IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Ver Road, ST. ALBANS, AL3 4QN

No. 32. C16. 2 storeys, 2 windows. Very steep, tiled roof with central chimney stack. Overhanging, plastered 1st floor has 2 sash windows with glazing bars in slightly projecting, moulded frames. Grade II listed.

17th century pub on Fishpool Street, once part of the main route from London to the northwest. Grade II listed - see www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1103142. The buildings beyond are also grade II listed - nos 32 and 30 (with the overhanging first floor), 16th century - see www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1172805, no 28 (with low pitched slate roof), early 19th century - see www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1347126 and no 26 (with dormer window in the roof), early 17th century - see www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1103140.

See description below. This one is in Fishpool Street, commemorating the dead of that road. It was dedicated in April 1921. For context see Image

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).

Looking along Fishpool Street from its start at Romeland Hill, by its junction with Welclose Street.

The top end of Fishpool Street seen from Romeland Hill. The long building in the background is 8 and 8a Fishpool Street, the former, Holmhurst, dating from the mid 18th Century and the latter 17th Century but refronted in the mid 18th Century to match its neighbour. Both are grade II listed - see www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1103138 and www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1347124 respectively.

Street in central St Albans with a raised pavement and a fine selection of old houses.

17th century Grade II Listed timber framed house. Kelly's 1899, 1902 and 1908 lists 'Mardell George, carman, 92 Fishpool street'. A carman was a driver of horse-drawn vehicles for transporting goods, often for railways. Also sometimes someone who drove horse-drawn trams was called a carman. Tree-Ring Service’s dendrochronological analysis of oak timbers here in 2012 dated them to be felled in winter 1708/9. Nat Alcock & Cathy Tyers (2013) 'TREE-RING DATE LISTS 2013' tells us "One bay survives of what was probably at least a two-bay, two-storey timber-framed building. The roof is of clasped-purlin construction, with raking queen struts, its end gable facing the street. The principal rafters do not diminish and no wind braces were evident. Little of the wall framing is visible, but the posts are not jowled and one straight brace survives in the end-gable wall. The joists are orientated on edge."

Along with 55 a row of 17th century houses. 53 has not had window replacement but is otherwise a mirror image of 51. Kelly's 1902 lists 'Olney Hargrave, hair dresser, 53 Fishpool street'.