Bricket Wood

Bricket Wood is a village in the county of Hertfordshire, England, 4.2 miles (6.8 km) south of St Albans and 4.2 miles (6.8 km) north-northeast of Watford.

Bricket Wood

Bricket Wood Common
south of the town/village

Mount Pleasant Lane JMI School
Bricket Wood
Location within Hertfordshire
Population4,095 (2001)[1]
OS grid referenceTL135025
Civil parish
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townST ALBANS
Postcode districtAL2
Dialling code01923
PoliceHertfordshire
FireHertfordshire
AmbulanceEast of England
UK Parliament
St Lukes Church, modelled on an upside down Noah's Ark

History

The area of Bricket Wood was mostly occupied by farmers until Bricket Wood railway station was built in 1861. In 1889 brothers Henry Gray and William Gray bought up land in the area and built Woodside Retreat Fairground. The fairground attracted hordes of visitors to the area from London and nearby towns and a small village developed around the station. In 1923, a rival fairground named Joyland was built nearby by R.B Christmas. Both resorts were closed in 1929, Christmas used his leftover land for building bungalows.

During the 1930s the area became popular with naturists after Charles Macaskie set up the naturist camp Spielplatz on the outskirts of the village. Naturists bought up plots of land on the edge of the village and built their own communities, which at first didn't have electricity or running water. The village also began to attract Wiccans after Gerald Gardner set up Bricket Wood coven.

During the 1950s housing estates were built for employees of aviation company Handley Page, who had a plant at nearby Radlett. More estates then followed, aimed at commuters desiring housing near the Green Belt with convenient access to London.[2]

Civil organisation and notable buildings

Bricket Wood is in the civil parish of St. Stephen, part of the St Albans district which shares provision of local government services with Hertfordshire County Council.

The local primary school is Mount Pleasant Lane, situated in grounds that include a small pond.

Close to the village stands Hanstead House, built by Sir David Yule in 1925, who is buried in the grounds. It formerly operated as the Hanstead Stud, breeding Arab horses, as an American evangelical college, and as a corporate training centre. It is now being developed for housing.

St Luke's Church is the Anglican place of worship, a unique building designed to look like an upside down boat. It was based on Noah's Ark.

Transport

Bricket Wood railway station is served by a West Midlands Trains stopping service on the Abbey Line that runs between St Albans Abbey and Watford Junction; both towns are three stops away with a frequent service. The station building was taken into private ownership in 2018, and is being developed into a sympathetic recreation of its original appearance It will be a village hub and meeting room, as well as a station..[3]

Morris Dancing

The village is home to the Morris Dancing team, Wicket Brood Border Morris.[4]

Common

Bricket Wood Common is a 70 hectare Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Notable residents
  • Frank Turner (1922-2010), three-time Olympic gymnast, died at his home in the village.
  • Ralph Coates, footballer who played for England and Tottenham Hotspurs, lived in the village until his death in December 2010

References
  1. "2001 Census" (PDF). ONS. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  2. "A Brief History of our Village". Bricket Wood Residents Association. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  3. "Bricket Wood". Bricket Wood Station Trust. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  4. "Wicket Brood Border Morris". Wicket Brood Border Morris. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
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