New Barnes Mill, situated in Cottonmill Lane, was one of the three water mills along the Sopwell stretch of the river Ver. In its heyday, it was used as a flour mill and was operated by the British Flour and… More about ‘New Barnes Mill’»
Watercress is grown in running water from springs. At Riverside Road, the Pinnock family had to sink boreholes in the lake to get spring water for the cress to grow in. Roy Pinnock describes the process. Interview date: 4 April… More about ‘Sinking a borehole – Roy Pinnock’»
Dorothy Grummitt lives in Albeny Gate but was born in Gateshead. In the 1930s, she often used to visit her aunt and uncle in Park Street, St Albans. Her uncle worked as a carpenter at Handley Page in Radlett. He… More about ‘Memories of the 1930s – Dorothy Grummitt’»
Barry moved to St Albans from Crouch End in May 1988. He chose to live in Riverside Road in Sopwell. Riverside Road started off as Longmire Road and had a bad reputation as a poor area. Nowadays it is seen… More about ‘Why I like living in Riverside Road – Barry Bateman’»
Mrs Betty Terry, born Betty Giddings in 1919, lived in Sopwell Gate Lodge in Cottonmill Lane for a few years from when she was about 9 years old. Her father worked as a cowman on Brown’s farm which was Sopwell… More about ‘Living in Sopwell Gate Lodge – Mrs Terry’»
Two eccentric sisters, Dawn and Gig Blowers, lived in Sopwell Mill farm. They were very concerned when the fishing lakes in Riverside Road were being developed next to their land and Fred Edwards was the only member of the Verulam… More about ‘The Blowers sisters – Fred Edwards’»
The original of this estate plan of the manor of Sopwell is in the Hertfordshire Archives and Library Services (HALS) in County Hall. The plan is dated 1666. Note that the building called Sopwell House in the bottom right hand… More about ‘The manor of Sopwell’»
Latest comments