The North Mymms Parish Plan 2011

“A vision for the future of our community”

In 2010 questionnaires were sent to every home and business in the parish of North Mymms. More than 4,000 documents had been printed. The aim was to gather feedback from local residents and those running commercial concerns about what needed to change in the local community. The findings were meant to form an action plan to shape the future of the parish.

The North Mymms History Project (NMHP) has been looking at what was described at the time as an exercise in “taking the pulse” of the “village communities” in the parish in order to create “A vision for the future of our community”.

The rise and fall of the River Colne

River Colne at North Mymms Park on 29 December 2017
Image by the North Mymms History Project
Released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

Hertfordshire’s River Colne flows through the west of North Mymms. During certain conditions, when the swallow holes at Water End are saturated and a lake is formed, the overflow channel feeds the normally dry riverbed of the Colne. Malcolm Tomkins, a prolific local historian who died in 1981, wrote the following article about the river for the June 1966 edition of the Hertordshire Countryside magazine.

Bench marks, trig points or pillars?

North Mymms Notes - No 23

The trig point pillar north of Welham Green
Image by the North Mymms History Project released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

Local historian and photographer Mike Allen, one of the team of four behind the North Mymms History Project, has been researching the trig points and bench marks in the parish and exploring the importance of the landmarks in both wartime and peacetime. In edition 23 of Mike’s North Mymms Notes, he traces the history back to Tudor times.

Queenswood bridge

Queenswood bridge inauguration ceremony 1961
Image courtesy of Dr Wendy Bird, Archivist at Queenswood school

For approximately 30 years, a footbridge, privately built for Queenswood school, spanned Shepherds Way, North Mymms.

The bridge provided a safe passage for pupils and staff from the school on the south side of the road to the playing fields on the north side.

Medieval moated farmstead at Dixons Hill

The site of a circa 13th century dwelling

Remains of the moat at Pancake Hall, Dixons Hill Close 1982
Image from the former North Mymms Local History Society
Part of the Images of North Mymms Collection

Immediately to the north of the junction of Dixons Hill Close and Dixons Hill Road in Welham Green, North Mymms, is the site of a medieval moated homestead which archeologists have dated back to the 13th century.

The moat (grid reference TL 22738 05143), which is now partly infilled and built on, was examined almost 70 years ago when pottery and coins dating back to 1279 were found.

The North Mymms History Project has been researching the moat’s history following a query raised by a reader of the site.

Witch marks of St Mary’s North Mymms

North Mymms Notes - No 22

Markings in the stonework at St Mary's church, North Mymms
Image by Mike Allen - 2019

Could the marks scratched in stonework at St Mary’s church, North Mymms be early graffiti, or could they be apotropaic marks, designed to ward off evil spirits and witches? Local historian, archivist and photographer, Mike Allen, one of the team behind the North Mymms History Project, has been photographing and researching the marks for his North Mymms Notes, embedded below.

The advent of the telephone in North Mymms

The first telephone exchange serving North Mymms c1915
68 Hatfield Road, Potters Bar, gable-fronted house in the middle
Note the telegraph pole next to the exchange

Image courtesy of the Peter Miller Collection

The first telephone exchange to service the parish of North Mymms was opened by the National Telephone Company (NTC) just outside the parish boundary in a private house called ‘Shaldon’, 68 Hatfield Road, Potters Bar.

It is not known exactly when the exchange was opened, although the 08 January 1907 issue of the ‘Post Office Circular’ records the exchange as being open at the time of publication.

North Mymms’ major historical bridges

Crossing water, rail and road

The parish of North Mymms has a surprisingly large number of bridges, many of which are at least 150 years old. Local historian and archivist Peter Miller has been researching local bridges and has produced the following report which includes all the major bridges that are approximately 100 years old or more. He has not included the more recent bridges over the A1M. There is an interactive map of all the locations at the foot of the page.