IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Belmont Hill, ST. ALBANS, AL1 1XT

House on Holywell Hill, apparently originally dating from the 1840s and so presumably built following the demolition of Holywell House, home of Sarah Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough, which had been demolished in 1837 when the present route of Holywell Hill was created replacing the previous route behind the house, along Grove Road. Indeed, the 1879-80 1:500 map marks it as Holywell House, presumably in homage to its predecessor.

Mid 19th Century terraced houses built following the demolition of Holywell House, home of Sarah Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough, which had been demolished in 1837 when the present route of Holywell Hill was created replacing the previous route behind the houses, along Grove Road. Although not now formally used, this stretch of Holywell Hill is shown on older maps as Spencer Place, presumably in commemoration of the Spencer family of which the Duchess was part. The name is still show on the wall of the house on the far right of the photo.

A sewer vent column (or "stinkpipe") in Belmont Hill.

Mid 19th Century terraced houses built following the demolition of Holywell House, home of Sarah Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough, which had been demolished in 1837 when the present route of Holywell Hill was created, replacing the previous route along Grove Road. Although not now formally used, this stretch of Holywell Hill is shown on older maps as Spencer Place, presumably in commemoration of the Spencer family of which the Duchess was part.

Dating from the late 17th century, this road was built as a result of the extension of the gardens of Holywell House, a Tudor mansion that stood to the right of this photo, which meant that the original straight route of Holywell Hill had to be diverted, with this being the route taken. From 1684, the house was owned by John Churchill, later first Duke of Marlborough, who had come into its ownership following his marriage to Sarah Jennings. The Duke died in 1722, leaving Sarah as sole owner, who then in 1744 passed it to her grandson, John Spencer, who in turn passed it to his son, another John, who later became the first Earl Spencer of Althorp (from whom Lady Diana Spencer was descended). The family stopped using the house in the early 19th century (although retaining ownership of various lands in and around St Albans, with road names such as Jennings Road, Althorp Road, Marlborough Road and Spencer Mews maintaining the connection). The house was demolished in 1837, and this enabled the corporation of St Albans to reinstate the direct route up Holywell Hill, with what is now Grove Road becoming a side route.

A substantial late Victorian mansion, which from 1887 to 1901 was home to Eleanor Ormerod, the entomologist, as commemorated by the brown plaque to the right of the gate post. Grade II listed - for listing particulars see www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1103097.

Pair of 18th Century cottages on Holywell Hill. Grade II listed - see www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1347148.

Torrington House is a large, mid-19th century house on Holywell Hill, which stands in extensive grounds, set back from the busy road behind a high wall. Both the house and the wall with its gateposts are listed buildings. The entomologist Eleanor Anne Ormerod lived here from 1887 to 1901; Image See the official listing at the Historic England site for the house https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1103097?section=official-list-entry and for the gateposts and wall https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1347144?section=official-list-entry . The house is now a hotel.

Torrington House was built in the mid 19th century in extensive grounds, shielded from Holywell Hill, a busy road, by a high wall. The house is now a hotel. The entomologist Eleanor Anne Ormerod lived here at the end of the 19th century and is remembered with a brown plaque installed by HNHS, the Hertfordshire Natural History Society. Ormerod was no softie, if her Wikipedia entry is to be believed; she called for the extermination of the house sparrow, and for the use as an insecticide of Paris Green, a highly toxic arsenic and copper compound https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleanor_Anne_Ormerod . Both the house and the wall are listed buildings; see Image

Looking along Holywell Hill.