Conveniently located between St Albans and Hatfield, just off the A414, is the Hertfordshire village of Colney Heath. We found out more about the place.
The parish of Colney Heath is situated south east of the historic city of St Albans, and is close to Hatfield.
High Street, the main road of the large village, runs alongside the heath. Colney Heath takes its name from the heath and the River Colne that runs through it.
Colney Heath Parish Council was formed in 1947, and comprised of the areas of Colney Heath village, Sleapshyde, Smallford and Tyttenhanger.
Today, the parish has a population in the region of 6,000, about half in the village of Colney Heath.
Colney Heath Common
One of the few remaining acid heathlands in Hertfordshire, Colney Heath Common is a 60-acre site bordering the River Colne.
Classed as a Hertfordshire Heritage site, it provides a haven for wildlife and a place for quiet relaxation for local people and for walking dogs.
Once owned by the Abbot of St Albans Abbey, ownership passed to the Crown following the dissolution of the monasteries. Sir Thomas Pope, whose country seat was at Tyttenhanger, subsequently acquired the land.
During the mid-18th and 19th centuries, the heath became the haunt of highwaymen and was renowned for prize fighting, cock fighting and card gamblers.
Over the years, the area diminished due to land enclosure and losses to make way for residential development.
Today, there is open public access to the Common and visitors can enjoy a good network of nearby footpaths, the Alban Way being a particular local favourite.
It was designated a Local Nature Reserve in 1997.
History
Four of south Hertfordshire’s historic coal posts can be found in the parish, suggesting the village was once a busy trade route into London.
The tax on coal and wine dates back to the 17th century, to help pay for the cost of rebuilding London after the Great Fire in 1666.
The distinctive white coal posts mark the 1861 boundary of the Metropolitan Police District, and the limit of coal duty in the London area.
This is the boundary at which duty (tax) was payable on coal. If you passed the post, you had to pay the levy.
The unpopular tax was finally abolished in the late 1880s.
There's a London Coal duty marker on Coursers Road adjoining the south corner of the garden to the former Queens Head pub.
Coal posts in Colney Heath parish can also be found opposite the former The Cock pub on the heath, near Coursers Farm on Coursers Road, and north of the River Colne on the heath near Church Lane.
Property
Properties in Colney Heath range from pretty period cottages to modern new build homes.
According to Rightmove, the average sale price in the village was £586,883 over the last year.
The majority of sales during this period were semi-detached properties, selling for an average price of £545,325.
Detached properties went for an average of £810,000, with terraced properties fetching £390,000.
Overall, sold prices in Colney Heath were seven per cent up on the 2004 peak of £550,000.
Properties currently on the market in the desirable village include a spacious, detached three-bedroom home in Tollgate Road with countryside views for £950,000, and a four-bedroom family home on the same street for £900,000.
Frost's also lists a four-bedroom detached on High Street for £775,000. You can also snap up a five-bed detached chalet bungalow in Fellowes Lane for offers in excess of £700,000.
Developers are constantly looking to build on the Green Belt land around the village and at Bullens Green.
Two luxury four-bedroom homes are currently being built on a plot called Colney Place, off Tollgate Road.
Amenities
There's currently just one village pub left open in Colney Heath.
Following the loss of The Queens Head and The Cock, which were both converted into residential accommodation a while back, and the more recent closure of The Chalkdrawers Arms on Roestock Lane, the only pub still open is The Crooked Billet.
In April of this year, owners Wally and Julie proudly celebrated 30 years at the free house in High Street.
Other amenities in High Street include a newsagent/convenience store, a hairdresser, and The Rice, a popular Indian takeaway.
The well-used village hall is a meeting point for a number of clubs. The community hub is used for a variety of events including private parties, quiz nights, and celebrations, and is available for hire.
Religious residents are served by St Mark’s, which describes itself as an "active, charismatic, evangelical church".
Travel
Colney Heath is just a short drive from both St Albans city centre and Hatfield.
The villages of London Colney and Welham Green are both under three miles away.
Colney Heath lies south of the A414, and the M25 and A1(M) are both easily accessible.
Bus routes connect the village to St Albans, and St Albans City and Hatfield stations offer direct rail services to London.
Sport and leisure
The recreation ground, situated behind the primary school, is home to Colney Heath Football Club.
The 'Magpies' were founded in 1907 and run a number of adult and kids' teams.
School
Colney Heath School is a small primary and nursery in High Street, ranked ‘good’ by Ofsted at its last inspection.
The closest secondaries include Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School in Colney Heath Lane, St Albans (‘good’) and Bishop’s Hatfield Girls’ School (‘outstanding’).
Twinning
The village has been twinned with Boissy-sous-Saint-Yon in France since 1982.
Boissy is about 20 miles south of Paris. Saint-Yon is situated between the villages of Boissy and Breuillet.
Colney Heath Parish Council chose Boissy because it was the same size as Colney Heath and a similar distance from Paris as Colney Heath is from London.
The Twinning Association hosts many social events in the Village Hall.
On the outskirts of the village, heading into St Albans, are two roads, St Yon Court and Boissy Close, named after Colney Heath’s French twins.
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