Thames Tributary River Lee - Lemsford


Thames Tributary River Lee
The Lee flows south east

Post to the east Lemsford

Brocket Park
In 1752 the old manor house adjoined a walled garden set in parkland which was laid out with and specimen trees, and a lake formed from the River Lea. At the southern end of the lake was a structure to hide the dam.  The hall was rebuilt in the 1760s and Richard Woods was employed from 1770 to improve the park. Woods modified the planting and widened the existing larger lake. A new drive was created, carried across of water by Paine’s bridge. Woods also carried out work in the shrubbery, pleasure grounds, dairy, hothouse and pinery.
Brocket Hall Golf Course. There are two golf courses named after Prime Ministers who lived at Brocket Hall - Melbourne and Palmerston. Opened in 1992. Golfers are carried across the lake by ferry.
Watershyppes Clubhouse. Watershyppes was the name of the predecessor house to Brocket Hall.
Melbourne Lodge.  Hotel, formerly the Brocket Hall stable-block
The Broadwater. Lake by Brown is part of the Lea.
Paine Bridge. Built 1772-4 by James Paine in Portland stone with three arches, the central one over a weir.
Four Gate Plantation
Brocket Lea. House on the south side of the lake.18th in Chequered red brick.
Garden temple. 18th and probably by James Paine. It is in painted brick and stucco with a porch and
niches either side. Inside are niches and marble-topped tables and a marble basin in the rear central niche - intended for syllabub.


Lemsford Village Road
This is the Great North Road now bypassed. The road needed to keep to the west side of the river in order to cross the valley. The old road turned off through Lemsford Mills, dropped sharply to the Lea past Lemsford church at what was called Brocket Corner. It then climbing along the wall of Brocket Hall to skirt the park and regain the diverted line of the road a mile to the north.
Bridge over River Lea. Early 18th red brick bridge with stone coping. 2 arches.
Sun Pub. This was an alehouse in 1718. Once known as the Rising Sun
Bridge House. 18th Red brick house
Roebuck Pub - this was near the mill
Roebuck Farm and stables
Lemsford Mill. Water corn mill on A Domesday site, rebuilt in 1863 with a date stone on the south wall. Four storeys, the lower two in brick, the upper part is weather boarded with a lucam. The overshot, internal waterwheel has been removed. Supposed to be the mill referred to in the song “Nellie Dean” . It was used for light engineering from 1905 and converted to offices and flats in the 1980s.
34 Mill Cottages. Early 19th appearance but probably earlier. Single storey in red brick
St John’s Church of England Primary School
St.John the Evangelist Church. Designed 1858-9 by David Brandon in ashlar stone. Given by Countess Cowper as a memorial to her husband.  The chapel was added by F.E.Howard in 1930 for the Nall-Cain. Window by Clayton and Bell 1874. Altar frontal in carved wood dated 1605. Canopied tomb to Florence Nall-Cain 1927.Cross to Mount Stephen, a Canadian financier, who built the Canadian Pacific Railway and died at Brocket Hall.
Waggon and Horses Pub.  This was near the church

Marford Road

The old North Road blocked off, rises flanked by the wall of the park.'      
Gates, lodges and wall at the south-east entrance to Brocket Hall. Designed 1765 by James Paine for Sir Mathew Lamb. There are 2 lodges one either side of entrance in red brick. Plain double gates
Warren Farm with barns, granary and outbuildings
Templehill Plantation
Lodgehill Plantation  

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