Gadebridge is on the northern edges of Hemel
Hempstead and is Dacorum's principal park, forming a green wedge of
urban countryside running into the heart of the town. The park is
divided into two main areas, separated by the Leighton Buzzard
Road, with a total area of about 32 hectares.
Of this, 20 hectares are to the west of the
Leighton Buzzard Road, which includes a listed excavated and
re-interred Roman archaeological site, a play area and the Field of
Hope daffodil display. This section of the park slopes, with the
gradient falling to the Leighton Buzzard Road, which runs along the
bottom of the River Gade Valley. The area is used for occasional
events, such as cross country competitions and fun runs.
To the east of the Leighton Buzzard Road lies
the main section of the park, which is extensively used for
recreation. Facilities include two bowling
greens (1 club and 1 public), a crazy golf course,
petanque, croquet, giant chess and draughts, the King George V play
area and a skate park. Two car parks within the site serve both the
park and town centre and there are two blocks of public toilets.
Ice cream, hot and cold drinks and snacks are available in the car
parks. Usually there are about 10 special events held in the park
each year, in addition to visits by the fun fair.
Through Gadebridge Park the river follows the
course of a shallow millstream. The original river course in the
valley bottom was filled in many years ago and the river diverted
to its current position. The River through Gadebridge Park was
re-profiled in a joint project between Dacorum Borough Council and
the Environment Agency in 1997. Its purpose was to create a low
flow channel along the centre of the River, allowing vegetation to
establish on either side to broaden habitat diversity and encourage
more species. Pools were left below each weir to allow public
access to the waters edge. These conditions are ideal for fish with
plenty of vegetation for cover and loose gravel for
spawning.
In 2004, the SANDS (Hemel
Hempstead and St Albans Still Birth and Neonatal Death Society)
SANDS memorial garden was officially
opened in the park. It was designed as a reflective and attractive
garden for anyone who has been touched by the death of a baby from
conception to shortly after birth. The design includes a statue
"Hugging Couple" sculpted by Mark Humphrey.
Historic Gadebridge Park
The history of the area now Gadebridge Park
dates back to the late iron age. Excavations in 1963 and 2000 on
the field north of Galley Hill revealed a farmhouse which was
extended after the Roman invasion of AD43 to include stone built
wings around a courtyard, a bathhouse, heated rooms and unusually a
large swimming pool. See the Dacorum Heritage Trust website for
more information on the excavations.
http://www.dacorum.heritage.org.uk/Gadebridge Park and the Bury
The Walled Garden is the location of the
original Bury House, although its exact
size and shape are unknown.
The Bury is an ancient name, usually referring to a fortified
house, in this case the fortification may simply have been the
marshy valley which is now Gadebridge Park. The first Bury was
referred to in the 1289 Ashridge Charter where "Burymilne", the
Mill near the Bury, was included. Prior to 1539 the Bury was the
home of the Waterhouse family, whose name today is remembered by
Waterhouse Street.
The Walled Garden is sometimes also known as
the Charter Gardens, after the stone porchway leading to the
gardens. The Charter Tower was originally the entrance into the
second Bury House, which was rebuilt between
1540 and 1595
by the Combes family. The arms of Richard Combes can still be seen
carved on the upper story of the Charter Tower. Richard Combes
inherited the Bury on the death of John Waterhouse. He built an
elaborate and sumptuous building which remained there until
1790.
The name "Charter Tower " derives from a
local myth that Henry VIII may have stayed there with Anne Boleyn
in 1539 and handed down Hemel Hempstead's Royal Market Charter from
the upper window as a mark of gratitude for hospility recieved.
However this would have been a previous structure as the existing
tower wasn't built until after this date. By the end of the 18th
century the second Bury was demolished and the finaal Bury now the
Regiser Office, was built by a Mr Ginger.
Along the flower bed on the northern wall of
the Walled Garden is a plaque commemorating the men and women from
Dacorum who served in South East Asia Command and to the Burma Star
Association, in memory of those who died in the Far East in World
War II.