Tonwell
Encyclopedia
Tonwell is a small village in Bengeo Rural
parish, Hertfordshire
.
The village is situated just off the A602
(formerly B1001), having been bypassed in 1987 - making the A10 and therefore London
and Cambridge
easily accessible by road.
Tonwell has a population of about 300 persons, and the demographic is similar to that of Hertfordshire itself, with a number of family properties as well as those more suited to elderly people. Surrounding the village is Paynes Hall (south of the village by half a mile, where the A602 crosses the River Rib
); the Bengeo Temple farm, and the Parkland at Sacombe (listed in the landscape character assessment as a rare and significant example of Victorian parkland).
Tonwell has close ties to the neighbouring hamlet of Chapmore End
; the only other settlement in the parish. The two settlements hold combined events such as the village fete, and regular parish events in the parish hall in Tonwell. The Woodman public house in Chapmore End has also held large local events, such as the Woodmanstock festivals, as well as more recently a festival in celebration of the summer solstice
featuring folk music and traditional dancing. The pub regularly features in the CAMRA
good beer guide.
Village amenties include a school (built in 1858), village hall, and the Robin Hood (free house) pub.
The village shop and Post Office
was closed down by the owners in the 1980s and converted into a restaurant room for the pub. The nearest food stores or Post Offices are now situated in Hertford
, Watton-at-Stone
or Ware.
The Church of St Mary's in Tonwell [CoE] adjoins the village school, and contains a Norman
era font
(relocated from St Nicholas' church in Hertford in about 1700 AD). The church also contains wood panelling from the Houses of Parliament
, which were installed in the church following bomb damage after the Second World War. In the 1990s, the church fell into disrepair, and eventually in the 2000s services were suspended. In 2005 the church was officially closed and renovated with the village school being extended into the church to cope with rising pupil numbers.
water tower
, which makes the village stand out from others surrounding it because it is so unusual. In recognition of this, in 2007 it was listed at Grade II. The water tower has a capacity of 50,000 gallons and was built in 1964. It was designed by Edmund C. Percey of Scherrer and Hicks.
Bengeo Rural
Bengeo Rural is a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 601...
parish, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
.
The village is situated just off the A602
A602 road
The A602 is a road linking Hitchin in Hertfordshire, England, with A10 at Ware in Hertfordshire, via Stevenage.The course of the road has changed significantly since the 1960s with the construction of several bypasses and relief roads....
(formerly B1001), having been bypassed in 1987 - making the A10 and therefore London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
easily accessible by road.
Tonwell has a population of about 300 persons, and the demographic is similar to that of Hertfordshire itself, with a number of family properties as well as those more suited to elderly people. Surrounding the village is Paynes Hall (south of the village by half a mile, where the A602 crosses the River Rib
River Rib
The River Rib originates near the East Hertfordshire village of Buckland and runs parallel with the A10 through Buntingford, Westmill, Braughing, Puckeridge and Standon until it reaches its confluence with the River Lea near Hertford.-History:...
); the Bengeo Temple farm, and the Parkland at Sacombe (listed in the landscape character assessment as a rare and significant example of Victorian parkland).
Tonwell has close ties to the neighbouring hamlet of Chapmore End
Chapmore End
Chapmore End is a small village in Bengeo Rural parish, Hertfordshire.The main village consists of a few houses and village pub, and is situated just off the B158 approximately 3km north of Hertford....
; the only other settlement in the parish. The two settlements hold combined events such as the village fete, and regular parish events in the parish hall in Tonwell. The Woodman public house in Chapmore End has also held large local events, such as the Woodmanstock festivals, as well as more recently a festival in celebration of the summer solstice
Summer solstice
The summer solstice occurs exactly when the axial tilt of a planet's semi-axis in a given hemisphere is most inclined towards the star that it orbits. Earth's maximum axial tilt to our star, the Sun, during a solstice is 23° 26'. Though the summer solstice is an instant in time, the term is also...
featuring folk music and traditional dancing. The pub regularly features in the CAMRA
Campaign for Real Ale
The Campaign for Real Ale is an independent voluntary consumer organisation based in St Albans, England, whose main aims are promoting real ale, real cider and the traditional British pub...
good beer guide.
Village amenties include a school (built in 1858), village hall, and the Robin Hood (free house) pub.
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
was closed down by the owners in the 1980s and converted into a restaurant room for the pub. The nearest food stores or Post Offices are now situated in Hertford
Hertford
Hertford is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. Forming a civil parish, the 2001 census put the population of Hertford at about 24,180. Recent estimates are that it is now around 28,000...
, Watton-at-Stone
Watton-at-Stone
Watton-at-Stone is a village in the English county of Hertfordshire, situated midway between the towns of Stevenage and Hertford in the valley of the River Beane. The 2001 census showed a population of 2,272, living in 921 households...
or Ware.
The Church of St Mary's in Tonwell [CoE] adjoins the village school, and contains a Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
era font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
(relocated from St Nicholas' church in Hertford in about 1700 AD). The church also contains wood panelling from the Houses of Parliament
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
, which were installed in the church following bomb damage after the Second World War. In the 1990s, the church fell into disrepair, and eventually in the 2000s services were suspended. In 2005 the church was officially closed and renovated with the village school being extended into the church to cope with rising pupil numbers.
Tonwell Water Tower
The skyline of the village is dominated by the futuristic 1960s concreteConcrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
water tower
Water tower
A water tower or elevated water tower is a large elevated drinking water storage container constructed to hold a water supply at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system....
, which makes the village stand out from others surrounding it because it is so unusual. In recognition of this, in 2007 it was listed at Grade II. The water tower has a capacity of 50,000 gallons and was built in 1964. It was designed by Edmund C. Percey of Scherrer and Hicks.