Did you know that Harpenden Rural Parish is home to two golf clubs, one rugby club, a pub, and a church? As well as the oldest continually operating agricultural research station in the world, and an ancient burial ground?
The Parish can claim only part of the course at Harpenden Golf Club, but Redbourn Golf Club and Harpenden Rugby Club are wholly within the Parish boundary.
The Fox is the only surviving pub. There was another called “The Whip” but this has for many years been a private dwelling.
Our Church is St Mary’s, one of the three churches making up the Church of England Parish of Harpenden. St Mary’s has a hall for hire used by community groups and private hirers. The Brownies meet in the Church hall; also neighbouring the Church is the the headquarters of the 9th Harpenden Scout Group and Kinsbourne Explorer Scouts Group of the Harpenden and Wheathampstead District Scouts.
The parish is also home to Rothamsted Manor House and Farm, and much of the research and trial grounds of Rothamsted Research. However the campus buildings and centre address come under Harpenden Town Council.
The footings of a Romano-British enclosed burial ground constructed for the use of a high status family during the 2nd century AD are located on Rothamsted Farm. A number of artefacts which were found in the 1930s are held by St Albans Museum.
Harpenden’s Local History Society’s website is a treasure trove of information. There are collections of articles on Rothamsted and Kinsbourne Green which you might be interested in.
There are many pleasant walks within the parish, including a number of footpaths on the Rothamsted estate. Parts of the River Ver Trail form the parish’s south-west border, from Junction 9 of the M1 to the start of the Nickey Line Path and Cycle track (at the roundabout going from Redbourn to Harpenden). Both The Ver Valley Society and The Nickey Line have websites with a number of linked walks.