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Harpenden's 'Dry Valley'

A pictorial trail from Zouches Farm near Dunstable to the River Colne at Smallford

By Les Casey and Rosemary Ross

Bruce Campbell's proposition that there was once a river Kin, prompted us to trace the shallow dry valley which runs through Harpenden from its source on the dip-slope below Blows Down near Dunstable to Smallford in the basin of the river Colne. 

Rivers of the Chilterns

During the Ice Age, the rocks and soils of the Chiltern Hills were frozen into impermeable 'permafrost'.

Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Harpenden's 'Dry Valley'' page

Les Casey

When the ice-sheet began to melt, water poured over the still-frozen ground of the dip-slopes, cutting the deep valleys of the Lea, Ver, Gade etc. Where the lobe of glacial boulder clay still blocked the the way, terraces of glacial 'outwash' gravel were formed along the Lea valley. Eventually the Lea overflowed and cuts its eastward course, reaaching the Thames to the east of London. The Ver and Gade joined the Colne, which flowed south-west, reaching the Thames to the west of London.

Many tributary valleys, such as the valley through the centre of Harpenden, formed later and were shallower, so when, at the end of the period of glaciation the underlying chalk became permeable again, the water-table fell below the level of these valley floors, and they became 'dry valleys'. Some have streams which re-appear in wet years. The valley through Harpenden and Sandridge is a 'dry valley'.

Surface Drainage

Most of the rainfall on this district soaks through the soil and the permeable chalk rock beneath to add to the water-table of the aquifer.

Photo:Paving front gardens for parking cars adds to the problems of surface drainage

Paving front gardens for parking cars adds to the problems of surface drainage

Les Casey

 

But during heavy rainfall there is also some surface drainage down the slopes of the valley sides. Water will flow in ditches off the patches of clay drift deposits on the chalk ridges. Storm-water runs off tarmac road surfaces and paved areas in the town, finding its way into the roadside ditch and so into the town drainage system which carries this run-off water to the Southdown storage ponds, whence it overflows into the soak-away pit to percolate into the chalk below.

Photo:Water streaming down Station Road on 26 February 2015

Water streaming down Station Road on 26 February 2015

Les Casey

The gravel-pit at the foot of Dark Lane similarly serves as a sump for the run-off from roads at Southdown.

There are other pits in the valley-gravel at intervals along the valley floor through No Mans Land and Sandridge, down to the Colne.


The dry valley in pictures

The long gallery below follows the valley, as far as it can be accessed. The northern section mainly runs through private land, and can only be viewed from footpaths which give views along the line of the shallow dip which is the valley. The sequence has been put together over several years, in varying weather, and includes some old photos at times of flood or when there was more visible water in the centre of Harpenden.

To view the pictures, click on the first picture (or wherever you want to start your exploration) to enlarge the image. Then press next, or previous, to progress on your virtual walk.

Photo:1. This OS map of 1890 shows the contours marking the head of the valley at Zouches Farm in the top left-hand corner
Photo:2. Geological map of UK, showing clay overlay between Rothamsted and Slip End
Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Harpenden's 'Dry Valley'' page
Photo:3. View from the top of the valley, looking east towards Zouches Farm, with Grove Spring to the south. Behind the photographer lies the edge of the escarpment of Blows Down, above Dunstable.
Photo:4. Looking west to the top of the valley from the corner of Zouches Farm yard on the right; Grove Spring on the left
Photo:5. The gentle slope eastwards towards Zouches Farm - in the centre of the photo.
Photo:6. Zouches Farm from the west, nestling in the valley which passes through the farm-buildings.
Photo:7. The pool at the eastern end of Grove Spring, supplying the farm, which lies behind the photographer
Photo:8. Zouches Farm from the south, with Grove Spring on the left. The valley passes 'horizonally' behind the farm.
Photo:9. The farm sheltered in the valley, running eastwards.
Photo:10. Looking NE. The valley continues eastwards to Caddington Golf course, where it feeds several ponds. We have not been able to visit this section yet.
Photo:11. Caddington Golf Course - looking WNW, with Zouches Farm behind the copse on the left
Photo:12. Caddington Golf Club, looking ESE towards Club entrance
Photo:13. Looking east from the field just south of Caddington Golf Course; the lakes lie the valley behind the hedge on the left of the photo. Badgerdell Wood and Farley Green are on the horizon.
Photo:14. Chaul End Road, entrance to Caddington Golf Club - looking South - the valley crosses the road, through the hedgerow, towards Badgerdell Wood.
Photo:15. Chaul End Road, entrance to Caddington Golf Club - looking North
Photo:16. North of Caddington, looking NW alongside Badgerdell Wood, towards Chaul End Road and Caddington Golf Club
Photo:17. The dip alongside Badgerdell Wood, looking NW to Chaul End Lane
Photo:18. Badgerdell Wood on the left - looking SE towards Farley Green
Photo:19. The 'valley' runs SE alongside the hedgerow, and through the gap to Farley Green
Photo:20. View across to Farley Green - the 'valley' runs along the further hedgerow
Photo:21. Line of ditch along Old Farley Lane, private and inaccessible. M1 in background; underpass to the right.
Photo:22. Ditch with rivulet feeding pond at Farley Green
Photo:23. Ditch alongside Farley Lane Cottages, which feeds through a culvert into the pond at Farley Green
Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Harpenden's 'Dry Valley'' page
Photo:24. Sketch map of the dry valley from Farley Green to Kinsbourne Green
Photo:25. The Pond at Farley Green, fed from rivulet which passes under the M1
Photo:26. Southern end of pond at Farley Green: road past Stockwood Park Golf Course to Newlands on the left
Photo:27. View SE from pond at Farley Green, along Stockwood Park boundary
Photo:28. Newlands Road, alongside the boundary of Stockwood Park, near Farley Green
Photo:29. Newlands Road, looking north towards Farley Green, with Stockwood Park Golf course to the east and the watercourse on the left
Photo:30. Newlands Road, near the turning for Slip End, looking north - Grid Ref.095189
Photo:31. Road to Slip End from Newlands Road, rises up the side of the valley, under the M1
Photo:32. Newlands Road, with Newlands Farm, towards underpass of MI, Junction 10 spur
Photo:33. View of Newlands Road and Farm from A1081 which climbed to meet M1 spur & Luton Airport Parkway, since modified for new junction layout in late 2015
Photo:34. A substantial drainage ditch alongside the A1081, near to Gibraltar Farm - looking SE
Photo:35. Bedfordshire-Hertfordshire border, looking NW - north of Thrales End Lane
Photo:36. Bedfordshire-Hertfordshire border, looking SE, from Kennel Lane junction
Photo:37. Shire Mere or boundary - the junction at Thrales End Lane of two Roman trackways, one from Granary Lane/Ambrose Lane and the other through Caddington to Dunstable, with the track from St Albans (Verulamium) and Luton - the 'Herpedene'
Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Harpenden's 'Dry Valley'' page
Photo:38. Luton Road, near the Fox - the valley bottom heads towards Kinsbourne Green
Photo:39. Here we take a diversion to visit the tributory 'River Kin', rising near White Walls, north of Spring Road, Kinsbourne Green
Photo:40. 'River Kin' - newly dug lake, east of Whitewalls, north of Spring Lane, with Kennel Lane at the far boundary
Photo:41. The new lake, north of Spring Road, Kinsbourne Green
Photo:42. Kennel Lane floods frequently at a dip, east of the new lake
Photo:43. From the corner of Kennel Lane and  Kinsbourne Green Lane - the dip in the hedge, and across the field to the A1081
Photo:44. 'River Kin' - dip in Kennel Lane, and across the field - seen from A1081
Photo:45. Drainage ditch alongside The Common, Kinsbourne Green
Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Harpenden's 'Dry Valley'' page
Photo:46. Ditch alongside Luton Road, remnant of old watercourse
Photo:47. Ditch in old gravel pit, alongside Luton Road
Photo:48. Southern end of gravel pit alongside Luton Road, near Ridgewood Drive
Photo:49. Gravel workings near The Old Bell, Luton Road, from 1898 OS map
Photo:50. A factory was built in the old gravel pit at the bottom of Roundwood Lane - site of Homedell since 1980s
Photo:51. Sketch map of the dry valley from Kinsbourne Green to Grove Road
Photo:52. The Cock Pond in 1897.
Photo:53. The culverted stream in winter, near the Cock Pond.  Note the rustic bridges.
Photo:54. Lower High Street, near Vaughan Road, with rustic bridge over the stream - and a flood in c.1910
Photo:55. The stream continued past the Harpenden Arms Hotel
Photo:56. The Dell - the water-filled gravel pits on the Common - c.1900
Photo:57. The Dell in the early 1900s. Old gravel pits had been dug out, as unemployment relief in 1895.
Photo:58. In 1928 work started on draining the Cock Pond and culverting the stream all the way to the 'run-off' ponds on the Common
Photo:59. Excavations for the construction of the 'run-off' ponds - 1928
Photo:60. Concrete barriers were built around the Cock Pond, as road traffic increased, but did not solve the problems.  Heavy storms overwhelmed the new culvert in 1936 and 1937
Photo:61. Maybe this, and the previous picture, were taken during the storm of 21 June 1936 - see the description of this great storm.
Photo:62. Clearing up in Lower High Street, after a storm on 13 August 1937
Photo:63. Southdown Road (formerly Wheathampstead Road), behind the Harpenden Arms. Storm waters still (usually) flow through here to the old gravel pits on the Common.
Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Harpenden's 'Dry Valley'' page
Photo:64. The valley bottom continues alongside Southdown Road, past The Dene, through a culvert into the ditch which drains into the first pond.  'Dene' derives from a Saxon word for valley.
Photo:65. The drainage channel emerging from the outflow pipe from Harpenden Lower High Street
Photo:66. Looking NW along the drainage ditch
Photo:67. The channel flows into the first pond
Photo:68. The first pond, looking south
Photo:69. Path from the Common to Southdown Road at north end of first pond - dipping down to the floor of the valley
Photo:70. The second pond, viewed from the Common towards Southdown Road and pines planted by Mr H Tylston Hodgson
Photo:71. The soak-away 'third pond', viewed from the second pond. Water soaks away into the chalk substratum.
Photo:72. However, in February 2001 John Davis captured a moment when the soak-away filled to become the third pond
Photo:73. Since the restoration work in 2010, overflows are rare - this is a haunt for rabbits.
Photo:74. The valley continues along the Southdown Road, under the Skew Bridge and through to Southdown Green. Piggotshill Lane and Cravells Road reach the bottom of the valley at the junction with Grove Road
Photo:75. On 21 June 1936, storm waters from the sides of the valley caused deep flooding in Grove Road - here at the corner with Piggottshill Lane
Photo:76. To alleviate the risk of flooding, Harpenden Urban District Council excavated and deepened an old gravel pit at the end of Dark Lane to form a deep sump
Photo:77. The deep pool is still there behind the wall in Grove Road. During WWII a hatch was cut through the roadside wall, with a door labelled 'E.W.S.': this was an emergency water supply for the Auxilliary Fire Brigade. The hole was still there in 1962.
Photo:78. The valley bottom, viewed from the Broadstone estate when under construction in the 1970s. View across to the Grove estate.
Photo:79. These flats at the eastern end of Grove Road were built in the 1970s on the site of another gravel pit.
Photo:80. Sketch map of the dry valley from Harpenden to Sandridge
Photo:81. From the end of Grove Road in the distance, to the junction with Pipers Lane on the right.
Photo:82. The track from Pipers Lane to Westend farm, looking WNW towards Cross Farm and Grove Road
Photo:83. The track looking towards Westend Farm.
Photo:84. A straight track leads all the way to Waterend Farm
Photo:85. West End Farm, Ferrers Lane
Photo:86. Gravel pits in the long depression opposite West End Farm
Photo:87. Gravel pits in Nomanland Common alongside Ferrars Lane
Photo:88. Nomansland Common: depression running alongside Ferrers Lane
Photo:89. Ferrers Lane from S Harpenden to crossroads with B 651- looking NW - Grid ref. 175123
Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Harpenden's 'Dry Valley'' page
Photo:90. Drovers Lane continues across the B 651 from Ferrars Lane, and bends towards Sandridge, grid ref 175123
Photo:91. At the Nomansland crossroad, a gap in hedge reveals a depression in valley floor.
Photo:92. Gravel pits alongside Drovers Lane, Nomansland Common - Grid ref. 175123
Photo:93. Depression and gravel of ancient river bed, on Nomansland Common alongside Drovers Lane.
Photo:94. Normansland - North of Drovers Lane - where ancient river deposited gravel
Photo:95. Exposed gravel on Nomansland Common.
Photo:96. Entrance to Nomansland Farm, to the North-East of Drovers Lane.
Photo:97. A gently sloping drive leads up to Nomansland Farm at Grid ref. 172127
Photo:98. Drovers Lane joins Coleman Green Lane, which leads SW towards Sandridge, at Grid ref. 179116
Photo:99. Coleman Green Lane: after the junction with Hammonds Lane, it swings towards Sandridge
Photo:100. On the South-East side of Coleman Green Lane the land rises to woodland south of Hammonds End Farm at Grid ref. 177114
Photo:101. At the north end of Sandridge, Coleman Green Lane (on the right) joins The Hill. It has skirted round the higher ground followed by the main road from Wheathampstead (B 651) at Grid ref. 172110
Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Harpenden's 'Dry Valley'' page
Photo:Sketch map of the dry valley from Jersey Farm to the Colne basin at Smallford
Photo:102. Looking north up the B651, as it joins the valley at Sandridge
Photo:103. Langley Grove climbs gently to the east, from Sandridge High Street at Grid ref. 171107
Photo:104. House Lane follows the valley ESE from Sandridge High Street
Photo:105. Looking east along the hedgerow beside House Lane, the valley curves SE by the hedge in the distance, towards Jersey Farm.
Photo:106. Looking NNE at the junction where House Lane meets Sandringham Crescent, on the eastern side of the Jersey Farm estate
Photo:107. From the junction with Sandringham Crescent, House Lane continues S-SSE on the edge of the Jersey Farm estate
Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Harpenden's 'Dry Valley'' page
Photo:108. House Lane meets Sandpit Lane and Oaklands Lane at a T-junction. The valley turns eastwards along Oaklands Lane towards Smallford.
Photo:109. From Oaklands Lane at Grid ref. 191079 a belt of trees runs down to Hatfield Road, alongside the nurseries at Smallford.
Photo:110. An old neglected watercourse follows the belt of trees - Grid ref. 191079.
Photo:111. The old watercourse alongside the nurseries at Smallford comes to and passes under the old railway track, now Alban Way at Grid ref. 195071
Photo:112. Alban Way near Smallford station platform
Photo:113. At Grid ref. 196072 the drainage channel along the west side of Smallford nurseries passes under the railway/Alban Way and continues towards the River Colne.
Photo:114. Drainage channel alongside Smallford nurseries near the bridge under the Alban Way.
Photo:115. One channel of the Colne passes under Colney Heath Lane, NW of the junction with the North Orbital Road at Grid ref. 198063
Photo:116. Alongside the cycleway at Grid ref. 197071, one of the lakes in the Colne valley is now used for fishing
Photo:Sketch map of the dry valley, showing its relationship to the Lea and Colne valleys
This gallery was added by Rosemary Ross on 22/03/2016.
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Brief history of Harpenden & general articles
  • Harpenden Development Association
  • Harpenden in the Abercrombie Plan
  • Harpenden Village Sign
  • Harpenden's 'Dry Valley'
  • Harpenden's Open Air Swimming Pool - opened in May 1960
  • Harpenden's Storm Floods - Sunday 21 June 1936
  • Harpenden, Batford and the Danelaw Boundary
 
 
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