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Other local walks
and cycle rides
CMS offers a wide range of guided walks and activities in Hertfordshire
which are listed in their six monthly publication Walks & More. Each
event is led by someone familiar with the area and who can help you
get the most out of your countryside.
Walks & More is available from the Orchard Tea Room at Shenley
Park or from your local Hertfordshire library. Alternatively look at
www.hertsdirect.org/whatson.
Shenley Local History
Shenley stands on a ridge some 400 feet above sea level, on the
highest plateau in Hertfordshire. The site has been settled for
centuries. Its name is derived from the Saxon ‘Schoenley’ which
means ‘ fair clearing in the forest’.
Roman roads improved access to the area, and the supply of water
from the River Colne ensured that the settlement continued to grow. It
appears in the Domesday book of 1086 as Scenlai.
The village lies on the old pilgrims’ route from London to St Albans,
through which Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon would have passed
through on their way to Tyttenhanger further north.
Parish records for Shenley survive from 1622, just after the Pilgrim
fathers sailed to America. The village, conveniently close to London,
grew in the eighteenth century as prosperous London merchants,
nobles and gentry made their homes in the area. The population
gradually increased as the large houses hired servants, gardeners and
other staff. Agriculture was also important, supplying these estates,
and the markets of London.
Further Reading:
Shenley by Joyce Boswell (1984, Barracuda Books)
The Hertfordshire Cycle Loops leaflet shows 4 popular waymarked
routes including one around Shenley. Call CMS on 01727 848168 for
further details.
The 2000 years down the track "Timberland Trail" is a
17km/10.5mile route between Borehamwood and St Albans. Look
out for the Information Boards in Shenley Park car park and in the
Orchard Tea Room.
The
Shenley
Walks
The Shenley Village Society lead a walk round Shenley on the first
Sunday of each month. For details see the monthly St. Martins Shenley
Parish News.
Shenley Park. Leaflets about the Park are available from the Orchard
Tea Room or can be downloaded from the www.shenleypark.co.uk.
The Park also has a range of activities and events on throughout the
year. Details can be found on the website or you can pick up a flier
from the Orchard Tea Rooms.
Shenley Parish Council through their SPACE Committee in partnership
with CMS, Shenley Park Trust and other local groups and individuals
arrange a number of environmental tasks in the Parish throughout the
year. Volunteers most welcome. Visit the Parish website for details
www.shenleyvillage.org.uk
Aldenham Country Park, situated on Shenley’s doorstep, has facilities
for all the family and a number of waymarked trails. For more
information call 020 8 953 9602.
SHENLEY PARK is managed by the Shenley Park Trust, an independent
charity (No. 803520) dedicated to managing a 45 acre Park within the
former grounds of Shenley Hospital for community benefit. Full details
of all events and activities in the Park on www.shenleypark.co.uk
Tel: 01923 852629. E-mail admin@shenleypark.co.uk.
Welcome to the Shenley Walks
There are four circular waymarked walks through Shenley Park.
Toilets and refreshments are available at the Orchard Tea Room –
opening times 8am to 6pm(summer) 8am to 5pm (winter). There are
several shops and pubs in Shenley Village.
COUNTRYSIDE MANAGEMENT SERVICE (CMS) The Countryside
Management Service work with communities across Hertfordshire to
help them care for and enjoy the environment. www.hertsdirect.org/cms.
WATLING CHASE COMMUNITY FOREST Watling Chase Community
Forest is a long term initiative to improve the countryside around the
towns of south Hertfordshire and north London Call the Countryside
Management Service for more information on 01727 848168.
The Ordnance Survey data included within this publication is provided by Hertfordshire
County Council under licence from the Ordnance Survey in order to increase
opportunities for informal recreation in Hertfordshire. Persons viewing this mapping
should contact Ordnance Survey copyright for advice should they wish to licence
Ordnance Survey data for their own use.
This reprint has been kindly financed by:
Shenley Park Trust
Shenley Parish Council
Watling Chase Community Forest
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Before You Start
8
Each Walk is waymarked by circular red discs
displaying the relevant walk number.
The former Shenley Hospital Water tower (now
Shenley Tower) dominates the landscape and is a
useful orientation point and ‘homing beacon’ for many
a local resident.
If you come across broken signs, vandalism or any other problems
please contact the Shenley Park Office or the CMS on one of the
numbers listed at the end of the leaflet.
NUMBERS BY THE TEXT BELOW ARE LOCATED ON THE MAP
Walk 2 Woodhall Farm
Walk is 4.5Km Long (3 Miles) - Duration 1.5 hours
Walk 1 Shenley Park Loop
Walk is 2.6km long (1.5miles) – Duration 45 minutes
1
2
Shenley Ridge is capped by glacial gravel through which springs
emerge. A large pond, fed by one such spring, existed at this point
for over a century. It was however filled in for safety reasons when
the Hospital was built. In 1991 a new, but smaller pond was
created on the same spot.
Porters Mansion, a grade II listed building, dominates the summit
of Shenley Ridge and has been a feature of the landscape for
centuries. Two past residents of particular note are Lord Howe of
the Admiralty, and the architect Nicholas Hawksmoor, who is
buried locally. Porters Estate once extended over 1500 acres.
3
Fine views across the vale of St Albans. Note the M25, the Pastoral
Centre, the distinctive tower of Napsbury Hospital and St Albans
Abbey.
4
The origin of the name Cow Banks Wood is uncertain. At the turn
of the century privet shrubs provided cover for pheasants. These
were cleared in the 1930’s, although clumps can still be found.
The area unfortunately became a dumping ground, but nature is
now gradually taking over again.
5
Bordering Black Lion Hill are isolated pockets of park, containing
mature Oak trees, which are maintained as mini nature reserves.
6
Porters Park Estate is built within the grounds of the former
Shenley Hospital, opened by King George V in 1934. The wards
were individual ‘Villas’ and provided a more caring way to look
after the mentally ill. Only Orchard Villa to the south of the Chapel
remains. The closure of the hospital was completed in 1997.
The Apple Orchard was planted in the early 1900’s by Cecil
Raphael who owned Porters Mansion. The Hospital’s Head
Gardener (the late Stan Lord) won many Royal Horticultural
Society Awards for displays of apple from the orchard. With over
100 varieties of apple, the orchard retains an important diversity,
vital as 75% of orchards have been lost in England over the last 25
years. The Orchard is maintained with support of a Countryside
Stewardship grant, and is being progressively replanted to ensure
it’s future.
A gentle walk with excellent panoramic views...
9
Before leaving the Park at South Lodge, note the Cricket Ground,
laid out by W G Grace to the same dimensions as the Oval in
recognition of Mr Raphael’s son who once captained Surrey.
Follow the path up by the wood called “The Gorse” and into
Woodhall Lane. Woodhall Farm is a racehorse breeding centre.
10 To your left you will see a Second World War pill box almost
hidden under ivy. There are a series of pill boxes in the Shenley
area which were once connected by a massive antitank ditch,
forming part of the North London defence system.
The Countryside Code
Please enjoy the countryside and respect its life and work.
Gates and stiles have been provided where footpaths cross
fences or hedges. Please use them. Keep to the footpath when
crossing open farmland. Leave gates as you find them.
Keep away from livestock for their safety as well as yours.
7
The wildflower meadow is only cut once a year to encourage
wildflowers, butterflies and insects. Over 60 species of flowering
plants have been recorded.
Take special care on country roads.
Take all your litter home, guard against fire.
Do not pick wildflowers.
Keep your dog under control.
Walk 3 The Warren
Walk is 5.5km long (3.5 miles) - Duration 2 hours
11 Radlett Lane was built in 1780 by Admiral Richard Lord Howe, the
owner of Porters Mansion. Kitwell’s Brook flows north, joining the
River Colne at Radlett.
12 Woodland trees include Ash, Horse Chestnut and Beech. In
crowded conditions these trees grow quickly to reach the light.
Elder dominates beneath. Dead wood is a valuable habitat for
fungi and insects, which in turn benefits the birds and animals
that feed on them.
13 The pond on your right is home to many water plants, and
provides a source of drinking water for mammals including deer
and birds.
After the “Lone tree” head across the field for the north corner of
the woodland.
Walk 4 Coombe Wood
Walk is 6.5km long (4 miles) - Duration 2 hours
The longest and most demanding of the Walks but one that
circumnavigates Shenley Village and reveals many different views
of the countryside. From a landscape dominated by oak trees and
hedgerows in the south, you cross Shenley Ridge to the more open
countryside towards the Vale of St Albans. The waymarking should
help throughout, particularly where there are cross-field paths.
The following notes will help:At Pursley Farm take the footpath across the farmyard and follow
FP18 along the field edge, continue along the path across the large
field, heading left for Mimms Lane. Cross the Lane with care.
The footpath is now FP21 and you descend from Shenley Ridge
into the gently sloping Vale of St Albans. FP 21 forks to the right
but you take FP30. The map directs you across fields and stiles. Key
landmarks are the abandoned building and St Botolph’s Church
(private). At the junction of FP30 and FP29 take the latter heading
for the SE corner of the Cemetery. Cross Black Lion Hill north of the
mini roundabout and go up Porters Park Drive and follow the red
discs through the housing.
Shenley Stud Farm was built in 1903 by
Walter Raphael who brought the dam
Tagale as an unwanted 3 year old for £300.
Her foal Tagalie was reared at the Stud and
became winner of the 1912 Derby. She
returned to the Stud to breed afterwards.
Note the isolation boxes on the Walk where
sick horses were once kept separate from
the rest of the stock.
A prominent feature of the
landscape on the Walks are the
many fine Oak trees - some
have become stag headed but
may continue to grow for years
to come. Standing deadwood is
an important habitat for insects
and birds, and you may hear or
see a woodpecker at work. The
green woodpecker is
particularly common - often
seen on the ground with its
characteristic low dipping
flight when taking to flight.
Nineteenth century records for Coombe
Wood show how vigorously
landowners protected their rights. Not
only were there stiff penalties for
poaching of game, but even the taking
of hazel shoots resulted in a year’s
imprisonment for two men hoping to
supply basket makers in London.
5
4
The Apple Orchard in Shenley Park has
over 100 varieties of apple many of
which of which are unusual. The Apple
Day event in late October is a chance to
taste, enjoy and buy them.
3
6
Wild Farm
13
Wild Farm occupies the site of the Old
Manor of Weld, which was occupied in
Saxon times. Traces of a moat can still be
seen today. In 1748 the Manor was brought
by John Mason, who then owned Porters
Mansion, and was added to the estate.
2
8
12
Fine views across to Porters Park Golf Course,
and down to the Cricket Ground. Laid out by
W.G. Grace it has been developed as a Cricket
Centre of Excellence.
7
1
9
11
The Walled Garden was built in the 17th
Century, and extended to a full hectare in
the 18th Century. It supplied both the
Mansion and the Hospital with fresh
produce. It has recently been restored by
the Shenley Park Trust.
The line of Oak trees in the middle of the
field mark a line of the old track that
once connected Porters Mansion to
“Kitwells” a large house (destroyed by
fire). Only the Lodge remains.
Shenley Spinney was given to the
public in the 1950’s by the owners of
Woodhall Farm
10
Key
May is a good month to enjoy bluebells in the
woods and the Shenley Park Orchard in full
blossom, and carpeted with cowslips. In
summer wildflowers and insects fill the
meadow and surrounding hedgerows
Along Woodhall Lane there are magnificent
views to the north of Shenley Ridge with
Shenley Park - Walled Garden, Stable Flats and
the Chapel prominent. On top of the Ridge the
Mansion and Water Tower dominate, with the
new housing to the west.
Walk 1
Walk 2
Walk 3
Walk 4
Shenley Park
i
Information Point
Viewpoint
At the top of the wood there are fine views to
Bushey Heath and Elstree Golf Club Course. It
may be possible to see the Bushey Heath
transmitter in the background.
The Oak Tree in a good year can
produce up to 50,000 acorns!
Based upon Ordnance Survey material with the permission
of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the controller of Her
Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown Copyright.
Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and
may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Hertfordshire
County Council OS100019606 (2001)