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Rick
Moderator
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 4152
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Hi
I believe that what you are looking for is probably the gatehouse that served Hyde House in Hatfield Hyde. This was the original vicarage for the church of St Mary Magdalene. The church is still in Hollybush Lane but I'm afraid all sign of the gatehouse (which I don't remember) and Hyde House itself have now gone and the vicar now lives in a modern house next to the church. As a child I remember Hyde House very well. It was converted into a community centre but that too was demolished and replaced by a smaller modern building in the late sixties or early seventies.
The village of Hatfield Hyde has all but been swallowed up by the urban expansion of Welwyn Garden City. All that remains of the original village are a pair of cottages (possibly early Victorian) the War Memorial and The Dairy. To get a geographical perspective, type Mary Magdalene Church Hatfield Hyde into google maps. Hyde House was situated NW of the church, probably 50 yds NW to where the modern vicarage now stands. The entrance to the house is still there though it now leads to the modern community centre. Here is a link to the church.
http://www.st-mary-magdalene.org.uk/
Rick 
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Rick
Moderator
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 4152
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I remember that level crossing! There was one on Ridgeway too wasn't there? That one (Ridgeway) was still working up until the sixties. I remember waiting in the car (as a small child) for the train to cross and the gate to open.
Happy days!
Rick
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Rick
Moderator
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 4152
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Steve
That's fantastic! Do let us know how you get on.
Rick
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Pete Keane
RootsChat Member
Posts: 235
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Steve,
I had a look at old-maps.co.uk, there are 8 for the location, one of them (1925) is clearly marked as Holwell Hyde Crossing, and there is a building next to it. I then went back to the 1880's map and its not marked as crossing, but the building is there - in fact, its the only building !
I had a look on google - the house you are talking about is on the left as you go up to the cul-de-sac estate? If you look at the way that lane is orientated, it looks like it is built along the old railway line, the other side of cole green lane it is orientated along the same line. I reckon that house could well be the gatehouse (shame google street view doent cover that lane !) for the crossing.
But, its shown as Holwell Hyde Crossing, not Hatfield Hyde....
Pete.
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Pete Keane
RootsChat Member
Posts: 235
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Steve,
I remember looking at a book on the early history of wgc, there were definitely pictures of the station at Attimore Hall - some of the railway houses are still there, on the left as you leave the campus - I reckon a visit to the library may help ! I dont recall anything on the hatfield hyde halt, but the book was about wgc, and I dont think hatfield hyde was sucked in until the 1930's.
Also, I used to drink at the Cowper Arms - they had the usual local photo's on the wall (bound to be one of their station there), a long shot, but an excuse for a pint at least! That was a brilliant pub in the 80's, I remember the old owners had obviously been to spain and had a spanish style wrought iron bar made when they got home ! It was 'refurbished' into a chain pub in the late 80's?
Also - The Dip - many a bad accident there! It has under road heating so it doesnt ice up.
I dont think GNR would be an abbreviation of Great North Road, but an easy way to tell would be to find something that was on the Great North Road and see if its abbreviated. it wouldnt make any sense, hatfield hyde wasnt on the road so I cant imagine the gatehouse was.
Pete.
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Pete Keane
RootsChat Member
Posts: 235
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Been thinking about this today - if the halt was at the end of whats now Cole Green Lane, what was it there for?
It couldnt have been foot passengers (no-one lived nearby!), and there wasnt a platform, just a gateway.
So goods then. There were certainly a couple of decent sized farms, but there was also a wood yard (its descendant is still there off the a414 towards Hatfield), and there was a mill, Mill Green being very close if you take the track down Holwell Hyde Lane - which is shown on the 1880's map, and whilst I dont think the Mill still works....it has a Museum of Rural Life !!
I reckon thats another possible for your list of places to visit......
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