IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Holywell Hill, ST. ALBANS, AL1 1EZ

Group of buildings on Holywell Hill, formerly forming the Saracen's Head inn, a former coaching inn, one of many on Holywell Hill, given its position on the main coaching route from London to the northwest. The building originally dates from the 16th century. The name remains in the yard accessed by the carriageway through the building, Saracens Head Yard. The two parts are both grade II listed - for that on the left see www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1103093 and for that on the right see www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1103094.

A former coaching inn, one of many on Holywell Hill, given its position on the main coaching route from London to the northwest. This was part of the Saracen's Head, with the building originally dating from the 16th century. Grade II listed - see www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1103093.

A former coaching inn, one of many on Holywell Hill, given its position on the main coaching route from London to the northwest. This was the Saracen's Head, with the building originally dating from the 16th century. Grade II listed - see www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1103094 for the nearer section and www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1103093 for the section beyond.

Group of buildings on Holywell Hill. Nos 23 - 25 make up the White Hart Hotel, the only survivor of the many coaching inns that used to line Holywell Hill, given St Albans' position on the main coaching route from London to the northwest. The oldest part of the building dates from around 1500, when it was a brewhouse called the Hartshorn. The section to the north of the carriageway dates from the late 16th century with other parts from the 17th century. The frontage was changed in the 18th century with new windows and a plastered façade - the plaster was removed in the early twentieth century to give the building its current looks. The building is grade II* listed - see www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1347142. One famous "guest" was Simon Fraser, the 11th Lord Lovat, who stayed here in 1746 on his way to the Tower of London following the Jacobite uprising the previous year. His beheading on Tower Hill in 1747 was the last such execution to take place in Britain. Beyond is no 27, the former head office of Ryder Seeds, built 1910-1 designed by Percival Blow. For full description see Image Grade II listed - see www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1251301.

Group of buildings on Holywell Hill. Nos 7 - 9 probably date originally from the 16th Century, no 11 from the 17th Century and nos 13 - 15 from the 16th century. The former and the latter were both formerly coaching inns, the Dolphin and part of the Saracen's Head respectively of which there were many on Holywell Hill, given its position on the main coaching route from London to the northwest. All three buildings are grade II listed - see www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1103091, www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1103092 and www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1103093 respectively.

Row of buildings on Holywell Hill. Nos 32 and 34 date originally from the early 18th Centuries. Grade II listed - see www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1103098 and www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1347145 respectively. From 1963 to 2007 it housed an independent bookseller, Paton Books. Nos 26 - 30, on the right, are locally listed. No 30 was originally a pub, "The Two Brewers", shown as such on the 1880 1:500 map.

Buildings on the west side of Holywell Hill, from no 24 on the right, down to no 34. Most are locally listed, but the final buildings nos 32a-34, until recently a long established independent bookshop, Patons Books, are grade II listed, dating from around 1700 - for listing particulars see www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1103098 and www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1347145.