The Walks Programme, organised through Fleetville Diaries is no longer available, as Fleetville Diaries has closed its activities. However, we will shortly be working on alternative ways in which we can offer the same information to you if you wish to take a self-guided walk. Look out for further information on this page soon.

Living in Fleetville
Woodstock Road south

Creating in an age before planning rules, Fleetville grew in fits and starts. We explore who was responsible for whole streets and odd corners. There is a story to be told about each of them.

Meeting point: outside Fleetville Community Centre. About two hours. Circular walk.

Shopping in Fleetville
Cake preparation at Schnabel's

Hatfield Road was known as the Mile of Shops, although most of the retail units on the north side began as residences. We explore how retailing has changed, yet how much it has remained the same.

Meeting point: Outside Fleetville Community Centre, Royal Road. About one-and-a-half hours. Linear walk; finishing point outside The Crown PH.

Made in Fleetville
Grubb Telescope

Fleetville was a mix of houses, workshops and factories; few of the latter now remaining. Fleetville is the part of St Albans where things were made; we discover where these places were, and what remains.

Meeting point: Outside Fleetville Community Centre, Royal Road. About two hours. Circular walk.

Steaming Through Fleetville
Builders' supplier Campfield Road

From the moment a railway route through the East End was fixed on the map, factories and homes were attracted to it. On this walk we follow the train from London Road to Hill End, and get to discover who shared the landscape with the Great Northern Railway.

Meeting point: London Road Station, Orient Way. About two hours. Linear walk. Finishing point, Hill End Station platform. Limited parking Orient way; parking Hill End Lane/Hixberry Lane.

Steaming to Hatfield
Detail from Blackberry Arch

The route of the former railway, now Alban Way, has its least known section east of Smallford. So we set out to discover more about the open scenery and settlements between Smallford Station and The Comet, Hatfield.

Meeting point: Smallford Station. About two hours. Linear walk. Finishing point, The Comet/Galleria, Cavendish Way. Free parking at Smallford Station; chargeable parking at Galleria.

Cambridge Road
Children at Wellington Road 1954

Along this straightforward walk we discover in detail a single street, which developed over many decades and which once supported up to eight shops. There is a bottom end and a top end, missing bits, and a hidden history about which most of us are unaware.

Meeting point: Camp Road/Camp View Road junction (small area of open space). About one-and-a-half hours. Linear walk. Finishing point Cambridge Road/Ashley Road junction. Limited street parking.

Baker's Dozen
Cemetery lodge

The history of the Cemetery is told, and among the dozen stories are some of the earliest former residents of this city to be laid to rest here. Here are the stories of Samuel Ryder, Thomas W Carter, the World War Two section, Percival Blow, Harry Blanks, John Westell, Jonas Ellingham, Arthur Melbourne Cooper, Marion Terry, Edward Hughes, Ephraim Butler, Charles Dymoke Green.

Meeting point: outside the chapel at Hatfield Road Cemetery. About two hours.

Private Lives
Mature trees in the Cemetery

Among the stories we hear are those from former residents who were not necessarily well-known during their lifetimes. But through their families an engaging record about them and those they came into contact with has been retained.

Stand beside Frederick Mayle, Ernest Grimaldi, Percy Stone, Charles Hart, Ernest Green, Sydney Currell, Joseph Godseff, the prisoners, Hubert Grime, Arthur Swinson.

Meeting point: Outside the chapel at Hatfield Road Cemetery. About two hours.

Camp Road beyond the Hill
Tuckett's general store, later Dearman's

If Hatfield Road is the front end of Fleetville, then Camp Road is its back door and just as interesting. It still reveals its past as a country lane. It is a rich mix of homes, school, shops, museum and former work places.

Meeting point: CampRoad/Campfield Road (the green triangle). About two hours. Linear walk. Finishing point Camp Road/Ashley Road. Limited parking at both ends.

Laid to Rest
Main drive at Hatfield Road Cemetery

The Baker's Dozen, Pioneers, Private Lives and Family & Friends are story walks within the grounds of Hatfield Road Cemetery, with the permission of the Cemeteries' Manager. At each one we tell the stories of up to twelve former residents of St Albans who are laid to rest here. The Cemetery is fully accessible. We meet at the former shelter next to the chapel. Bus stop outside. Limited parking.

See remaining green panels for details of all the story walks.

Pioneers
Looking across cemetery to St Paul's

Included in this story walk are accounts of some people who became pioneers in their fields of expertise. Subject to availability the opportunity is taken to visit the inside of the chapel.

Find out about Stephen Simmons, World War One section, Benjamin Pelly, A Rankin Smith, Henry Mitton Wilson, the farmers, Frederick Sander, Henry Moon, Charles Gentle, Horace Slade, Eleanor Ormerod, Frederick Kitton, Sir Allan Adair, Ernest Hooker, Frank Toogood.

Meeting point: outside the chapel. About two hours.

Family and Friends
Large window inside Cemetery chapel

Among the thousands of burials at Hatfield Road we know the life stories of just a few. Sometimes impossible to categorise, we have grouped them as Family and Friends.

This group are Francis Tan Kam Choo, William Nugent Gape, Edward Lloyd, William Watson, James J Pinnock, Evelyn M Brotherton, Sarah Waddington, Eleanor L Hawkes, Rev Horatio Dudding, Richard Whiting.

Meeting point: outside the chapel at Hatfield Road Cemetery. About two hours.