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Elstree Studios is a generic term which can refer to several film studios based in or around the towns of Borehamwood and Elstree in Hertfordshire, England. A number of studios have existed in this area since film production began in 1927. Some of those studios no longer exist, but several studios still survive today. They are all owned by different organisations and produce both motion pictures and television programmes. For example, the BBC has studios in Elstree, named "BBC Elstree Studios", whereas another company, Elstree Studios Limited, owns a separate site known as "Elstree Studios". As a result confusion often occurs.

Name[link]

Despite being called "Elstree Studios", only one studio was actually located in Elstree itself, the remainder being in Borehamwood. There are a number of reasons for this:

When the studios were being established, Elstree was significantly larger than Borehamwood. It must therefore have seemed sensible for anything that needed the name of the town in its name to be named after Elstree rather than Borehamwood. Nowadays, Borehamwood is the larger, but the old names have remained in use. The fact that the parish that contains the town is also called "Elstree" may have had some influence on the choice of name.

When the studios were at their most prolific, the local railway station was known as "Elstree". This was because it was cheaper to print "Elstree" onto the tickets rather than "Borehamwood".^{[citation needed]} (Nowadays, it is called "Elstree and Borehamwood".) Furthermore, the local telephone exchange was also called just "Elstree". Before the advent of subscriber trunk dialling, a person wanting to make a telephone call to a studio would ask the operator for, for example, "Elstree 1234". It would therefore be natural^{[citation needed]} for anyone visiting the town to make a film to think that the whole town was called Elstree.

History[link]

Clarendon Road Studios, Borehamwood[link]

The Neptune Film Company opened the first studios in Borehamwood in 1914. It contained just a single small windowless stage (the first "dark stage" in England), relying entirely on electricity from a gas-powered generator for lighting.

Production ceased during 1917 and the studio was sold to the Ideal Film Company who used the site up until 1924.

During 1928, the studio was sold to Ludwig Blattner who connected it to the electricity mains and introduced a German system of sound recording.

The Blattner Studio was leased to Joe Rock Productions during 1934 and two years later it purchased the site. Rock Productions built four new large stages and began making films including the drama film The Edge of the World (1937), directed by Michael Powell.

The studios were owned by British National Films Company between 1939 and 1948, although during this period a large portion of the studio was taken over by the British government for war work.

During 1953, the studios were leased to Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., mainly for television production (including the Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Presents series (1953–1957) and Alfred Hitchcock Presents^[when?]) but were sold to Lew Grade's Associated Television (ATV) in 1962. Most of ATV's larger productions came from this site, most notably the international hits The Saint (1962–1969) and The Muppet Show^[when?]. After contract negotiations in 1968 requiring more regional coverage for the Midlands, more programmes came from their new studios in Birmingham, notably Crossroads, Bullseye (UK game show), Tiswas and a few other small-scale programmes.

Sale to the BBC[link]

When ATV was restructured as Central Independent Television in 1982, one of the conditions of their licence renewal by the governing body of the ITV network, the Independent Broadcasting Authority, was that ATV should leave any London-centric facilities and become more focused on the Midlands, the part of the United Kingdom that they broadcast ITV programmes to. They remained in operation by Central up until July 1983 (the final production under Central ownership being a Max Bygraves-era episode of Family Fortunes), when its new main production centre in Nottingham was completed. When the BBC bought the site in 1984 in order to produce the new soap opera EastEnders (first aired on 19 February 1985), it did not purchase the equipment within the building. As a consequence, studio technicians were instructed to make the equipment inoperable. When the BBC moved in it repaired the less-damaged equipment, sometimes using spare parts from the same pieces of equipment that the BBC inherited. The EMI 2001 television cameras used in studios 3 and 4 at BBC Television Centre, Shepherd's Bush, were moved into the newly renamed "BBC Elstree Centre", along with ATV/Central's old EMI 2001s that were repairable. As stated above, any working part from the more damaged EMI 2001s were kept as spares. Meanwhile, the BBC replaced the BBC Television Centre studio 3 and 4 cameras with Link 125 tube cameras. Various BBC studios around the country, including Elstree and TV Centre studio 1 kept the EMI 2001s up until 1991, as their picture quality was generally considered by the BBC to be superior to pictures produced by other brands of camera. Elstree's first new cameras were to be Thomson TTV-1531s, one of the last plumbicon-tubed cameras to be made - being replaced in the mid-1990s with Thomson TTV-1542 and TTV-1647 lightweight cameras using, the then-new camera technology of CCDs. Widescreen was introduced in 1999 using Philips/Thomson LDK 100s.

In addition to EastEnders, many other programmes have been made there including Top of the Pops, 'Allo 'Allo!, You Rang, M'Lord?, Grange Hill, Hangar 17 and Holby City.

As part of cost-cutting measures, it is believed^[when?] that the BBC will try to sell the Elstree site. This rumour coincides with the news story^[1] that EastEnders will move to Pinewood Studios, as its backlot containing the Albert Square exterior needs to be reconstructed to bring it up to HD production standards.

As of 2010, plans to relocate Holby City and EastEnders were on hold and the BBC was to continue to produce both shows at the BBC Elstree site at least through to 2013. Work was underway to take both shows over to HD by upgrading existing sets. However, a move to another location at some point in the future cannot be ruled out. It was speculated in 2011 that MediaCityUK was a possible option and would see the Eastenders set nearby the new Coronation Street set.^[2]

Elstree Studios, Borehamwood[link]

The Main Gate entrance at Shenley Road.

British National Pictures Ltd. purchased 50 acres (20 ha) of land on the south side of Shenley Road and began construction of two large film stages in 1925. The first film produced there was Madame Pompadour (1927).

British International Pictures (BIP) took over the studios in 1927 and the second stage was ready for production in 1928. In 1929, Blackmail, the first British talkie released, was produced at the studios. At the end of the silent-film era, six new sound stages were built; three of these were sold to the British and Dominions Film Corporation (see below) with BIP retaining the remaining stages. BIP was absorbed into the Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC) in the early 1930s.

During World War II, the studios were used by the War Office for storage.

In 1946, Warner Brothers acquired a substantial interest in ABPC, appointed a new board and decided to rebuild the stages. This was completed in 1948 and work began on Man On The Run followed by The Hasty Heart starring Richard Todd and Ronald Reagan.

In 1968, Electrical and Musical Industries (EMI) bought control of ABPC and the studios were renamed EMI Studios.

In 1974, Andrew Mitchell took over from Ian Scott as Managing Director of the studios but was almost immediately told to close the facility and lay off all the staff. Due to the efforts of Mitchell and the considerable help of John Reed who was on the board of EMI and Alan Sapper the head of the ACTT Union, he turned the studios Four Wall, which effectively meant reducing the staff to administration, with the exception of the Dubbing facility and having freelance crew being brought in by each production company. This was inevitable due to the changing nature of cinematic styles that relied more and more on location shoots and the reduced financial involvement of EMI in its own film production, thus rendering a permanent production staff employed full time at the facility redundant.

Having forced Bernie Delfont's hand along with the rest of EMI board, the studio went from strength to strength, bringing in a variety of major directors. These include Sidney Lumet, who shot the mystery film Murder on the Orient Express (1974) at Elstree; Ken Russell – who had worked with Mitchell on his first feature, the comedy film French Dressing (1963) – made the biographical film Valentino (1977) at Elstree; Stanley Kubrick with his The Shining (1980); Mitchell's previous employer Fred Zinnemann with his drama film Julia (1977); and most significantly for the studio's survival through George Lucas with his epic space opera film Star Wars (1977). This led to numerous Lucas productions such as the following Star Wars sequels and Indiana Jones francshie being made at Elstree and also brought in directors Steven Spielberg and Jim Henson. This was the golden era of the construction picture, which essentially required large studio facilities to fulfill the filmmakers' vision, prior to computer-generated imagery technology and Elstree became synonymous with these kind of pictures due to the success of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones films.

In 1979, Thorn Electrical Industries merged with EMI after EMI's debacle with its invention of the Cat Scanner and the studios were renamed Thorn-EMI Studios. Due to the parent company’s numerous unsuccessful investments in releases that attempted to capture the Us market with no success whatsoever the studios was put up for sale in 1985. A management team beat off all other prospective buyers with the help of Alan Bond but the team had difficulty raising their share of the purchase price and Bond took over. Soon afterwards he sold the studios to the Herron-Cannon Group in 1986. In 1988, Cannon sold the studios to the leisure and property company Brent Walker plc and much of the backlot was sold off and a Tesco superstore was built.

Stages at Elstree Studios.

A "Save Our Studios" campaign was launched in the 1988 by local Town Councillor and studio historian Paul Welsh, with the support of many old stars and the general public. Hertsmere Borough Council stepped in and bought the remaining studio in February 1996 and appointed a management company, Elstree Film & Television Studios Ltd., to run the studios in 2000. The purchase ended an eight year struggle that was due to have culminated in High Court action. Brent Walker’s offer to sell the site to the Council, for an undisclosed sum (but no more than its worth as a film studio), represented a victory for the local authority in upholding the planning agreements that protected the studios.

The studios are most commonly known for being the home of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? and the current location of the Big Brother UK house (previously at Three Mills Studios in Bow, East London). The Big Brother house is actually built on top of the studios' old underwater stage where scenes in The Dam Busters (1955) and Moby-Dick (1956) were filmed. Elstree Film & Television Studios Ltd's lease expired at the end of March 2007.

Elstree Studios are operated by Elstree Film Studios Ltd, a company controlled by Hertsmere Borough Council. Feature film production continues alongside television production, commercials and pop promos; recent productions include 44" Chest, Bright Star, 1408, Son of Rambow, Amazing Grace, The Other Boleyn Girl, Notes on a Scandal, Breaking and Entering, Flyboys, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Dancing on Ice and Are You Smarter Than A 10 Year Old? for Sky television and many more.

Station Road Studios, Borehamwood[link]

A single large stage was built in Station Road in 1928 by Whitehall Films Ltd but the company was wound up in 1930. In 1935, Julius Hagen, the owner of Twickenham Studios, bought the site and formed a new company JH Studios.

Financial difficulties forced Hagen to sell the studios to MP Productions in 1937.

During World War II, the studio was used by the government for storage.

In 1950, the site was bought by J. Arthur Rank who renamed it Gate Studios and made religious films.

Production ceased in 1957 and the site was sold to Andrew Harkness, a manufacturer of cinema screens. Harkness Screens moved out of the site in 2004 and the building was demolished in 2006 to make way for apartments new properties, with the development being named Gate Studios in an homage to the former site.

British and Dominion Studios, Borehamwood[link]

In 1930, British and Dominion bought three new sound stages from British International Pictures Ltd on the adjoining site before their construction was completed. Film production continued until 1936 when fire destroyed the three stages.^[3] British and Dominion made substantial investment in Pinewood Studios and moved production to Iver Heath, Buckinhamshire.

The support buildings that remained after the fire were sold off to various companies including Frank Landsdown Ltd, who opened a film vault service. The music stage was bought by the Rank Organisation for the production of documentary films. It later became the headquarters of the film and sound-effect libraries.

Elstree Way Studios, Borehamwood[link]

Amalgamated Studios Ltd constructed a large studio on the north side of Elstree Way between 1935 and 1937. The company was unable to meet the cost and sold out to Arthur Rank.

During World War II, the studio was used by the government for storage.

In 1944, the studio was purchased by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) although it did not take possession until 1947. After improvements the studio contained seven stages totalling over 70,000 square feet (7,000 m²) of floor space.

MGM continued production at the site up until 1970 when it moved to the EMI Studios on Shenley Road (see above). The site was demolished and redeveloped for industrial use and housing.

Danziger Studios, Elstree[link]

In 1956 the Danziger brothers converted a wartime plane engine testing factory into a studio they called New Elstree,^[4] which was located to the west of the Aldenham reservoir. It was used mainly for television production and second features, but was closed by 1962 and sold in 1965.^[4]

Millennium Studios, Elstree Way, Borehamwood[link]

Established in 1993, the Millennium Studios on the south side of Elstree Way offered television and film production space together with associated services. Millennium Studios have now relocated to Thurleigh near Bedford.^[5]

In popular culture[link]

• Elstree Calling (1930). Described as Britain's first musical.^[6]

"The British equivalent of Hollywood's all-star revues was Elstree Calling (1930), produced by British International Pictures (BIP), which consisted mainly of musical and comedy items from stage shows of the day introduced by compare Tommy Handley. Lacking the lavish production values and visual spectacle of its Hollywood equivalents, Elstree Calling is now something of a curio item interesting chiefly for two reasons: Alfred Hitchcock (then contracted to BIP) was one of several directors employed on the production; and the film is quite possibly the first ever to refer directly to television (the linking narrative concerns a television broadcast of the revue, some six years before the BBC began regular television transmissions)."^[7]

• The English New Wave band The Buggles released the synthpop song "Elstree" on its first album, The Age of Plastic (1980).

Selected film and television shows made at Elstree Studios[link]

Elstree Studios, Shenley Road[link]

Film[link]

Television[link]

Clarendon Road Studios[link]

BBC Productions[link]

Other productions[link]

MGM Studios[link]

British and Dominion Studios[link]

• The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)

See also[link]

BBC portal

	Film portal
32x28px	Hertfordshire portal
	Television portal

• List of British film studios

References[link]

Sources[link]

• Leslie Banks, The Elstree Story: Twenty-One Years of Film-Making. Clerke and Cockeran. 88 pages. With contributions by Douglas Fairbanks, Alfred Hitchcock, Ralph Richardson, Victory Saville, Googie Withers, Anna Neagle and John Mills.
• Castle, Stephen; Brooks, William (1988). The Book Of Elstree & Boreham Wood. Buckingham, England: Barracuda Books Ltd.. ISBN 0-86023-406-1. 
• Peecher, John Phillip (1983) The Making of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Ballantine Books. ISBN 0-345-31235-X.
• Warren, Patricia (1983). Elstree: The British Hollywood. Columbus Books: London, ISBN 08622874467.
• Warren, Patricia, (1983). British Film Studios: An Illustrated History. Batsford. ISBN 0-7134-8644-9.
• Welsh, Paul (1996). Elstree Film & Television Festival Programme. Elstree and Borehamwood Town Council.

External links[link]

• elstreestudios.co.uk, Elstree Studios official website
• Elstree Studios at the British Film Institute's Screenonline
• BBC Elstree Centre
• News clip previews at Pathé News
• The Elstree Project - "Oral history interviews, showcasing Elstree's rich cultural filmmaking heritage

v t e Cinema of the United Kingdom Culture of the United Kingdom World cinema Films by year (Films A–Z) Pre 1920 1920s 1930s 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Production companies and studios Active Aardman Animations BBC Films British Lion Films Ealing Studios Elstree Studios Eon Productions Film4 Productions Goldcrest Films Hammer Film Productions HandMade Films London Films Palace Pictures The Pinewood Studios Group (Pinewood Studios Shepperton Studios) S4C Films Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden Warp Films Wimbledon Studios Working Title Films Former Amicus Productions Associated British Picture Corporation Bryanston Films Denham Film Studios Gainsborough Pictures Hemdale Film Corporation Ideal Rank Organisation Tigon British Film Productions Warwick Films Organisations BAFTA British Board of Film Classification British Film Institute BFI National Archive BFI Southbank British Society of Cinematographers Children's Film Foundation Cinema Exhibitors' Association National Film and Television School National Media Museum Northern Ireland Screen Scottish Screen UK Film Council People Actors and actresses Cinematographers Directors Editors Producers Production designers Score composers Screenwriters Other British Academy Film Awards British Independent Film Awards British New Wave Carry On Cinematograph Films Act 1927 Documentary Film Movement Eady Levy Ealing Comedies Free Cinema Gainsborough melodramas Harry Potter History of British film certificates Home Video Charts James Bond London Film Festival London in film Telecinema Category Commons

Coordinates: 51°39′31″N 0°16′33″W / 51.6587°N 0.2758°W / 51.6587; -0.2758

Coordinates: 51°38′N 0°18′W / 51.64°N 0.30°W / 51.64; -0.30

Elstree
Elstree  Elstree shown within Hertfordshire
Population	4,765 (2001)
OS grid reference	TQ175955
Civil parish	Elstree and Borehamwood
District	Hertsmere
Shire county	Hertfordshire
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BOREHAMWOOD
Postcode district	WD6
Dialling code	020
Police	Hertfordshire
Fire	Hertfordshire
Ambulance	East of England
EU Parliament	East of England
UK Parliament	Hertsmere
List of places: UK • England • Hertfordshire

Elstree is a village in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire, England, on the former A5 road, which followed the course of Watling Street, about 13 miles north of London. In 2001, its population was 4,765^[1]. It forms part of the civil parish of Elstree and Borehamwood, originally known simply as Elstree.

The village often lends its shorter name to businesses and amenities in the adjacent town of Borehamwood, and the names of Elstree and Borehamwood are used interchangeably. Elstree is perhaps best known for the Elstree Film Studios, where a number of famous British films were made, and the BBC's Elstree Studios, where the TV soap opera EastEnders is made; these are both located in Borehamwood.

The local newspaper is the Borehamwood and Elstree Times.^[2] Together with Borehamwood, the village is twinned with Offenburg in Germany and Fontenay-aux-Roses in France.^[3]

Transport[link]

Elstree & Borehamwood railway station[link]

27 March 1954 Northbound steam train passing through Elstree & Borehamwood railway station.

Elstree & Borehamwood railway station is on the Thameslink Line between London King's Cross and Bedford. It was built by the Midland Railway in 1868, and is located just north of the 1,072 yard long Elstree Tunnels.^[4]

The area of Borehamwood to the west of the railway line, formally Deacon's Hill, is colloquially called Elstree even though it is not contiguous with the village. Elstree South tube station was due to be an extension of the Northern Line, planned in the 1930s, but never completed.

Road links[link]

The old A5 road (Watling Street) goes through Elstree village, where it is designated as the A5183 road. Through the village, the road is called (from south to north) Elstree Hill South, High Street and Elstree Hill North. The 18th century Grade II listed building, Elstree Hill House, is still on Elstree Hill South, and used to be the home of the old Elstree School (see Schools). In the early 1900s, it was noted that:

".. the hill roads are remarkably direct and seldom curve to avoid the steep pitch, and it has been suggested that the roads were originally slides for the timber which used to be sent to London for fuel."^[5]

Elstree Aerodrome[link]

Elstree Aerodrome has a paved 717 yards long runway, suitable for light aircraft use. In the early 1930s it was a grass landing strip for the local Aldenham House country club.^[6] A concrete runway was put down during World War II, and Wellington Bombers were modified here. ^[7] On Saturday 31 November 1975, racing driver Graham Hill was killed when his light aircraft crashed on Arkley Golf Course, 3 miles short of the airport.^{[8] [9]} The aerodrome used to be a base for Capital Radio's Flying Eye helicopter traffic reports.^[10]

Today, the aerodrome is home to the London School of Flying Ltd a new company (not associated with the former and now defunct Cabair Group)^[10] It is frequently used by celebrities visiting the nearby Elstree Film Studios.

London Transport works[link]

London Transport's Aldenham Works was sited on the edge of Elstree close to the A41; it was opened in 1956, closed in 1986, and demolished in 1996. It is now a large business park.

Elstree Grange[link]

Originally a 19th century steam ship owned by the Houlder Brothers,^[11] the town also lends its name to a series of ships called the Elstree Grange (rebuilt 1916, 1944, 1979),^[12] at one time sunk during the Second World War.^[13]

Buildings[link]

Grade II listed buildings[link]

Holly Bush public house (15th century)

House at Elstree designed by E.J. May, and exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1887.

Elstree is home to a number of Grade II listed buildings, including some at Grade II* (particularly important buildings), such as:

• Holly Bush public house (15th century)^[14]
• Aldenham House and stable block (c.1672)^[15]
• The Leys, built in 1901 by Scottish architect and designer, George Henry Walton.^[16][17]

Edgwarebury Hotel[link]

The Edgwarebury Hotel & Restaurant is located on Barnet Lane, and operated by Corus Hotels.^[18] The Tudor-style building dates back to 1540, was converted into a hotel in the 1960s, and has featured in many TV and film productions, such as the 1968 Hammer Horror classic, The Devil Rides Out. Notable guests have included Peter Sellers, Tom Cruise, John Cleese and Stanley Kubrick.^[19] It was the country home of armaments manufacturer and First Baronet Sir (Arthur) Trevor Dawson, (1866–1931).^[20]

Other buildings[link]

A house in Elstree designed by architect Edward John May (1853-1941) was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1887. St Nicholas Parish Church was designed by English architect Philip Charles Hardwick.^[21]

Schools[link]

Elstree is home to Aldenham School, and Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School, both independent public schools (ie. fee-paying), Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls, and St Nicholas Church of England V.A Primary School.^[22]

Earlier schools[link]

Since the 1780s, a private school has been located in Elstree.^[23]

Elstree School, a boys' preparatory school, was located in Elstree from 1848 until 1938 before moving to Woolhampton, Berkshire before the outbreak of the Second World War.

Hillside School was located in Elstree between 1874 and 1886, before eventually becoming Dorset House School in 1905,^[24][25] (not to be confused with Hillside School in nearby Borehamwood.)

Recreation[link]

Sport[link]

Elstree Cricket Club was formed in 1878,^[26] and still plays in the Herts Saracens League.^[27][28] 18-hole Radlett Park Golf Club was founded in 1984,^[29] having recently being renamed from Elstree Golf & Country Club.^[30] It is closer to Elstree than Radlett.

Leisure[link]

Section 15 of the London Outer Orbital Path (London Loop) goes through Elstree,^[31] before continuing as Section 16, a 10 mile (16km) walk from Elstree to Cockfosters.^[32][33]

Parks[link]

Tykes Water bridge

Aldenham Country Park is both a recreational facility and a breeding centre for rare livestock. Section 15 of the London Loop walk passes by.^[31] In 1873 nearby Tykes Water stream was dammed in order to create Tykes Water lake.^[34] Tykes Water Bridge features in the open credits to the Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee film, Dracula A.D. 1972,^[35] and used in the opening title of the Avengers TV series.^[36]

Elstree Reservoir[link]

The dam was built in 1795 by French prisoners of war.^[37] English watercolour landscape painter John Hassell writes:

"At the top of Stanmore Hill we enter on Bushy Heath, and at some distance on the right in the valley catch a view of the celebrated reservoir, the property of the Grand Junction Company, on Aidenham Common, at the foot of the village of Elstree. This noble sheet of water occupies a space of considerable extent on the verge of Aidenham Common, which thirty years ago was a barren waste; here the improvements in agriculture are indeed conspicuous, for at this place a poor, sandy, meagre, wretched soil has now by good husbandry been converted into rich pasturage.

"The reservoir has all the appearance of a lake; and when the timber that surrounds it shall have arrived at maturity, it will be a most delightful spot. From this immense sbeet of water, in event of drought or a deficiency of upland waters, the lower parts of the Grand Junction and the Paddington Canals can have an immediate supply. The feeder from this reservoir enters the main stream near Rickmansworth, above Batchworth Mills, and supplies the millers' below with 300 locks of water, to whose interest the Duke of Northumberland is a perpetual trustee."^[38]

In 1886, the Photographic Society of Great Britain featured an exhibition of photos of Elstree Reservoir by Edgar Clifton.^[39] During World War I, then Major Keith Caldwell with No. 74 Squadron RAF, used Elstree Reservoir for target practice.^[40] In 1918, one of the pilots accidentally killed a local resident when his machine gun misfired.^[41]

Climate[link]

History[link]

Elstree War Memorial, Elstree Hill North

Etymology[link]

The name "Elstree" derives from the Anglo-Saxon phrase "Tidwulf's Tree", which is mentioned as "Tidulfres treow" in an 11-12th century manuscript of of an A.D. 786 charter.^{[42] [43]} It is thought that "the "T" being lost in the wrong division of 'aet Tidwulfes treo'"^[44] (meaning "at Tidwulf's Tree").

In 1723, topographer John Norden noted in his book Speculum Britanniae, that in the country of Hartfordshire (sic) was one "Elstre or Eglestre".^[45] In an earlier edition, he writes:^[46]

"ELSTREE n. 20. in OFFAES grant EAGLESTRE

Nemus aquilinum: a place wherit may be thought Eagles bredd in time past, for though it be nowe hilly and heathy - it hath beene replenished with stately trees, fit for such fowle to breede and harbour in. It is parcell of the libertie of S. Albans.

Nemus aquilinum is the Latin for "grove of eagles".

Robinson Crusoe author, Daniel Defoe wrote in his 1748 travel guide that:

"Idlestrey or Elstre, is a Village on the Roman Watling-street, on the very Edge of Middlesex; but it is chiefly noted for its Situation, near Brockly-hill, by Stanmore, which affords a lovely View cross Middlesex, over the Thames, into Surry."^[47]

In 1811, topographer Daniel Lysons writes:

"The name of this place has been variously written; — Eaglestree, Elstree, Ilstrye, Idlestrye, etc. Norden says that it is called, in Offa's grant to the Abbey of St. Alban's, Eaglestree, that is, says he, "Nemus aquilinum, a 'place where it may be thought that eagles bred in time past'." It has been derived also from Idel-street, i.e. the noble road; and Ill-street, the decayed road. May it not have been, rather, a corruption of Eald-street, the old road, i.e. the ancient Watling-street, upon which it is situated?"^[48]

5th century: Battle of Ailestreu (Elstree)[link]

In the 5th century, British warlord Vortigern and his two sons, Vortimer and Catigern, took part in the Battle of Elstree, then called the Battle of Ailestreu,^[49] where the Saxon Horsa was killed. It's possible there is confusion with the Battle of Aylesbury. George Moberly writes:

"Nennius, M.H.B. p. 69, calls the place of battle where Hors fell Episford; Britannicè 'Sathenegabail' = the Saxon battle. The Saxon Chronicle, ad a. 455, calls it Ægæles-threp, and Henry of Huntingdon, M.H.B. p. 708, Ailestreu. This would naturally be Elstree, of which name there is a place in Herts; but Beda's description of its situation has caused it rather to be referred to Aylesford in Kent, near which is a small village called Horsted."^[50]

16th - 18th centuries[link]

The Manor of Elstree was formerly included in the Manor of Parkbury, and belonged to the Abbey of St. Albans. On the Dissolution of the Monasteries, it was granted by Henry VIII, to Anthony Denny (1501–1549).^{[51] [52]}

In 1607, Anthony Denny's grandson Edward Denny sold part of the estate, with all manorial rights, to Robert Briscoe, who sold it the same year to Sir Baptist Hicks. Part of the estate became the Manor of Boreham, and was sold to Edward Beauchamp. It remained with the Beauchamp-Proctor family until 1748,^[53] when it was sold to James West, M.P. for St. Albans, who, in or about 1751, alienated it to a Mr Gulston of Widdial^{[clarification needed]}. Gulston then sold it to a Mr Pigfatt, a gunsmith, who, within a few years, conveyed it to Thomas Jemmet. In 1774 it was purchased from Mr Jemmet by the late George Byng, M.P. for Middlesex, who passed it on to his son, by which time the estate was called the Manor of Boreham.^[51]

In 1776, the House of Lords granted:

"An Act for dividing and closing the Common or Waste Ground, called Boreham Wood Common, in the Parish of Elstree otherwise Idletree, in the County of Hertford."^[54]

In 1796 topographer Daniel Lysons writes:

"The parish of Elstree contains about 3,000 acres of land, which is divided between arable and pasture nearly in an equal proportion. The soil is, for the most part, clay. Boreham Wood, a waste of nearly 700 acres, was inclosed about the year 1778, and is now in culture. This parish pays the sum of £151 11s 0d to the land-tax, which is raised by a rate of about 1s 9d in the pound".^[55]

Murders[link]

The burial of William Weare at the parish church in Elstree.

Martha Ray murder[link]

The Elstree Murder of Eliza Ebborn on 17 August 1882 by George Stratton, as illustrated in The Illustrated Police News Saturday, 11 November 1882

In 1779, Martha Ray (c. 1742–1779), singer and mistress of John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, was buried in the parish church (illustrated, right) after she had been shot dead by the Rev. James Hackman, Rector of Wiveton in Norfolk.^[56]

The Elstree murder of William Weare[link]

In 1823 Elstree became notorious for the Elstree murder of William Weare, killed in Radlett and the body disposed of in a pond in Elstree by John Thurtell.^[57] The incident was recalled by Charles Dickens in his Weekly Journal.^[58] An inquest of the deceased was held on 31 October by county coroner Benjamin Rooke at the local Artichoke public house.^[59]

The Elstree murder of Eliza Ebborn[link]

On 17 August 1882, Eliza Ebborn of Watford was murdered by 24-year-old shoemaker George Stratton, who was subsequently sentenced to death.^[60][61] She was buried at Elstree Parish Church.^[62]

Administrative districts[link]

Elstree used to be in the Hundred of Cashio, also known as the Liberty of St Albans.

Elstree Rural District[link]

From 1941 to 1974, Elstree Rural District was the local government area, before being abolished and merged with Hertsmere. On 20th March 1957, Armorial Bearings were granted. The arms and crest are described as follows:

The background of royal ermine, represents the royal visits to and associations with the district, principally the visit of Henry VIII and his court to Tyttenhanger in 1525 to avoid the "sweatinge sicknesse" and the visits of Charles II to Salisbury Hall in Shenley. The oak tree with the Saxon crown represents Saxon Elstree - "Tidwulf's tree" - around which the district has grown. The tree also represents Boreham Wood and the district's woodlands, the gold acorns symbolize growth and prosperity. The waves at the base represent the River Colne, Aldenham Reservoir and link with the waves in the arms of the Hertfordshire CC and the Greater London Council.The gold saltire on blue is from the arms of the Abbey of St. Albans, the manor of Elstree came into the possession of the Abbey in 1188, and Tyttenhanger in Ridge stands on the site of a former possession of the Abbey, and the whole area lies in the Liberty of St. Albans. The scallop shells, the badge of pilgrims, recalls their passage along Watling Street through Elstree to St. Albans.

The hart is from one of the supporters of the County Council arms, wearing a mural crown, symbol of civic government. The spool of film (unique in civic heraldry) recalls the industry which had made the name of Elstree and Boreham Wood so widely known in modern times.

The motto is taken from the wall of Shenley Cage, and also links with the County motto "Trust and fear not". "^[63]

Clubs, societies and organisations[link]

• Elstree And Boreham Wood History Society, (inc. Elstree and Borehamwood Museum)^[64]
• Elstree, Borehamwood & Radlett mencap Society.^[65]
• Elstree Golf & Country Club.^[66]

References in the media[link]

• Elstree is replicated as a part of one of three maps is based in the game Urban Dead. The "Borehamwood" map was released as part of the promotional campaign for the release of British writer Charlie Brooker's Dead Set.
• "Elstree" is also the title of a song about the film studio by the Buggles on their 1979 album The Age of Plastic.
• St. Nicholas Church, Elstree featured in an investigation of paranormal investigation

Notable residents[link]

Napoleon's Death Mask, made in 1821 by Elstree resident, Francis Burton M.D., the uncle of explorer Richard Francis Burton

See also notable pupils at:

(a) Aldenham School (b) Elstree School before it moved in 1938, (b) Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School, (c) Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls

References[link]