History

Shrub Hill Common is a beautiful green space with a story that stretches back centuries! It’s filled with history, local legends, and a thriving natural landscape. Come along as we dive into the fascinating journey of this beloved place and discover all that makes it so special.

The Roman Road and Ancient Relics:

In 1760, you can see a road cuts through the area market in yellow, current Shrub Hill Common. That is an old Roman Road, clearly important enough to be marked in this old map.  A Facebook post by Nick from the group Hemel Hempstead Remembered recounts the discovery of a Roman denarius in Jocket's Wood, adding an intriguing layer to the area's historical significance.

Chalk Pits, Arable Use and Woodland Emergence:

By 1840, the landscape underwent transformations. Area 158 marked on the map was privately owned and leased for arable use, while 157 remained common land. During this time, chalk was extracted from the pits. The cessation of grazing on the southern part of the common in the early 1900s allowed scrub and woodland to flourish. The area's propensity to flood and the installation of drains likely deterred construction, preserving its natural character.

Memories from 1960s onwards

- View from School Road (1960?)

Farmer Clark's :

This area was part of Hollies Farm, which  was managed by Clark. At this time, many people shared the experience of riding Farmer Clark's horses that used to  run free in this area.

Basin:

Children used to play in an area between the fields and the woodland that looks like a big crater. The origin of this format also created some tales, as some say it was caused by bombing during the Second World War. But the real origin is probably due to chalk being dug in the past.

Guy Fawkes Night:

Many seem to remember the community getting together to create a big Bonfire in commemoration to Guy Fawkes Night.

Other names:

People often refer to Shrubhill Common as "Jocketts Woods" or "Chalk Pit"

Dead Man's Alley:

This seems to be a recurrent tale about this alley that connect Shrubhill Common to Ridge Lea. Some said that it got this name because it used to be a highwaymen hanging site. Others say that got the name due to a group of soldiers that was killed by German plane during the Second World War.

- Photo from 1991 - You can check the horses in the background

Nature's Sanctuary: A Local Nature Reserve:

There is a record about this award is in an old page from Dacorum Website:

"Shrubhill Common was Dacorum's first Local Nature reserve, its LNR status being declared on 10th October, 1995. It consists of an area of common land (now reverted to scrub and woodland) and a couple of fields which have been grazed most recently by tethered horses. This has enabled these areas to survive as herb-rich chalk grassland. Grazing ceased following the Foot and Mouth outbreaks a few years ago. Since then the grassland has been maintained by a regime which involves mowing selected areas at different times to retain the features and species of chalk grassland. In addition to the mowing it also sometimes necessary to cut back encroaching scrub species such as blackthorn and bramble.

Butterflies on the common are recorded on a weekly basis from April until the end of September. Between twenty and twenty-two species are recorded most years, and last year there were 23 species, which included a vagrant Silver-washed Fritillary. The Marbled White colony was founded less than 10 years ago and another new arrival is the Wasp Spider which was recorded for the first time last year.

There are also well over a hundred species of wild flowers. The grass land is dominated by Knapweed, Agrimony and Ox-eye Daisies but also contains such herbs as Marjoram, Basil and Cornmint. The woods contain small colonies of Sanicle and Goldilocks Buttercup."

At the time, a leaflet was distributed to the local residents. Thanks to Wendy Birch for sharing this in the Facebook Group Hemel Hempstead Remembered.