Redbourn Village Museum

Redbourn Village Museum Local History of Redbourn Village There is a display about Dr. Henry Stephens, inventor of the first free flowing ink.

The Redbourn Experience explains the history of a Hertfordshire Village through the centuries through local finds and in pictures, maps and objects. The exhibitions are housed in a small house which was the home of the manager of a former Silk Mill, later becoming one of the largest tea and coffee packing factories in the country. Medieval stones from Redbourn Priory and items from the Stone Age t

o the 19th Century can be seen in the Priory Room whilst in the Occupations Room, the visitor is able to see the amazing wealth of employment that this small village has been able to provide throughout its history. Many people of Redbourn were straw plaiters and found work in the hat factory, silk mill, jam factory and subsequently the Brooke Bond tea-packing plant.

Our latest exhibition is now open, all about the Churchyard of St. Mary's Redbourn and some of the burials that have tak...
01/08/2026

Our latest exhibition is now open, all about the Churchyard of St. Mary's Redbourn and some of the burials that have taken place there of important Redbourners.

Sticky Joe finally gets his memorial bench....The picnic table in the Museum garden has recently been restored by one of...
21/07/2026

Sticky Joe finally gets his memorial bench....

The picnic table in the Museum garden has recently been restored by one of our volunteers, and is now dedicated to the legend of Sticky Joe. We're open every Saturday and Sunday from 2pm to 5pm, with extended hours for the Redbourn Classics, so come and sit at Sticky Joe's Bench!

05/07/2026

We had a vistor to the museum today enquiring about the origins of the road name 'Snatchup'.
I've come up with the following:
"
snatchup redbourn name origin

+2
In Redbourn, "Snatchup" (which refers to a road and a former row of cottages at North Common) takes its name from a local historical slang term for land that was illegally "snatched" or enclosed from the common.

Herts Memories
+1
The name origin and its local context can be broken down as follows:
Land Encroachment: Historically, when people needed housing or land, they would secretly or aggressively build a small cottage on common land overnight. If a squatter could build a structure with a smoking chimney before the local lord or authorities could stop them, the law frequently allowed them to keep it.

Herts Memories
Geographic Specificity: While "Snatchup End" was a historical term occasionally used in other parts of Hertfordshire (such as St Albans and Kings Langley), Redbourn is the only location in the UK where the name is still actively retained as a designated road and place name.
Snatchup Cottages: The famous Snatchup Cottages at North Common were built in this fashion and stood for decades. These specific cottages were ultimately left empty and demolished in the early 1950s.

The Old C**k InnThe building to the south of the Priory, which now houses Medivet, was formerly the site of the C**k Inn...
09/06/2026

The Old C**k Inn

The building to the south of the Priory, which now houses Medivet, was formerly the site of the C**k Inn. The first reference to it is from 1568, when Thomas Finche took over as landlord, and the building itself probably dated from the 16th Century. As can be seen in the 1930 photograph, it was notable for having no windows facing onto the High Street - access to the pub was round the back. This was reportedly done during the English Civil War of 1642-1648, when the landlord bricked up the doors and windows so as not to attract the attention of passing troops. In the 18th Century it was a thriving inn with 10 beds, but in 1799 its license was suddenly terminated when the landlord at the time refused to provide accommodation for a company of soldiers marching through the village.

After its closure the building was used by the nearby farmhouse for stabling and storage, slowly falling into disrepair. Eventually it became the property of the Rural District Council, who sold it (along with The Priory) to RayBuild Ltd in 1969. Although there was a preservation order on it and a campaign by villagers to save it the building was eventually deemed unrepairable and demolished in 1977. The building presently on the site was constructed in a similar style and used some bricks recovered from The C**k, it was the Village Health Centre until that moved to Hawkes Drive and it was taken over by a veterinary practice.

Don't miss Mr Heather's film of the 1949 outing to Southend showing after a talk on the History of Holidays by invited s...
02/06/2026

Don't miss Mr Heather's film of the 1949 outing to Southend showing after a talk on the History of Holidays by invited speaker, Nick Dobson. A light-hearted, illustrated look at holidays from the Middle Ages until today. Booking details on poster - we would love to see you there. Hi di Hi!

Reserve a place on our outing to Kent in July. We are limited to a smaller coach due to the country lanes in Kent, so b...
30/05/2026

Reserve a place on our outing to Kent in July. We are limited to a smaller coach due to the country lanes in Kent, so book early!

Tickets are on sale now for our next event - see details below.
30/05/2026

Tickets are on sale now for our next event - see details below.

Beating the BoundsThis Sunday 10th May is the annual ceremony of Beating the Bounds, a tradition which has been practice...
05/05/2026

Beating the Bounds

This Sunday 10th May is the annual ceremony of Beating the Bounds, a tradition which has been practiced since at least Anglo-Saxon times as it is mentioned in law passed by Alfred the Great in the 9th Century. And its possibly one of the last times that the parish boundary will pass entirely through open countryside, as housing development is proposed for most of the western side.

Before modern maps it was important to ensure that every Parish knew the landmarks marking their boundary, and that other Parishes were not taking over land they had no right to. Therefore the community would gather together to walk then entire boundary, before concluding events with a "Parish Ale" - a feast involving the consumption of much ale. Part of the tradition includes making the landmarks more memorable for young people, originally by beating them at such locations, but more recently by giving them the "bumps".

Redbourn is a relatively large Parish, with a boundary of around 16 miles, so the entire event takes around 8 hours but participants may choose to just do part of it each year.

St. George's flag flying at the museum (slightly ahead of) St. Georges Day on Thursday 23rd April.
22/04/2026

St. George's flag flying at the museum (slightly ahead of) St. Georges Day on Thursday 23rd April.

Redbourn from aboveTaken around 1949, looking north up the High Street towards Markyate, this photo shows the High Stree...
15/04/2026

Redbourn from above

Taken around 1949, looking north up the High Street towards Markyate, this photo shows the High Street and surrounding area as it was after World War 2. Some areas of interest are:

A - Redbourn House, nearly derelict by this time it was demolished in the early 60s and is now Gertrude Peake Place
B - Redbourn Railway Station was still operational
C - the watercress beds were no longer being farmed
D - the Tennis Club had two courts on Greyhound Meadow (and are still there)
E- the War Memorial

Address

Silk Mill House, The Common
Redbourn
AL37NB

Telephone

01582 793397

Website

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