ...
''.


Elstree Reservoir

The dam was built in 1795 by French prisoners of war. English watercolour landscape painter
John Hassell John Hassell (c. 1767 – 1825) was an English watercolour landscape painter, engraver, illustrator, writer, publisher and drawing-master. He wrote a biography of fellow artist George Morland. Hassell first appeared as an exhibitor at the ...
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 sheet 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 The Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain, commonly known as the Royal Photographic Society (RPS), is one of the world's oldest photographic societies. It was founded in London, England, in 1853 as the Photographic Society of London with ...
featured an exhibition of photos of Elstree Reservoir by Edgar Clifton. During
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, then Major
Keith Caldwell Air Commodore Keith Logan "Grid" Caldwell CBE, MC, DFC & Bar (16 October 1895 – 28 November 1980) 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 ...
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


History


Etymology

The name "Elstree" derives from the
Anglo-Saxon The Anglo-Saxons were a Cultural identity, cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo- ...
phrase for "Tidwulf's Tree", which is mentioned as ''"Tidulfres treow" '' in an 11–12th-century manuscript of an A.D. 786 charter. It is thought that "the "T" aslost in the wrong division of '''aet Tidwulfes treo''' ("at Tidwulf's Tree")." A reference to a place in Hertford as "Ilestre" in 1460 may also be a variation. In 1723,
topographer Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the land forms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps. Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary scie ...
John Norden John Norden (1625) was an English cartographer, chorographer and antiquary. He planned (but did not complete) a series of county maps and accompanying county histories of England, the '' Speculum Britanniae''. He was also a prolific writer ...
noted in his book ''
Speculum Britanniae ''Speculum Britanniae'' ("Mirror of Britain"), published in London from 1593, was a projected, but unfinished, chorography of Britain by John Norden (1548—1625).S.G. Mendyk, ''Speculum Britanniae: regional study, antiquarianism, and science in B ...
'', that in the county of Hartfordshire 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'' () is a novel by Daniel Defoe, first published on 25 April 1719. The first edition credited the work's protagonist Robinson Crusoe as its author, leading many readers to believe he was a real person and the book a tra ...
'' author,
Daniel Defoe Daniel Defoe (; born Daniel Foe; – 24 April 1731) was an English writer, trader, journalist, pamphleteer and spy. He is most famous for his novel ''Robinson Crusoe'', published in 1719, which is claimed to be second only to the Bible in its ...
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 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-street, upon which it is situated?"


5th century: Battle of Ailestreu (Elstree)

In the 5th century,
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
warlord
Vortigern Vortigern (; owl, Guorthigirn, ; cy, Gwrtheyrn; ang, Wyrtgeorn; Old Breton: ''Gurdiern'', ''Gurthiern''; gle, Foirtchern; la, Vortigernus, , , etc.), also spelled Vortiger, Vortigan, Voertigern and Vortigen, was a 5th-century warlord in ...
and his two sons,
Vortimer Vortimer (Old Welsh Guorthemir, cy, Gwerthefyr), also known as Saint Vortimer ( cy, Gwerthefyr Fendigaid,  "Vortimer the Blessed"), is a figure in Matter of Britain, British tradition, a son of the 5th-century Britons (historical), Britonni ...
and
Catigern Catigern ( cy, Cadeyrn Fendigaid) 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 differ ...
, took part in the Battle of Elstree, then called the Battle of Ailestreu, where the Saxon
Horsa Hengist and Horsa are Germanic peoples, Germanic brothers said to have led the Angles, Saxons and Jutes in their invasion of Great Britain, Britain in the 5th century. Tradition lists Hengist as the first of the Jutish kings of Kingdom of Kent ...
was killed. It's possible there is confusion with the
Battle of Aylesbury The Battle of Aylesbury was an engagement which took place on 1 November 1642, when Royalist forces, under the command of Prince Rupert, fought Aylesbury's Parliamentarian garrison at Holman's Bridge a few miles to the north of Aylesbury. Th ...
. George Moberly writes: :"
Nennius Nennius – or Nemnius or Nemnivus – 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 ...
, MHB p. 69, calls the place of battle where
Hors Khors, Хорсъ is a Slavic god of uncertain functions mentioned since the 12th century. Generally interpreted as a sun god, sometimes as a moon god. The meaning of the theonym is also unknown: most often his name has been combined with th ...
fell Episford; Britannicè 'Sathenegabail' = the Saxon battle. The Saxon Chronicle, ad a. 455, calls it Ægæles-threp, and
Henry of Huntingdon Henry of Huntingdon ( la, Henricus Huntindoniensis; 1088 – AD 1157), the son of a canon in the diocese of Lincoln, was a 12th-century English historian and the author of ''Historia Anglorum'' (Medieval Latin for "History of the English"), ...
, M.H.B. p. 708, Ailestreu. This would naturally be Elstree, of which name there is a place in Herts; but Beda's description of its situation has caused it rather to be referred to
Aylesford Aylesford is a village and civil parish on the River Medway in Kent, England, northwest of Maidstone. Originally a small riverside settlement, the old village comprises around 60 houses, many of which were formerly shops. Two pubs, a village s ...
in Kent, near which is a small village called Horsted."


16th–18th centuries

The Manor of Elstree was formerly included in the Manor of Parkbury, and belonged to the Abbey of St. Albans. On the Dissolution of the Monasteries, it was granted by
Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
, to
Anthony Denny Sir Anthony Denny (16 January 1501 – 10 September 1549) was Groom of the Stool to King Henry VIII of England, thus his closest courtier and confidant. He was the most prominent member of the Privy chamber in King Henry's last years, having ...
(1501–1549).Daniel Lysons, ''The Environs of London: Counties of Herts, Essex & Kent. Volume 4 of The Environs of London: Being an Historical Account of the Towns, Villages and Hamlets, Within Twelve Miles of that Capital'', Publisher T. Cadell, 1796
page 25
In 1607, Anthony Denny's grandson Edward Denny sold part of the estate, with all manorial rights, to Robert Briscoe, who sold it the same year to Sir Baptist Hicks. Part of the estate became the Manor of Boreham, and was sold to Edward Beauchamp. It remained with the Beauchamp-Proctor family until 1748, when it was sold to
James West James or Jim West may refer to: People * James West (Australian journalist) (born 1982), Australian journalist and author * James West (antiquary) (1703–1772), English politician and antiquary; president of the Royal Society * James E. West (po ...
, M.P. for St. Albans, who, in or about 1751, alienated it to a Mr Gulston of Widdial. Gulston then sold it to a Mr Pigfatt, a gunsmith, who, within a few years, conveyed it to Thomas Jemmet. In 1774 it was purchased from Mr Jemmet by the late George Byng, M.P. for Middlesex, who passed it on to his son, by which time the 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 County of Hertford." In 1796 topographer Daniel Lysons writes: :"The parish of Elstree contains about 3,000 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 £151 11s 0d to the land-tax, which is raised by a rate of about 1s 9d in the pound".


Murders


Martha Ray murder

In 1779,
Martha Ray Martha Ray (1746 – 7 April 1779) 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 ...
(c. 1742–1779), singer and mistress of
John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, PC, FRS (13 November 1718 – 30 April 1792) 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. During his life ...
, was buried in the parish church (illustrated, right) after she had been shot dead by the Rev.
James Hackman James Hackman (baptized 13 December 1752, hanged 19 April 1779), briefly Rector of Wiveton in Norfolk, was the man who murdered Martha Ray, singer and mistress of John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich. Rawlings, Philip, ''Hackman, James (bap. 1752, ...
,
Rector Rector (Latin for the member of a vessel's crew who steers) may refer to: Style or title *Rector (ecclesiastical), a cleric who functions as an administrative leader in some Christian denominations *Rector (academia), a senior official in an edu ...
of
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. The larger village of Blaken ...
in Norfolk.


The Elstree murder of William Weare

In 1823 Elstree became notorious for the Elstree murder of William Weare, killed in Radlett and the body disposed of in a pond in Elstree by
John Thurtell John Thurtell (21 December 1794 – 9 January 1824) was an English sports promoter, amateur boxer, Royal Marine officer and convicted murderer. Early life Thurtell was the eldest son of Thomas Thurtell, who later served as Mayor of Norwich in 182 ...
. The incident was recalled by
Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...
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. He was likewise buried (funeral depicted) at the Parish Church.


The Elstree murder of Eliza Ebborn

On 17 August 1882, Eliza Ebborn of
Watford Watford () is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, 15 miles northwest of Central London, on the River Colne. Initially a small market town, the Grand Junction Canal encouraged the construction of paper-making mills, print works, a ...
was murdered by 24-year-old
shoemaker Shoemaking is the process of making footwear. Originally, shoes were made one at a time by hand, often by groups of shoemakers, or cobblers (also known as '' cordwainers''). In the 18th century, dozens or even hundreds of masters, journeymen ...
George Stratton, who was subsequently sentenced to death. She was buried at Elstree Parish Church.


Administrative districts

Elstree used to be divided between the counties of Hertfordshire and
Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, historic county in South East England, southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the Ceremonial counties of ...
. The north part (which included the parish of Elstree) lay in the
Hundred 100 or one hundred (Roman numeral: C) is the natural number following 99 and preceding 101. In medieval contexts, it may be described as the short hundred or five score in order to differentiate the English and Germanic use of "hundred" to de ...
of Cashio, also known as the
Liberty of St Albans The Liberty of St Albans (also known as the ''Hundred of Albanestou'' or ''Cashio'') 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 lat ...
, while the south part lay in the Hundred of
Gore Gore may refer to: Places Australia * Gore, Queensland * Gore Creek (New South Wales) * Gore Island (Queensland) Canada * Gore, Nova Scotia, a rural community * Gore, Quebec, a township municipality * Gore Bay, Ontario, a township on Manitouli ...
. The county boundary ran along the road from Watford to Barnet, now called Barnet Lane.


Elstree Rural District

From 1941 to 1974,
Elstree Rural District Elstree Rural District (until 1941 called Barnet Rural District) was a rural district in Hertfordshire, England from 1894 to 1974. Creation The district had its origins in the Barnet Rural Sanitary District, which had been created in 1872, cove ...
was the local government area, before being abolished and merged with
Hertsmere Hertsmere is a local government district and borough in Hertfordshire, England. Its council is based in Borehamwood. Other settlements in the borough include Bushey, Elstree, Radlett and Potters Bar. The borough borders the three north London ...
. On 20 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
Elstree Golf & Country Club
website. Retrieved 20 September 2011


References in the media

* Elstree is replicated as a part of one of three maps is based in the game ''
Urban Dead ''Urban Dead'' is a free-to-play HTML/text-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game created by British developer Kevan Davis. Set in a quarantined region of the fictional city of Malton, it deals with the aftermath of a zombie outbre ...
''. The "
Borehamwood Borehamwood (, historically also Boreham Wood) is a town in southern Hertfordshire, England, from Charing Cross. Borehamwood has a population of 31,074, and is within the London commuter belt. The town's film and TV studios are commonly known ...
" map was released as part of the promotional campaign for the release of British writer Charlie Brooker's
Dead Set ''Dead Set'' is a British zombie horror miniseries written and created by Charlie Brooker and directed by Yann Demange. The show takes place primarily on the set of a fictional series of the real television show '' Big Brother''. The five epi ...
. * "
Elstree Elstree is a large village in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire, England. It is about northwest of central London on the former A5 road, that follows the course of Watling Street. In 2011, its population was 5,110. It forms part of the ...
" is also the title of a song about the film studio by
the Buggles The Buggles were an English new wave band formed in London in 1977 by singer and bassist Trevor Horn and keyboardist Geoff Downes. They are best known for their 1979 debut single "Video Killed the Radio Star", which topped the UK Singles Chart ...
on their 1979 album ''
The Age of Plastic ''The Age of Plastic'' is the debut album by the English new wave duo the Buggles, released on 10 January 1980 on Island Records. It is a concept album about the possible repercussions of modern technology. The title was conceived from the gr ...
''.
St. Nicholas Church
Elstree featured in an investigation of paranormal investigation.


Notable residents


References


Bibliography


Books

* Richard Riding and Grant Peerless, ''Elstree Aerodrome: The Past in Pictures'', The History Press Ltd (26 November 2003), , , 192 pages. * Robert Bard, ''Elstree and Borehamwood Past'', Publisher: Phillimore & Company, Limited, 2006, , , 128 pages * Stephen A. Castle, William Brooks, ''The Book of Elstree & Boreham Wood'', Publisher: Barracuda Press, 1988, , , 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 Lionel Leventhal is a British publisher of books on military history and related topics, whose eponymous company was established in 1967. History After working in a bookshop (1954–1956), Leventhal joined the publishing company of Herbert Jenk ...
, 1974, , , 47 pages. * Paul Welsh, ''Elstree and Borehamwood in Old Picture Postcards'', , , 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. , . 72 pages. * William Hawtayne, ''A sermon preach'd at Elstree in Hertfordshire, on the twentieth of January 1714''. Mr. Hawtayne's thanksgiving-sermon on 20 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. , . * ''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, , , 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 September 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 September 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 September 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
Elstree and Borehamwood Residents Association (EBRA)
{{authority control Villages in Hertfordshire Hertsmere