In 1594, John Rolfe and Richard Pope conveyed land in Boxmoor and Hemel Hempstead to Francis Coombes, Seth Gladman and other named inhabitants (Feoffes), to be held in trust for the people of the town and the neighbouring hamlet of Bovingdon. The land is still held in trust for the current and future inhabitants of Hemel Hempstead and Bovingdon, although its original function has been reassigned over the years to accommodate the changing needs of the population. One of its purposes now is to maintain the natural habitat of the Bulbourne Valley as it meanders towards Two Waters. Recently, the Estate has been extended by the acquisition of Westbrook Hay Farm on a long lease.
In 2000, the Trust acquired the old brick workings at Bovingdon. These 45 acres are being restored in a five year programme to a conservation area. The Trust has also extended Westbrook Hay by acquiring a small piece of land to develop and orchard.
The 460 acres of Trust land have many interesting and varied natural resources, including chalkland grass, woodland, water meadows, old pastures and rivers, all providing the much needed wildlife habitats that are decreasing throughout the country due to development and modern agricultural methods. This land is held in common ownership and provides the opportunity for the local inhabitants to maintain their awareness of the value of such land within an urban area.
These natural resources have been nurtured by the Trustees and though projects are not always published in high profile, a gradual increase in the awareness of the varied habitats is stimulated to show the value of this inheritance and how best to enjoy it. Walks on the land can be enhanced with the knowledge that the orchids will return each year, or that owls take to the air at dusk and both can live in harmony with popular amenity activities.
