Jersey Farm is a suburban enclave situated a couple of miles north east of St Albans city centre. We found out more about the area...
History
Jersey Farm, which is now a residential area, was farmland until the 1970s. It was previously known as Evans Farm until 1931, when well-known tuberculosis researcher Dr Harry Corner moved to the farm and decided to name it after his herd of Jersey cows.
When Dr Corner died in 1945, at age 81, his daughter Hilda continued running the farm and dairy business, which was eventually sold to the Royal London Mutual Insurance Company for housing development.
In 1977, permission was granted to build on 118 of the 309 acres of farmland, in spite of strong opposition from residents.
However this did not go entirely to plan, as the Queen Anne farmhouse - now the site of St Brelades Place, which would have been the centrepiece of the estate - was destroyed by a fire in 1979.
One section of the farm was excavated as a gravel quarry, which is now the Jersey Farm adventure park.
Plans to develop the remaining area as a sports ground were met with opposition, so the land became Jersey Farm Woodland Park instead - a 55-acre area of woods and wildflower meadows.
Jersey Farm Residents Association, which is run by volunteers, was established in 1979 and acts as a voice for the community, organising events such as firework displays and Christmas parties.
Green space
The area is home to the vast Woodland Park and Jersey Farm Open Space, parts of which were once used for landfill.
Now the space is used for the adventure playground, which includes a half-pipe skate ramp.
Jersey Lane provides a handy shortcut linking Marshalswick and Sandridge, and is popular with walkers and cyclists.
St Brelades Place is a community hub with a range of shops, including a pharmacy and a Tesco Express.
Other amenities include doctors and dentists surgeries and The Jersey Farm Community Centre, which is the base for a variety of clubs catering to residents of all ages.
Food and drink
There are two popular takeaways in St Brelades Place: Bengal Spice Indian and Jersey Farm Chinese Cuisine.
St Brelades is also home to The Blackberry Jack, a traditional local pub serving a wide range of food in a family-friendly setting, including vegan, vegetarian and kids' menus.
The pub was given its name in a competition, with 'Blackberry Jack' the winning entry. The name comes from stories of a man who lived in 'camps' in the blackberry bushes around the local fields, whose name was actually Bill or William.
'Jack' was actually the name of another man, who wore a long white coat and spent most of his time drunkenly wandering between St Albans and Borehamwood.
The Potting Shed café - within walking distance of Jersey Farm - makes a pleasant pitstop on a stroll up to Heartwood Forest.
Jersey Farm's nearest schools are all in neighbouring Marshalswick. Popular primary schools include Skyswood Primary & Nursery School (rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted), St John Fisher Roman Catholic Primary (rated 'good') and Wheatfields infant and junior schools (rated 'outstanding' and 'good' respectively).
Another option is Sandridge School (rated 'good'), which is located just north of Jersey Farm in the pretty village of the same name.
The closest secondary school is Sandringham - rated 'outstanding' - but like many schools in St Albans it is always over-subscribed.
Property
Property in Jersey Farm is far from cheap, but it is still one of the more affordable areas of St Albans.
Homes currently on the market in the area include a one-bedroom apartment at Twyford Road for £250,000 and a three-bedroom terraced house at Stanton Close for £350,000.
Both St Albans and Hatfield train stations are just a short drive away, as are the A1(M) and M25.
There are regular buses connecting Jersey Farm to St Albans, Hatfield and Welwyn Garden City.
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