October 2015
This year’s Safari Supper was one of the best attended of recent years with more than 20 residents and guests enjoying each other’s company and cooking. Big thanks to Carole Cohen and Margaret Stanier for organising such a successful evening. From starters and main courses at various homes the party ended with a surprise visit to the Medieval Cottages, courtesy of the owners Karen Murphy and Alison Wright.
October 2015
Forget what the Met Office says, Piccotts End resident Mary Wiedman has her own way of predicting the weather. In a letter to the Daily Mail Mary says that for the first time in 44 years the swallows nesting in her garage were gone by the middle of August instead of their usual departure date in mid September.
September 2015
The Martian, the new Hollywood space thriller starring Matt Damon, features another star performer, our very own Piccotts End resident Julia Blinko! Julia is a member of the Bach Choir who sing on the film’s soundtrack. Julia says she has been sworn to secrecy since recording it earlier this year.
September 2015
Plans for up to 350 homes and a new travellers’ site in fields adjacent to Piccotts End have been described as ‘pretty dire’ by PERA secretary Michael Nidd (pictured). Dacorum’s latest local planning framework documents show how a new roundabout will be built on Link Road to access the development beneath Grovehill.
August 2015
Alongside the medieval cottages Piccotts End Farm is the oldest habitation in the village, dating back to the 16th century. With its hand-painted warning ‘Caution. Ducks crossing’ at the entrance, it has a touch of the quaint to go with its character. Now, after more than 40 years the farmhouse is on the market. I called by to ask the owner, Mrs Mary Wiedman, about her time there. ‘We moved from Chorleywood in 1972,’ she told me. ‘We had a mock Tudor house there and I always wanted live
August 2015
The village’s medieval wall paintings were recently filmed by Simon Schama for part of a BBC2 series on “The Face of Britain” to be aired in September. Watch out for the TV series with the accompanying book and exhibition at The National Portrait Gallery.
June 2015
An article in the papers last week said it was a bumper year for English apricots – and the proof is here in Hertfordshire – in Piccotts End! I planted my apricot tree (bought from Ayletts in St Albans) 5 years ago and every year until now it has yielded nothing. One of the problems is that it flowers very early, in March, and the buds are killed by frost. This
July 2015
Warm, sunny weather greeted the dozens of residents who attended this year’s July 4th summer garden party at Riverbank. BBQs cooked tasty skewers of chicken and lamb, and burgers by the dozen, and when it came to the puddings everyone was spoiled for choice.
June 2015
One of the most distinctive sights in Piccotts End is Blue Gate, the rather quaint and attractive entrance to the home of Keith & Jayne Barber. While on holiday in Sicily recently we took a trip to the island of Panarea en route to see Stromboli, one of the Med’s only active volcanoes. While strolling about the pretty back streets I was delighted to
June 2015
A pair of gates which once graced the Gadebridge home of Sir Astley Paston Cooper, and thought to have been lost, have found their way to Piccotts End. The eminent 19th century surgeon lived at historic Gadebridge Park where the gates can be seen in this old photo.