Area Guide: History, amenities and great transport links make London Colney a popular place to live

Arsenal's training ground is located in London Colney (Image: Archant)

The area has a variety of property types, ranging from smaller cottages and converted stable houses to modern new-builds and manor house apartments. Some of the oldest and most attractive properties in the village are located in the picturesque Waterside area, overlooking the River Colne.

According to Rightmove, London Colney, with an overall average price of £384,276, is cheaper than nearby Shenley (£525,649), Park Street (£494,157) and St Albans (£558,442).

The village is one of the biggest in Britain (Image: Archant)

An average price for a flat in the area is £260,063, for a terraced house it’s £444,045 and a semi-detached house averages £408,735.

Education

Some of the village's prettiest homes overlook the River Colne (Image: Archant)

London Colney has three state primary schools: St Bernadette Catholic Primary on Walsingham Way and Bowmansgreen Primary on Telford Road were both rated ‘good’ by Ofsted at their last inspections, while London Colney Primary & Nursery School on Alexander Road was found to require improvement.

The closest secondary schools to London Colney are both in nearby St Albans: Samuel Ryder Academy and Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School were both rated ‘good’ by Ofsted.

Sports & leisure

The village has proved a popular spot for professional football training. Arsenal FC have a training ground on Bell Lane, with 10 full-size pitches, an indoor facility and a medical centre. Watford FC also train in Arsenal’s old ground, just down the road. Cotlandswick Leisure Centre offers a 42-station gym, indoor soft play centre, tennis courts and Astroturf football pitches.

For keen gardeners, there are two sets of Parish allotments. One is accessed from Richardson Close (Glebe allotments) and the other is close to the playing fields in Shenley Lane.

Transport links

There are several bus routes connecting London Colney to St Albans town centre and station (primarily the 84). From St Albans, there is a direct train to London St Pancras which takes approximately 19 minutes and a weekday direct service to London Gatwick Airport. There is also a bus connecting London Colney to Luton Airport (the 714), located 15 miles away.

Landmarks & history

London Colney first appeared on a map of Hertfordshire in 1645. The village grew as the High Street became one of the main routes into London and an abundance of inns were set up to accommodate the incoming coachmen and their horses. The village itself was the area that the Romans captured Alban, before taking him to Verulamium for execution.

The Chantry Chapel in the grounds of the Pastoral Centre is of particular interest in the village. Legend has it that it was actually the site of the home of St Alban before his execution (now named in his honour). The whole site is recorded in the Domesday Book.

Food

There are a number of independent food establishments in the area, including Carmelo’s, a family-run café restaurant with an array of breakfasts, brunches and bruschettas.

There are also three pubs in the village - The Colney Fox, a country bar with a rustic feel, The Bull, which offers home-made lunches and a lovely beer garden, and The White Horse, which describes itself as “London Colney’s premier music venue”.

Shopping & culture

Colney Fields retail park, located at Junction 22 of the M25, boasts a range of popular high street shops and supermarkets to browse, including M&S, Sainsbury’s, Next, Boots, Monsoon, Sportsdirect.com and New Look. The park serves the key towns of St Albans, Watford, Radlett, Potters Bar, Hemel Hempstead, Hatfield and further afield.

A high street with local amenities, such as a hairdressers, a small supermarket, cafes and a doctor’s surgery serves the village. Other independent shops are dotted around the locality, including a furniture store, a tackle shop and an Indian bookshop.

Good for kids

Willows Farm is a fun day out for the whole family, featuring plenty of friendly farm animals. An adventure soft play centre, inflatables and funfair rides are also included in the price. Set in the beautiful Hertfordshire countryside, the centre is open whatever the weather. Special events throughout the year include a Pumpkin Festival in late October, a ‘Santa Spectacular’ during the festive season and an Easter Eggstavaganza in the spring, featuring Easter egg hunts, pig racing and farmyard fun with chicks and bunnies.

Something different

The de Havilland Aircraft Museum is the oldest aviation museum in the UK, opened to the public on 15 May 1959, and makes for a fascinating place to visit. It is mainly a “working museum”, with volunteers actively restoring de Havilland Aircraft. The museum’s namesake is Sir Geoffrey de Havilland, founder of the de Havilland Aircraft Company, which created such iconic aircraft as the de Havilland Mosquito – “The Wooden Wonder”, the Comet – the world’s first jet airliner, the Tiger Moth – the “backbone “of the RAF’s training aircraft in WWII and the Airspeed Horsa Glider – used extensively by our airborne troops in 1944 during D-Day, Arnhem and the Rhine crossing.