Letchmore Heath Explained

Country:England
Official Name:Letchmore Heath
Static Image:Letchmore Heath.jpg
Static Image Width:240px
Static Image Caption:The Green in Letchmore Heath with the Three Horseshoes pub
Coordinates:51.667°N -0.336°W
Population:470
Population Ref:(2001 census)
Shire District:Hertsmere
Shire County:Hertfordshire
Region:East of England
Constituency Westminster:Hertsmere
Post Town:WATFORD
Postcode District:WD25
Postcode Area:WD
Dial Code:01923
Os Grid Reference:TQ151977

Letchmore Heath is a village in Hertfordshire in England, situated about three miles east of Watford.

General

The village, consisting of about 150 houses, lies to the east of Watford, southwest of Radlett and southeast of Aldenham.

Due to its proximity to Elstree Studios, it has often been used as a set in films, in particular the 1960 British horror movie Village of the Damned.

It has a village green, a pond and a pub, the Three Horseshoes, which is on the north side of the green.

The name Letchmore is derived from the Old Saxon "leche mere", meaning muddy pond. The present pond is located to the south of the village green.

To the west, but still within the village, is Bhaktivedanta Manor.[1]

Transport

Letchmore Heath has no main roads running through it and no public transport. It is, however, close to the M1 and M25 motorways. The nearest railway stations are at Radlett, Stanmore, Elstree & Borehamwood and Watford.

Famous residents

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896-1977), the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, commonly known as the Hare Krishnas, stayed in Letchmore Heath for a few months every year after establishing Bhaktivedanta Manor, a temple, in the village.

He commented about Letchmore Heath, that because it was so beautiful with many forest walks, it reminded him of Krishna’s birthplace, Vrindavana. He would daily go on long walks through the village and appreciated its cleanliness.[2]

Graphic designer David Rudnick was born in Letchmore Heath and spent his formative years there.[3]

Novelist Joanna Briscoe spent her early years here, and the location inspired the setting for her novel Touched.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Filming Locations for 1960 sci-fi classic Village of the Damned, at Letchmore Heath in Hertfordshire.(archived). https://web.archive.org/web/20170707192405/http://www.movie-locations.com/movies/v/village_damned.html. dead. 2017-07-07. 2020-05-15.
  2. http://krishnatemple.com/janmashtami/?page_id=5 Bhaktivedanta Manor Janmashtami website
  3. http://www.thefader.com/2014/09/09/visual-identity-david-rudnick-designer-evian-christ-wil-fry Interview with David Rudnick