When planning a trip to Hertingfordbury, two distinct focuses present themselves: architectural history and landscape. Historical points of interest range from the Church of St Mary and St John to houses from different centuries and the former Hertingfordbury Corn Mill. The River Mimram and Cole Green Way offer a different perspective. First decide whether architecture and local history, or the river and the trail, should be the focus of your stay.
Architectural history spanning several centuries
The Church of St Mary and St John is listed as a Grade II* building and dates from the 13th and 14th centuries. In the churchyard of St Mary is a 14th-century sedilia in the Decorated Gothic style. This brings two different scales together: the period in which a church building was constructed and a specifically dated feature in the churchyard. The church’s date and the design of the sedilia each offer a distinct point of interest for anyone interested in architecture and historical details.
Roxford House and Epcombs also illustrate different aspects of historic buildings. Roxford House is a Grade II building from the early 18th century. Epcombs is a small country house, also listed as Grade II; at its core is a hall dating from the 17th century. At Epcombs, therefore, the date refers to the hall at its core. The gardens at Epcombs are considered locally significant and add another historical facet to the country house.
Hertingfordbury Corn Mill adds a different subject: the former corn mill dates from the mid-19th century and operated until 1933. Its history provides a distinct chronological focus alongside the church and houses. Hertingfordbury can thus be explored not only through buildings used for religious or residential purposes, but also through its milling history. The year 1933 marks the end of the period of operation described here.
The River Mimram and Cole Green Way
The River Mimram runs through the northern part of the area designated as a Conservation Area. The river is particularly worth seeing from a public viewpoint at the road bridge in Hertingfordbury. Access to Cole Green Way is identified via Hertingfordbury Footpath 014 in the direction of Birchall Lane and the A414. This offers two distinct landscape points of interest: a specific viewpoint and a separate route access point.
There is a small car park at the entrance to Cole Green Way from St Mary's Lane. As facilities can change, it is advisable to check the car park’s status before setting out. For your own planning, it helps to treat the river view and Cole Green Way as two different topics: the former is associated with a public viewpoint, while the latter has a named access point. These details do not automatically imply a shared circular walk.
When choosing Hertingfordbury as a destination, you can tailor your focus to your interests: the buildings offer different historical perspectives, while the River Mimram and Cole Green Way turn your attention to the river and the trail. If you would like to explore several topics, you can first decide which one should shape your trip. This lets you base your choice of activities on specific places and features without imposing a set order on the different topics.
Discover more destinations: Bishops Stortford, Borehamwood, Standon, Letchworth, Royston, Watford, Markyate, Hatfield
For the wider travel overview: Hertfordshire.
