History Walk

The History Walk normally takes place in early May and is an opportunity to learn about the history of the area that is now Highfield Park. The walk meanders around the park,  stopping at points of interest in the former Hill End and Cell Barnes Hospitals. At each stop, Trustees explain its significance and welcome questions and additional information from the participating walkers.

It starts and finishes from the Visitor Centre, which is adjacent to a free car park that will be open for the event.  The route is changed each year so that updated information from the ever increasing archive can be included. There is always a different focus and it makes for a fascinating two hours wandering around our fantastic park.

Highfield Park Trust was formed to manage the new rural park created by the closure of Hill End and Cell Barnes Hospitals in the 1990s. One of the Trust’s key objectives is to preserve, protect, develop and improve features of historic or public interest. This annual History Walk is one of the mechanisms that the Trust has developed to support this aim and it has been very well supported since it was first introduced into the programme of events in 2012.

As Trustees of the Park continue to interview former staff and friends of the hospital, there are interesting  anecdotes that can be shared to bring the history alive. If you have a story to tell, please do get in touch.

Please note that the Visitor Centre has a large, free car park for attendees to use.

The car park grid reference: TL17160611.

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Travelling by road

Visitors from outside the area are most likely to approach the Park from the M25 motorway.  Exit via Junction 22 (London Colney exit) and follow the signs for St Albans along the A1081 to the A414 roundabout.  Continue to follow the A1081 signs into St Albans and at the next roundabout turn right into Highfield Park Drive.  Continue straight on at the next roundabout (note the “Welcome to Highfield Park” sign), the road then bears to the left and becomes Highfield Lane. For the Highfield Park Visitor Centre turn left at the next mini roundabout on to Hill End Lane.  The entrance to the park is on the left (wooden field gate and signage) opposite the end of Frobisher Road. Follow the road round into the car park.