Nicholas Breakspear

Nicholas Breakspear (Pope Adrian IV: 1154-1159), is believed to have been born at Breakspear Farm, Bedmond, c.1100, and is the only Englishman to have been acclaimed head of the Catholic Church. Documents set out what is known of a career that led him from lowly beginnings in Hertfordshire to abbeys in France and Italy, and from papal missions in Scandinavia to election by the cardinals in Rome.

The Henderson Legacy

The story behind the family who endowed 'The Village Room' which we now know as The Henderson Hall.

St Lawrence Church

The Church’s website includes a very good history of the church building.

Abbots Langley Timeline

A chronological listing of significant events in the history of Abbots Langley Parish. Originally collated for a display in the Three Rivers Museum in Rickmansworth.

The Grand Houses of Abbots Langley and their Occupants

There were 10 significant houses (of which 6 remain) in Abbots Langley, and over the years a surprisingly large number of interesting people lived here, from notable clerics to famous explorers.

The Bedmond 'Tin' Church

The Church of the Ascension is affectionately known locally as the 'Tin Church' because of its corrugated-iron shell. It is a much-loved Grade II listed building and almost unique as it is one of only two such churches that boast a spire and a bell.

Thomas Armstrong

Talented in his own right, Thomas Armstrong worked with leading artists of his day and in 1881 was appointed Director of Art at the South Kensington Museum, later to become the famous Victoria & Albert Museum. He moved to The Abbot's House in 1890 and lived there until his death in 1911.

Bedmond History Tour

A tour of the village of Bedmond, famous for its Tin Church, birthplace of Nicholas Breakspear and home to the Solly and Henderson families. We will explore the sites of interest through the archive of historical photos.

Maps through time

Where could you march like a Roman?

Do you want to see the 1839 tithe map of the parish and understand who owned the land and houses?

Would you like to learn how to plot the position of your house on old maps?

Missing in Action

New and updated stories of eight local men that served in the Great War, not previously recorded in the Back to the Front Project records.

Abbots Langley in Lockdown

A photo-montage illustrating the impact that the COVID19 had in Abbots Langley.

Publications

Over the years the ALLHS and others in the village have published a large number of books and pamphlets, details of which can all be found in the 'publications' section of our web site.

Searchable Index of Journal Articles

Twice a year we publish a journal, and back-copies can be purchased from the society. A limited number of these articles have been published on the web, but a fully indexed list of the articles which have appeared since 1994 can be found here...