Wadesmill

At the 2011 Census the population of the hamlet was included in the civil parish of Thundridge.

Nearby villages include Wadesmill and Tonwell, and the hamlets of Cold Christmas and High Cross.

Wadesmill is a hamlet in Hertfordshire, England, located on the north side of the River Rib with an estimated population of 264.

The River Rib originates near the East Hertfordshire village of Therfield and runs parallel with the A10 through Wyddial, Buntingford, Westmill, Braughing, Puckeridge and Standon, before dividing the villages of Thundridge and Wadesmill and continuing until it reaches its confluence with the River Lea near Hertford.

Historically Wadesmill is particularly notable for two features - it is the location of the first turnpike in England (and therefore the world), and the presence of the Clarkson Memorial halfway up nearby High Cross hill, a memorial to Thomas Clarkson's rest point in his travels at which he decided to devote much of the rest of his life to ending the slave trade. The first effective turnpike in England was created at Wadesmill by Act of Parliament ("The Turnpike Act") in 1663 as a result of serious deterioration of the "Old North Road" due to travel by laden barley wagons supplying the brewing trade in the nearby maltings town of Ware.

It then passed an act that gave the local justices of the peace powers to erect toll-gates on a section of the road, between Wadesmill, Hertfordshire; Caxton, Cambridgeshire; and Stilton, Huntingdonshire for 11 years, the revenues so raised to be used for the maintenance of the road in their jurisdictions.

Historically Wadesmill is particularly notable for two features - it is the location of the first turnpike in England (and therefore the world), and the presence of the Clarkson Memorial halfway up nearby High Cross hill, a memorial to Thomas Clarkson's rest point in his travels at which he decided to devote much of the rest of his life to ending the slave trade.

He broke up his journey at Wadesmill, near Ware, Hertfordshire.

Running through the center of Wadesmill is the road formerly known as the A10 - the main London to King's Lynn (via Cambridge) road - but now that the A10 by-pass has been built, Wadesmill and surrounding villages have returned to the quiet of former times.

North of Ware, a further by-pass scheme was opened in late 2004, taking the A10 around the Hertfordshire villages of Wadesmill, Thundridge, High Cross, and Collier's End.

The first effective turnpike in England was created at Wadesmill by Act of Parliament ("The Turnpike Act") in 1663 as a result of serious deterioration of the "Old North Road" due to travel by laden barley wagons supplying the brewing trade in the nearby maltings town of Ware.

England's first turnpike (toll) road ran from Wadesmill to Ware.

Wadesmill is a hamlet in Hertfordshire, England, located on the north side of the River Rib with an estimated population of 264.

Wadesmill is a hamlet in Hertfordshire, England, located on the north side of the River Rib with an estimated population of 264.

At the 2011 Census the population of the hamlet was included in the civil parish of Thundridge.

The route that was formerly the A10 is an ancient one with portions of it following the line of the Roman Road Ermine Street.

Historically Wadesmill is particularly notable for two features - it is the location of the first turnpike in England (and therefore the world), and the presence of the Clarkson Memorial halfway up nearby High Cross hill, a memorial to Thomas Clarkson's rest point in his travels at which he decided to devote much of the rest of his life to ending the slave trade.

The first effective turnpike in England was created at Wadesmill by Act of Parliament ("The Turnpike Act") in 1663 as a result of serious deterioration of the "Old North Road" due to travel by laden barley wagons supplying the brewing trade in the nearby maltings town of Ware.

The first effective turnpike in England was created at Wadesmill by Act of Parliament ("The Turnpike Act") in 1663 as a result of serious deterioration of the "Old North Road" due to travel by laden barley wagons supplying the brewing trade in the nearby maltings town of Ware.

Capability Brown is actually said to have reviewed the rolling parkland surrounding Youngsbury house and observed that he need do nothing to improve upon what nature had already achieved!

The Hundred Parishes

Youngsbury House is a Grade II listed house near Wadesmill, Hertfordshire, England.

Parliament passed an act that gave the local justices powers to erect toll-gates on a section of the Great North Road, between Wadesmill, Hertfordshire; Caxton, Cambridgeshire; and Stilton, Huntingdonshire for a period of eleven years and the revenues so raised should be used for the maintenance of the Great North Road in their jurisdictions.

*Wadesmill, Walkern, Wallington, Walsworth, Waltham Cross, Ware, Wareside, Warner's End, Waterford, Water End, Dacorum, Water End, North Mymms, Waterend, Watford, Watton-at-Stone, Welham Green, Well End, Wellpond Green, Welwyn, Welwyn Garden City, Westmill, Weston, Westwick Row, West Hyde, Wheathampstead, Whempstead, Whitwell, Widford, Wigginton, Willian, Wilstone, Woodhall Farm, Woollensbrook, Woolmer Green, Wormley, Wyddial