Abbots Langley High Street, c1918. Photo: ALLHS Parish Archive 100091a

Butchers, Bakers & Undertakers is a new project from Abbots Langley Local History Society. This community based project will research, record and remember the shops and other properties in Abbots Langley High Street.

A small group of members from the Society will be engaged in researching the history of each and every building in the High Street. It is believed that the first shop in the village existed from Elizabethan times and was close to St Lawrence church. Gradually shops spread along the road to become the High Street as we know it today, over time changing trade and proprietor. Amongst other things the project aims to identify and record these changes and present their findings to record the history of Abbots Langley High Street.

A major part of the project will be gathering the reminiscences and anecdotes of the local community in remembering former shops and shop-keepers. If you can contribute, or have photographs or other information please get in touch with the project either by email at shops@allhs.org.uk or by visiting the Abbots Langley Local History Society displays at the Abbots Langley Carnival, Autumn Fest or at the Society’s Archive Day during the Abbots Langley Festival.

Please continue to visit this site in the future where project updates and more about the butchers, bakers and undertakers of the village and many more of the trades, personalities and shops will be added as the research continues.

We look forward to hearing from you.