Radlett facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Radlett
Flint Cottages, Radlett
Radlett
Population	10,060 (2021 census)
OS grid reference	TQ165995
Civil parish	Aldenham
District	Hertsmere
Shire county	Hertfordshire
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	RADLETT
Postcode district	WD7
Dialling code	01923
Police	Hertfordshire
Fire	Hertfordshire
Ambulance	East of England
EU Parliament	East of England
UK Parliament	Hertsmere
List of places UK England Hertfordshire 51°41′06″N 0°19′05″W / 51.685°N 0.318°W / 51.685; -0.318

Radlett is a large village in Hertfordshire, England. It is located between Elstree and St Albans on an old road called Watling Street. About 10,060 people live there. Radlett is part of the civil parish of Aldenham and is inside the M25 motorway area.

About Radlett: Location and Life

Radlett is in a valley with a stream called Tykes Water. This stream flows from Aldenham Reservoir to the River Colne. The village is surrounded by the Metropolitan Green Belt, which is a special area of protected land.

Radlett is about 14 miles (22.5 km) north-west of central London. It is known as one of the wealthiest places in Britain. It's also the second most expensive town outside London to buy a house. You'll see many large houses with big gardens here. In the older parts of the village, there are also some Victorian semi-detached and terraced houses.

Watling Street is the main road through Radlett. It has many local shops and restaurants. You can also find some national chain stores and a Post Office inside the local Budgens supermarket. The Radlett Centre has a 300-seat hall for shows and performances. The local Public Library is also connected to the Radlett Centre.

There are two public houses, or pubs, in Radlett: "The Red Lion" and “No.58”.

Radlett's Past: A Look at History

Early Times: Stone Age to Roman Period

Radlett sits on Watling Street, which is one of Britain's oldest pathways. Tools made of flint from the Stone Age show that people lived in the Radlett area a very long time ago. The land was covered in thick forests until the Middle Ages. The Catuvellauni tribe settled near St Albans around 80 BC, but no signs of their settlements have been found right in Radlett.

The name Radlett likely comes from an old English phrase, rad-gelaete, which means "a junction of roads." This suggests the village grew where an old path from Aldenham to Shenley crossed Watling Street.

During the Roman time, when Verulamium (now St Albans) was a Roman city, the area from Radlett to Brockley Hill had many large potteries. These potteries made pots for the Roman capital and other parts of the province. One pottery was on Loom Lane. You can still see signs of Roman-era clay pits at the south end of the village, near Cobden Hill. There's also evidence of a Roman villa with a bath, barn, and tile kiln from the 2nd to 4th centuries AD near Netherwylde Farm.

From Saxons to Modern Radlett

The Saxons settled in the area by the sixth century. It's thought that a Saxon church was built where Aldenham Church now stands. For most of history, the land east of Watling Street was managed separately from the land on the west.

The Domesday survey in 1086 showed that most of the land belonged to Westminster Abbey. The land was very forested but was slowly cleared for farming over time. People lived in scattered farmhouses near their fields.

The first time Radlett was mentioned in records was in 1453. It was usually spelled with one "T" until the mid-1800s. When monasteries were closed down in 1536, the land was sold to raise money for the Crown.

The modern ticket office at Radlett station, built in the 1970s, next to an older shelter.

In 1860, the Midland Railway line was extended to London, and a train station was built in Radlett. This connected the village to London. In 1865, the Ecclesiastical Parish of Radlett was created. This marked the start of the modern village. Landowners began selling their land for development in the late 1800s.

Handley Page Ltd opened an airfield north of Radlett in 1929 to build aircraft. By 1939, Radlett Aerodrome had three runways. It was used to make bombers like the Handley Page Hampden and Handley Page Halifax during the Second World War. After the war, transport planes and airliners were built there. The airfield closed in 1970.

The 1948 Olympic Marathon even passed through Radlett! In 1977, stunt rider Eddie Kidd jumped over 14 London Double Decker buses at the old Radlett Aerodrome.

In the 1950s, the Metropolitan Green Belt was created. This law stopped Radlett from growing outwards. New buildings are now mostly built within the existing village area. Even with these rules, many new houses are still built in large gardens, and the population is now over 10,000.

Radlett fire station

In 2005 and 2006, there was a big effort to save the Radlett Fire Station, which had been open for 100 years. Sadly, the campaign didn't succeed, and the station closed in October 2006. It has since been taken down.

How Radlett is Governed

Radlett has three levels of local government:

• Aldenham Parish Council (for the local area)
• Hertsmere Borough Council (for the district)
• Hertfordshire County Council (for the county)

Radlett is the main town within the Aldenham parish, even though it's much bigger than Aldenham village itself. The parish council still uses the historic Aldenham name, but its offices are in the Radlett Centre.

Radlett is also a post town for the Royal Mail. Its postcode district is WD7, which also includes the nearby village of Shenley.

Getting Around: Transport in Radlett

Radlett is close to major roads like the M25, M1, and A1 motorways.

There's a 24-hour train service on the Thameslink route. You can catch a train from Radlett railway station to central London, including St Pancras International (about 21 minutes), Farringdon (25 minutes), City Thameslink, and Blackfriars. You can also get direct trains from Radlett to London Gatwick and London Luton airports. London Heathrow is about a thirty-minute drive away. Radlett is part of Transport for London's (TfL) Oyster card and contactless payment system.

Two main bus routes run through Radlett, both operated by Uno:

• Route 602 connects Watford, Radlett, St Albans, and Hatfield.
• Route 601 connects Hatfield, St Albans, Radlett, and Borehamwood.

Faith and Worship in Radlett

2021 Census Data on Religion

According to the 2021 census, 29.6% of Radlett's population identified as Jewish, which is one of the highest percentages in the country. Those identifying as Christian made up 35.6%, forming the largest group.

Places of Worship

Radlett Reform Synagogue

Radlett has four churches:

• Christ Church: An Anglican church on Watling Street, started in 1864.
• St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church: Located in The Crosspath.
• St. John's Anglican church: A sister church of Christ Church, on Gills Hill Lane.
• The United Free Church: On Station Road, formed by joining the Methodist and United Reformed Churches in Radlett.

There are also three synagogues:

• Radlett United Synagogue: Serves the Orthodox Jewish community.
• Radlett Reform Synagogue: Serves the Reform Jewish community.
• Chabad of Radlett Synagogue: A Chabad house.

Learning in Radlett: Schools

Radlett has several schools for children aged 2 to 11 years old:

• First Place Nursery: An independent school for 80 children from 3 months to 5 years old.
• Rexton House Nursery: An independent nursery with 3 locations in Radlett.
• Bhaktivedanta Manor School: An independent primary school that teaches Vedic and Vaisnava culture. It's for 21 children aged 4 to 10 and is located in nearby Letchmore Heath.
• Edge Grove School: An independent day and boarding school for 333 children aged 3 to 13½.
• Fair Field Junior School: A state school for 240 children aged 7 to 11.
• Hertsmere Jewish Primary School: A state-aided school for 480 children aged 3 to 11.
• Newberries Primary School: A state-funded school for 208 children aged 4 to 11.
• Radlett Lodge School: An independent special school for 55 children with autism aged 4 to 19. It's run by the National Autistic Society and can house 14 boarders.
• Radlett Preparatory School: An independent school for 420 children aged 4 to 11, started in 1935.
• St John's Church of England Infant and Nursery School: A state-controlled school for 224 children aged 3 to 7. It is connected to Fair Field Junior School.

Radlett does not have any mainstream secondary schools. After age 11, children usually travel to schools in nearby towns, often using special bus services.

Sports and Activities in Radlett

Football

Radlett has a football club called Belstone. They play in the Combined Counties Football League Division One.

Radlett Cricket Club (2019)

Cricket

Cricket is played at Brunton Memorial Ground, which is the home of Radlett Cricket Club. The club started in 1884 and has won the Hertfordshire Cricket League championship 8 times. Radlett has four senior teams and a junior training section.

The Brunton Memorial Ground is also where most Middlesex Second XI matches are played. It is now the training place for Middlesex County Cricket Club.

Rugby

Radlett is home to Tabard Rugby Football Club, which started in 1951. They play in London North West 2. The club has teams for senior men and women, as well as junior and mini rugby sections. There are two full-size pitches, one with lights, and smaller pitches for junior rugby.

Tennis and Squash

Radlett Lawn Tennis & Squash Club is one of Hertfordshire's biggest and most successful clubs. It has 11 tennis courts (eight with lights) and four glass-backed squash courts.

Community Groups and Societies

Radlett has many active local groups and societies, including:

• Radlett Art Society
• Radlett Choral Society
• Radlett Horticultural Society
• Radlett Musical Theatre Company (formerly Radlett Light Opera Society)
• Radlett Music Club
• Radlett Theatre Company (formerly Radlett Players)
• Radlett Rotary Club
• Radlett U3A
• The Radlett Society & Green Belt Association
• 1st Radlett Scouts
• 4th Radlett Scouts
• Radlett District Girlguiding
• Radlett and District Museum
• RARE: Radlett Action for Racial Equality

Twin Towns

Radlett is twinned with two other towns:

• Louveciennes, France
• Lautertal, Germany

Famous People from Radlett

Current Residents

• Jeff Wayne: Composer of Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War Of The Worlds.
• Brian Bennett and Hank Marvin: Members of The Shadows.
• Ted Childs: Television producer and director, known for shows like The Sweeney and Inspector Morse.
• Pam St. Clement: Actress.
• Lacey Turner: EastEnders actress.

Past Residents

• Alan Bush: British composer, pianist, and conductor.
• Richard Baker: Former BBC newsreader.
• Émile Cammaerts: Belgian playwright, poet, and author.
• Simon Cowell: English film, record, and television producer.
• Alan Hawkshaw: Music composer and record producer.
• Kirsty Hawkshaw: Singer and songwriter.
• Rosalind Hill: Historian.
• Duncan James: Singer from the band Blue.
• Lauren: Former Arsenal footballer.
• George Michael: Spent much of his teenage years living in Radlett.
• Barry Morgan: Drummer with the band Blue Mink.
• Alison Moyet: Singer, songwriter, and performer.
• John Rostill: Bass guitarist with The Shadows.
• Alex Song: Former Arsenal footballer.
• Kolo Touré: Former Arsenal footballer.
• Sir John Vane: Won the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1982.
• Dennis Wise: Former Chelsea footballer.
• David Ospina: Former Arsenal goalkeeper.
• Harry Winks: Tottenham Hotspur F.C. midfielder.

Images for kids

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  Flint Cottages, Radlett

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  The modern ticket office at Radlett station, dating from the 1970s, contrasts with the ornate shelter above the cycle storage area.

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  Radlett fire station

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  Radlett Reform Synagogue

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  Radlett Cricket Club (2019)

See also

In Spanish: Radlett para niños