Fishpool Street

Image: © Ian Capper Taken: 3 May 2012

Once the main road from London to the north west, following the diversion of the former Watling Street up Holywell Hill and then down to St Michaels in the 9th or 10th century. Following the building of Verulam Road by Thomas Telford in 1826, it lost this status but still served as the road out towards Hemel Hempstead, and when road numbers were introduced in 1922 it former part of the A414 Hemel Hempstead to Chelmsford road. This role in turn ceased in the 1950s or so following the link from Batchwood Drive to Bluehouse Hill and the transfer of that number to Catherine Street, and Fishpool Street is now a quiet back road. Many of the buildings here are grade II listed, including the three on the right of the photo, nos 50 (the plaster fronted building), 52 (with the doorway and 54, all dating from the 18th century with earlier origins - see www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1103143, www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1172835 and www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1347128 respectively for listing particulars; also the building in the background, Kitchener's Mead, dating from the late 18th century - see www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1296453. All other buildings are locally listed. On the wall of no 52 can be seen a World War 1 Street Memorial (see Image for close up).

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