The town made famous by Elstree Studios.
Just 12 miles from Charing Cross and situated in the beautiful Hertfordshire countryside, you will find Borehamwood. This little commuter town is a favourite for film buffs, since it plays home to the Elstree Studios – which is famous because EastEnders is filmed there. Originally founded as an Abbey in the Elstree Parish, Borehamwood’s town history can be traced back at least 1188.
We want to know if it is the type of place worth visiting of a weekend, or if we should pass it by. We have found that most English towns have their share of interesting stories, sights, and places, though. Let’s see what Borehamwood has in store as a weekend destination in the UK.
The Early Days of Borehamwood
The first thing we noted about Borehamwood is its close relation to Elstree. It is classed as part of the same parish, which can cause confusion. The two names Elstree and Borehamwood are often used to mean the same location, just to confuse us further. In truth, Borehamwood parish is slightly to the north and west of Elstree.
In 1549, a man named Humfrey Roberts left a will behind that referenced his dwellings in Borramwode, which is one of the earliest written accounts which joins the names Boreham and Wood together. Whether the town is called Boreham Wood or Borehamwood has been a topic of heated debate over the years, with the town council recently erecting signs with the latter spelling. A map drawn up in 1736 calls this area of Hertfordshire Barham Wood, while the 1600s will mention Borham Wood… so no wonder we are all confused about where it is, they couldn’t decide what it was called, either.
The confusion was fed further by an 1873 ordnance survey map that lists it as Boreham Wood. The local directories for the 1900s called it Borehamwood. You see where we are going with this? In 1953 they called the train station Elstree & Borehamwood, and this has sort of stuck… Though even the town council has admitted to changing it once or twice. There’s a fascinating article about what’s in the name of this town courtesy of the Borehamwood & Elstree Times.
In ancient times this area was a wood, that much we can be sure of. It was such a dense woodland, in fact, that it remained such for hundreds of years after the Norman invasion. The earliest written account of a wood where Boreham stands was in 1188 when Pope Clement granted a nearby Abbey the use of the land of Elstree to work. The Boreham wood was reserved for their swine, who would roam there and eat. Nearby Elstree takes its name from a tree that belonged to an Anglo-Saxon named Tidwulf. Also known as Eagle’s Tree, it would have been part of the wood at Boreham. A nobleman named Robert de Holland was murdered at Borehamwood in 1328.
Borehamwood and Elstree must have had some Roman activity because there are several sites listed as finds of Roman material within 2.5km of the town. Elstree sits on an old Roman road, and it is thought there would have been plenty of traffic to form at least a small settlement there. Digs in the 1970s unearthed pottery kilns, indicating a town big enough to require pottery to be made. The connection to the Romans would make sense given the adaptation of the name to ‘Eagle’s Tree’.
In the 5th century, there was a battle recorded here. The town’s name was recorded as ‘ailestreu’ at that time, with the Boreham Wood attached. Of the three Saxon leaders which invaded Britain at that time, one died at this battle. His name was Horsa. The defending parties were the Briton Vortigern and his sons. Vortigern has been named a few times in history as one of the kings of the Britons, although there is dispute about his existence. It seems he may not have been a formal king, but a leader of men in some other way.
The town was granted charters in 1176 and 1253, which would have allowed it to hold a market and for it to have an annual fair. These charters report that there was a chapel of St. Bartholomew here at that time, which would have made the area a good place for pilgrims. The chapel disappeared from history in 1327. The lands were part of the lands of St Albans Abbey for many years.
Medieval Borehamwood/Elstree
The land belonged to the abbey of St Albans right up until Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries. It was then parcelled up and given to his friend Anthony Denny… and we do mean his friend. Anthony Denny was ‘Groom of the Stool’, so take from that what you will.
Denny held the property for many years, although his descendants would later sell parts of it off. It was then that the split between Elstree and Borehamwood truly occurred, if only because one part belonged to one estate, and the other stayed with the original owner. Two small towns grew up and eventually merged. Throughout the 17th century, the parishes would change hands several times. By the start of the 1800s, the manor of Borehamwood and the estate of Elstree were considered separate. Elstree had about 3,000 acres, while the wood was only 700. Today, the wood greatly outshines Elstree in terms of population.
The Laura Ashely Manor Hotel was built in Barnet Lane in 1540 and was turned into a hotel in the 1960s. It is a Victorian period construction with mock-Tudor furnishings, because absolutely nothing about Elstree and Borehamwood is straightforward. It’s a beauty of a place often seen on tv shows due to its proximity to the studios.
In 1779 a singer named Martha Ray, who was mistress to the Earl of Sandwich, was shot dead by a reverend. The scandal. She was buried in the Elstree & Borehamwood Parish church. She was said to have been good looking, charming, intelligent, and the daughter of a servant.
Let’s take a short break to review some of the fun facts about Borehamwood for all you diehards.
Fun Trivia About Borehamwood
Every town has its indulgent secrets, and we are here to dig them up. Here are some of the best things we could find out about Borehamwood – but be careful, they’re not always fun.
Fun facts about Borehamwood:
- Simon Cowell was a runner here at the studios. He worked on many productions but notably on The Shining.
- The Laura Ashley Manor Hotel was the former home of a naval commander. You can see testaments to this in the style used throughout.
- One of the murders in the 19th century was written about by Charles Dickens because it was macabre, more on this in a moment.
- Elstree had several ships named after it in the 19th century, some of which were used during the Second World War and were even sunk by the Germans.
- The train station is over 152 years old and counting. It’s been rebuilt once or twice, don’t panic.[i]
There’s more to this place than meets the eye. We can’t wait to tell you about all the fantastic attractions here too, so stick around.
The Industrial Period in Borehamwood
In 1776 the House of Lords passed an act that allowed the Boreham Wood County to be used for building. The area remained a part of Elstree right up until 1909 in official terms. From 1700 until 1899, the town had no real prison to speak of. If miscreants were found to be drunk and disorderly, they would spend a night at The Cage in Shenley. The Cage was a small room that would serve to hold prisoners on their way to Barnet or St Albans for justice. During WWI it was used as a prison for an army deserter. In WWII it was a miniature air raid precautions post complete with radio. To this day the roundhouse gaol is one of the last of its kind in England[ii].
In 1795 Elstree Reservoir’s Dam was built by French prisoners of war. The reservoir was built by the Grand Junction Company and covered an expanse that is said to have been a wasteland before. The first school opened in the area in the 1780s and was a grammar school for boys. This private school ran up until 1938, when it moved to Woolhampton.
In 1823 the second murder took place in Elstree & Borehamwood. This murder was a man named William Weare, who was killed in Radlett by John Thurtell, who then dumped the body in the pond near Elstree. It was found and the grisly deeds unravelled. Thurtell was a boxer and sports promoter. Weare was later buried at the local parish church cemetery. In 1882, Eliza Ebborn would be murdered here by a shoemaker named George Stratton. Stratton was killed and she was buried in the graveyard, too.
In 1886, the Photographic Society of Great Britain featured pictures of the reservoir taken by Edgar Clifton. In 1883 the Tykes Water was dammed to create a lake, too. 1887 saw an Elstree house displayed at the Royal Academy. The train station opened in 1868, bringing fresh trade to the area and allowing it to expand as a commuter town.
Modern Day Borehamwood
By 1901 it is thought that the population of the town was only 1,323. During the First World War, Elstree Reservoir was recommissioned as a good area for target practice. Those lucky enough might still find evidence of this. 39 men from Borehamwood fought and died in WWI. Their names are recorded on the war memorial.
The 1920s saw the arrival of the film world in small town Elstree & Borehamwood. Over the next few decades, many great productions would take place here. In the 1930s the Elstree Aerodrome was built and remains one of the biggest helicopter landing centres in the area. During WWII, the runway would be turned to concrete, and the airfield was taken over to fly in food supplies.
WWII was an interesting time for Elstree Studios. It is said that they helped launch the likes of Charlie Chaplin’s careers in the 200+ films and tv shows made there prior to WWII. The productions shut down during the war years, but the site was taken over by the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, who used it as a depot. They built a 550 seat auditorium onsite and used it to entertain 500+ troops with each showing. The workshops here even helped create devices that boosted the war effort. When things opened back up again, the Dam Busters would be filmed here in 1955[iii].
The Manor Hotel was bought over by the brand in the 60s. The building has been in plenty of Hammer Horror films, notably The Devil Rides Out. It has seen stars such as Stanley Kubrick, John Cleese, Peter Sellers, and even Tom Cruise, stay over.
Since the war years, the town has seen plenty of influx from the studios, both in terms of workers and cast and crew. It has grown around the studios to include its own great sense of rich history combined with nice shops and a wholesome community. If you are looking for somewhere good to bring up kids outside of London, this might just be it. Let’s find out who you might meet there, should you move in.
Famous People from Borehamwood
Again, it is difficult to separate which of these famous faces is from which parish, so we will lump them together just like the rest of history. Here are some of the famous people to have come from Borehamwood over the years:
- Simon Cowell was raised in the area
- Sir Ray Davies, who is an actor, director, and songwriter for the Kinks, is from here.
- A few footballers, including Tim Sherwood and Dele Alli.
- Gino D’Campo, the chef, is living in Elstree. It’s a nice area.
- John Frederick Tayler, the artist of the industrial period, came from here.[iv]
There were famous people from all industries here, over the years. Now we can get to the bit you have all been dying to get stuck into – the entertainment.
Best Attractions in Borehamwood
Wondering what there is to see and do in Borehamwood? Well, you have come to the right party. Here are our local guide’s favourite things to do in town.
Historic Sights and Landmarks
Both largest historic sight and landmark in the area, you can head to the Aerodrome in Elstree. It is home to many a helicopter and flight training specialist and has been in operation since the early 1900s. This is the same helicopter pad that got taken over and concreted by the RAF in WWII. You will be able to fly for a day, learn to fly for a lifetime, or generally hang out around aircraft all day.
Image: John Gomez/Shutterstock.com
You can’t come here without stopping by Elstree Studios for a quick Instagram pic. You may or may not be able to take a tour depending on when you go. You might be able to watch a show being made if you are willing to buy a ticket. It’s where you go if you end up on the Chase. It’s a cool place. If you hang around it long enough, you’re bound to see stars, come, and go, or they will shush you away with a broom, one of the two.
Galleries and Museums
Elstree and Borehamwood Museum is popular among tourists and locals alike. It holds the history of the area and can perhaps shed more light on what it’s called. The museum first opened in 2000 and has built a large display of items that connect to the history of the town. It has free entry although we encourage you to donate if you can. The museum is run by a local group so have a heart. They run lots of school groups and educational visits.
Not so much a gallery or museum as a theatre, the Ark venue at Borehamwood allows an audience of up to 250 people to share in public events and community theatre events. This centre provides local youngsters with a creative space where they can turn their angst into art. It has a nice stage, a good lighting rig, and is in fitting with the theme of a town built upon the bones of the silver screen.
Outdoor Attractions
The Scratchwood Open Space is situated on Barnet Road and is intended to allow the average Joe access to green spaces. It’s a big nature reserve filled with ancient and natural woodland. Arguably, it is one of the only parts of the original Borehamwood that still exists. Be careful with it. There is an outdoor activity centre here for kids.
Sports and Recreation
The local team is the Boreham Wood FC football club, and you can find them at Meadow Park. They will be training, or you can go and use the park yourself for other sports activities. The Park was first opened in 1929, so it has a long history of public use in the area. There is all number of activities here, so keep an eye on events when you are in town.
There is a theatre in town at 96 Shenley Road. This purpose-built place is meant to be the theatre, cinema, town library, and community centre. It is where you would see visiting bands or politicians, and where you might have to go to get a vaccine, you know, in the unlikely event of a pandemic. It’s a suave building that puts on many an end-of-year performance for arts school students.
There are two golf clubs/experiences within teeing off distance of the town The Radlett Park Golf Club is a firm favourite with the American Golf centre at Borehamwood a follow-up choice.
Shopping and Retail
On a Tuesday and a Saturday, you can visit the street market held on Shenley Road in Borehamwood. The vendors will have a mix of fruit and veg, clothing, and other bits and bobs. Wrap up if it is cold as its all outdoors. The market isn’t on if it’s a bank holiday.
If you like your shopping less traditional, then you can try the Borehamwood Shopping Park off Theobald Street instead. It even has its own Argos.
Where to Eat and Drink in Borehamwood?
One of the best places to eat in town is at Kiyoto Sushi. Everyone loves sushi. If you are one of the few that don’t like raw fish, the Little Mexican Kitchen might have some spices that are more to your liking. If it’s just a chippy you want, head to the Golden Plaice.
Mops and Brooms is the best place for a pint and a pie, while the Oak is good if you like a dance. The Wellington is preferred by the old timers.
Other Notable Sights
If we have missed anything about Borehamwood, you should find it in this section.
- There is a Gala Bingo in town for you to go with your granny to.
- Go jump around at the MegaJump trampoline park
- See a movie at the Reel cinema
- There’s a salt cave in the local health club that sounds cool.
- If all else fails, there’s always hanging out at the skatepark.
You should find something you like to do here. If not, don’t forget to check out our other guides for more.
How to get to Borehamwood?
Now you know everything we do about this lovely location, but it would help to know how to get there.
By Road
Follow the M1 Northeast out of London.
By Rail
The Elstree & Borehamwood Train Station is the central one for both parishes.
By Air
London’s Heathrow Airport is your closest.
By Sea
Borehamwood has no sea access.
Not the Weekend Visit for You?
If you don’t fancy Borehamwood that’s just fine, we have plenty of other local travel guides in England and Wales for you to choose from. Have a peek at our pages and drop us a follow on Facebook for more.
[i] https://www.borehamwoodtimes.co.uk/news/14761389.12-things-you-may-not-know-about-borehamwood-and-elstree/
[ii] https://www.borehamwoodtimes.co.uk/news/10980007.ten-things-you-didnt-know-about-borehamwood/
[iii] https://www.borehamwoodtimes.co.uk/news/18433239.ve-day-elstree-studios-played-part-second-world-war/
[iv] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borehamwood
