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1836


The London and Birmingham Railway is built, complete with a 355¼ yard railway tunnel in Northchurch [click here to read more]. The building of the railway brings Northchurch and Berkhamsted into easy reach of London.

“At about the middle of it we pass through the North Church Tunnel, the length of which is one fifth of a mile. It has two handsome fronts of stone, with side walls of brickwork, and is the same height and proportions as the Watford Tunnel.” The London and Birmingham Railway, Roscoe and Lecount (1839).


Northchurch Tunnel, September 1837. A watercolour by S. C. Brees.
Northchurch Tunnel, September 1837. A watercolour by S. C. Brees.
Northchurch Tunnel under construction, June 17th 1837, by John Cooke Bourne.
Northchurch Tunnel under construction, June 17th 1837, by John Cooke Bourne.


1840s – 1860s


New ‘large houses’ are built: Rossway, Norcott Court, Northchurch Hall, Lagley, Woodcock Hill, Northchurch Rectory. There is a stark contract between the pictures of these grand houses and the rather smaller terraced cottages built in Bell Lane to house local workers.

Rossway
Rossway
Northchurch Hall
Northchurch Hall
Lagley House from the rear looking north over what is now the Bridgewater Road and Tunnel Fields areas
Lagley House from the rear looking north over what is now the Bridgewater Road and Tunnel Fields areas
The Rectory
The Rectory
Woodcock Hill 1905
Woodcock Hill 1905
Workers outside Bell lane Cottages
Workers outside Bell lane Cottages


1864

Village school built on land donated by Lord Brownlow.


1882


A North aisle is added to St Mary’s church to accommodate more people. Two articles from the Bucks Herald indicate how the church was thriving:

  • The Church Sunday School Treat 1985: "Headed by the Temperance Drum and Fife Band, the children marched to the meadow." Bucks Herald, Saturday 27 July 1895
  • The Church with new North aisle 1889: "At the early morning service the communicants numbered 124 and at the subsequent one 72, altogether 196, the largest number ever known here."  Bucks Herald, Saturday 27th April 1889
The church Sunday School Treat in the Rectory meadow 19 July 1895
The church Sunday School Treat in the Rectory meadow 19 July 1895
Northchurch Church 27th April 1889
Northchurch Church 27th April 1889