Aldbury, Hertfordshire
Aldbury is a quintessential English village in Hertfordshire, close to the borders of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. Originally recorded in the Domesday book as Aldeberie, it is nestled in a valley adjacent to Ashridge Park. The Bridgewater monument and the Ashridge estate are a short walk from the village.
As a traditional English village, Aldbury is arguably unequalled in the county. Aldbury is a small village of around 800 inhabitants; local facilities include a small shop the Greyhound country hotel and the Valiant Trooper a traditional country pub.
Image Gallery of Aldbury
In the centre of the village stands the delightful duck pond and village green; close by are the ancient and well preserved village stocks and whipping-post. Stocks House is the largest house in the village. A large Georgian mansion built in 1773. Among its various incarnations, it was the home of the British author Mary Augusta Ward.
Aldbury Village Pond
The Church of St. John-the-Baptist was originally a thirteenth century Early English building, except for the tower, which was added during the fourteenth century. The whole building has been significantly altered and was restored in 1867. An interesting feature of the church is the Verney Chapel on the south side. It is separated from the nave by a fine stone screen. Within the chapel is the tomb of Sir Robert Whittingham who died at the Battle of Tewkesbury. The church also contains memorials dedicated to the Hide and Harcourt families who set up several charities for the poor of the parish. There remains a statue niche at the east side of the north aisle, and from the south aisle a stairway leads to the room over porch. The church also contains some old pew ends, and outside in the churchyard is a sundial on a wooden post. The church registers date from 1693.
Walking up through the wooded slopes towards the Bridgewater Monument takes the visitor through some of the most beautiful countryside in the Chilterns, with spectacular views through the beech trees back towards the village in the valley beneath.
Due to Aldburys charm and high level of preservation, the village is a popular shooting location for both film and television. Amongst the television series filmed in the village are:
- Several episodes of the popular sixties TV series, The Avengers.
- The initial advertisements for the National Lottery.
- The Shillingbury Tales series, filmed in 1980.
Dave Allen TV series. - Inspector Morse - the TV detective series.
Films that have had scenes set in Aldbury include:
- The Dirty Dozen 1967
- 2004
Gainsborough Pictures, "Jassy" of 1947. - Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (including a scene involving fox hunting that was cut
from the cinema release but is on the DVD release)
