Redbourn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Redbourn |
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 St Mary's Church, Redbourn |
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 Redbourn
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| Area | 7.37 sq mi (19.1 km2) |
| Population | 5,450 (2021) |
| • Density | 739/sq mi (285/km2) |
| OS grid reference | TL105125 |
| Civil parish |
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| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ST ALBANS |
| Postcode district | AL3 |
| Dialling code | 01582 |
| Police | Hertfordshire |
| Fire | Hertfordshire |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament |
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Redbourn is a lovely village and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England. It's about 3 miles from Harpenden, 4 miles from St Albans, and 5 miles from Hemel Hempstead. In 2011, about 6,913 people lived in the village.
The village is run by three levels of local government. These are the Redbourn Parish Council, the St Albans City & District Council, and the Hertfordshire County Council.
Contents
A Look Back in Time: Redbourn's History
Redbourn has a long and interesting past! Just southwest of the village, you can find the remains of an Iron Age hill fort called the Aubreys. This was a strong, walled settlement from ancient times. Nearby is Aubrey Park, which has been around since the 1200s. To the north, there are also signs of old Roman temples.
The village has been lived in continuously since at least Saxon times. It was even mentioned in the Domesday Book, a famous survey from 1086. Redbourn's church, St Mary's, was built in the early 1100s.
The Story of St Amphibalus
About 50 years after the church was built, a small priory (a religious house) was started near Redbourn Common. This happened because the abbot of St Albans Abbey decided to make the land holy. Some bones had been found there, which people believed belonged to Saint Amphibalus. He was a priest who helped convert Saint Alban to Christianity.
The Reade Family and Redbourn Manor
In the 1500s, the important Reade family owned the Redbourn manor. Sir Richard Reade, who used to be the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, bought the manor when he returned to England. He passed away in 1575 and was buried at the village church.
Sir Richard Reade left money to Winchester College and for the care of Redbourn parish. His oldest son, Innocent, inherited the manor.
In 2010, Redbourn's St Mary's Church celebrated a huge milestone: its 900th birthday!
How Redbourn Grew: Jobs and Travel
For a long time, Redbourn was a farming village. It was also known for its successful watercress business, which grew in the wet meadows of the River Ver. Just south of the village, Redbournbury Mill, a recently fixed watermill, used to grind flour.
The Silk Mill and "Sticky Joe"
There was once a silk factory called Woollam's Mill in Redbourn. It used steam power to make silk thread. Later, a company called John Mangrove & Son took it over, but it closed in 1938.
When Second World War started, a tea company called Brooke Bond turned the silk mill into a food factory. A sad but memorable event happened there: a young man accidentally fell into a vat of jam and died. After this, he became known as Sticky Joe. In 2003, local schoolchildren campaigned to remember him. A special memorial bench was put up in his honor.
The factory closed in 1996. The old manager's house, called Silk Mill House, was given to the Redbourn Parish Council. It became the Redbourn Village Museum, which opened in May 2000. The area where the silk mill used to be is now a housing estate.
Other Local Businesses
A local grocer, Russell Harborough, also started a jam-making factory. In 1956, a company that made very accurate clocks for ships, Thomas Mercer Ltd, bought it. This site, just off High Street, is now an industrial area.
Other old jobs in the village included making straw plait (braids) and hats. The Redbourn Village Hall, in the middle of the High Street, used to be a straw hat factory. It has been beautifully updated with help from the National Lottery.
Travel and Roads
Because Redbourn is close to London, it became an important stop for stagecoaches in the 1600s and 1700s. It was even called the "Street of Inns" because it had at least 25 pubs and inns! But when railways became popular in the 1840s, stagecoaches slowly disappeared.
A special branch railway line, called the Nickey Line, ran through Redbourn from Hemel Hempstead to Harpenden. It opened in 1877 and closed in 1979. Today, you can walk or cycle along its old route. The first bus service in the village started in 1908.
In 1903, the local dentist, Mr Boucher, owned the village's first private car. It was a 6 horsepower Gladiator. Some motor rallies were even held in Redbourn in the early 1900s, using The Bull pub as a starting point.
Redbourn used to have three garages, but they have all closed. Now, there's only a filling station next to The Chequers pub. The idea for a Redbourn bypass (a road that goes around the village) first came up in 1935. The bypass was finally finished in 1984.
Sports and Fun in Redbourn
Redbourn has a strong history in sports!
Cricket in Redbourn
The Redbourn Cricket Club officially started around 1823. However, records show that organized cricket was played on Redbourn Common about 80 years earlier! Some history books even say cricket was played there in 1666. This would make Redbourn one of the oldest places where cricket was played in England!
Golf Courses
Redbourn Golf Club is well-known for its two golf courses and a driving range. The Kinsbourne Course is thought to be one of the best short golf courses in Hertfordshire.
Village Awards and Shows
Redbourn is a proud village that has won many awards!
Hertfordshire County Show
The Hertfordshire County Show happens every year in late May. It's a big event held on a 70-acre showground site, about a mile north of the village.
Village of the Year Awards
Redbourn was named Hertfordshire Village of the Year in 2002. It won both the overall award and the Western Area award. In 2003, it won a section award.
In 2004, Redbourn won Hertfordshire Village of the Year, Western Area, again! The village continued to win awards in 2005. It won the Hertfordshire Village of The Year Information Technology section, and the Eastern England Information Communication Technology award. It also won the Hertfordshire Village of the Year Best Community Project award and a Silver Award in Anglia in Bloom.
Famous People from Redbourn
Many interesting people have connections to Redbourn:
- Saint Amphibalus (died 304 AD): He was martyred (killed for his beliefs) in Redbourn.
- Elizabeth Howard, Duchess of Norfolk (1494–1558): After her marriage ended, she was sent to Redbourn.
- Sir Richard Reade (1511–1575): A very important lawyer who bought the Redbourn manor.
- Henry Stephens (1796–1864): A doctor and chemist who invented a better blue-black ink.
- Emma Tatham (1829–1855): An English poet who died while visiting the village.
- Henry Charles Stephens (1841–1918): Henry Stephens' son, who grew the ink business and became a politician.
- Zena Skinner (1927–2018): A famous chef and cookery expert on TV and radio.
- Ron Henry (1934–2014): A professional footballer who played for Tottenham Hotspur.
- Gordon Beningfield (1936–1998): A talented wildlife artist.
- Michael Christopher "Mick" Luckhurst (born 1958): An American football player who presented football coverage on TV.
- Louise Lear (1968): A BBC Weather Forecaster who lives in Redbourn.
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See also
In Spanish: Redbourn para niños
