Countryside Management Service

Shenley & Ridge circular ride

A Seven Mile Circular Ride Exploring Shenley & Ridge

Crown Copyright. All rights reserved
Hertfordshire County Council 100019606 2004

Points of interest

Shenley

Shenley appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 under the spelling of Scenlai, and in an old charter was given to the Abbots of St Albans before the reign of King Harold. The village is on the old pilgrims route from London to St Albans, and King Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon passed through on their way to stay at Tyttenhanger, further north.

St Botolphs church was the original parish church, and the architect Nicholas Hawksmoor is buried there. He was a pupil of Christopher Wren and helped design St Pauls Cathedral. He lived at nearby Porters Park in a very attractive mansion with lovely grounds. In 1934, much later, this estate became Shenley Hospital, and in the second world war was a military hospital.

The eighteenth century lock-up called the Cage stands by the village pond. Law breakers were put in there overnight before being taken by horse and cart to Barnet to appear before the Bench. Inscriptions over two windows are:- "Be sober, be vigilant" and "Do well and fear naught".

The pond is an attractive feature, restored by the CMS and volunteers. Pound Lane and Pound House are reminders of the old Pound near the Black Lion Inn where straying animals were kept.

Rabley Park

The grounds of the private house Rabley Park House contain an eighteenth century memorial reputed to commemorate the fall of the Earl of Warwick, who is thought to have died here after The Battle of Barnet.

Ridge

This picturesque village, almost a hamlet, stands high on the ridge 400 feet above sea-level, with fine views over Hertfordshire countryside. The church and churchyard stand by the tiny village green.

The Church, St Margarets's, is a grade II* listed building, built of flint, weathered stone and Hertfordshire puddingstone, and dating from the fifteenth century. Inside is found a crown-post roof, some interesting stained glass, and a fifteenth century wall painting of St Christopher. Buried in the churchyard is one of the country's most distinguished wartime leaders, Field Marshall Earl Alexander of Tunis, younger son of the Earl of Caloden.

Orchard Mead, an almshouse-style affair by Sir George Gilbert Scott, has a delightful cottage-style front garden, reputed to have been laid out by Gertrude Jeckyll.

There are several old timber-framed houses and two farm barns built in 1844 in the village, but the oldest house is supposed to be Summerswood Farmhouse, which dates back to Medieval times.

Caution

One caution point involving a busy road is indicated on the map.

Refreshments

There are plenty of pubs in Shenley, and one at Ridge. Or alternatively, why not pack a flask and some sandwiches and eat them on a grassy bank of your choice?

Waymarking

Signs like this are positioned to guide you round the route in anti-clockwise direction. This will make the majority of the turns left turns, thus your journey will be a little safer.

Safety

• This is not an off road route, you will meet cars and other vehicles on the roads during your trip.
• Wear a safety helmet.
• Ensure your bike is safe to ride.
• After dark you are required by law to display working lights.
• Wear brightly coloured clothes with reflective material.
• Treat pedestrians and horses with the respect you expect to get from car drivers.
• Get a bell and use it to warn others of your approach.
• Always ride in single file when roads are narrow or busy, and never more than two abreast
• Always follow the advice for cyclists given in the Highway Code.

Rights of Way symbols you might see

	Yellow arrows indicate footpaths for pedestrian use only
	Blue arrows indicate bridleways for horse riders, cyclists and pedestrian use only
	Red arrows indicate Byways Open to All Traffic (BOAT) for horse riders, cyclists and pedestrians and may be legally used by other wheeled vehicles
	Black arrows indicate Roads Used as Public Paths (RUPP) for horse riders, cyclists and pedestrians and may be legally used by other wheeled vehicles

More about Rights of Way

Maps

This map is based on Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Hertfordshire County Council 100019606 2004.

The Ordnance Survey mapping included within this web-site is provided by Hertfordshire County Council under licence from the Ordnance Survey in order to fulfill its public function to provide information relating to its activities, services and plans. Persons viewing this mapping should contact Ordnance Survey copyright for advice where they wish to license Ordnance survey mapping for their own use.

See the Ordnance Survey site for more information.

This cycle ride and leaflet has been produced with the support of Hertfordshire County Council's Environment Department and the Countryside Management Service.

This is one of a series of waymarked cycle rides throughout Herfordshire. Look out for others on this website, or for the leaflets in local libraries and cycle shops.