| Turnford | |
|---|---|
 High Road, Turnford | |
  Turnford Location withinHertfordshire | |
| Population | 8146 with Wormley |
| OS grid reference | TL3639204404 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Broxbourne |
| Postcode district | EN10 |
| Dialling code | 01992 |
| Police | Hertfordshire |
| Fire | Hertfordshire |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| UK Parliament | |
| |
Turnford is a village in theBorough of Broxbourne, inHertfordshire, England, in an area generally known as theLee Valley. It is bounded byWormley to the north,Cheshunt to the south and west, and its eastern boundary is formed largely by theLee Navigation.Central London atCharing Cross is approximately 18 miles (29 km) south. At the2001 census, together with Wormley, the village had a population of 8,146 in 3,399 households.[1]
Turnford lies in a site where evidence ofPalaeolithic,Late Bronze Age andIron Age relics have been recorded. By the lateSaxon period the village existed as a farm belonging to themanor of Cheshunt. ABenedictinenunnery was established in the 12th century on Turnford Marsh. Part of themedieval buildings survived within a farm untilgravel quarrying destroyed the remains in 1955. Turnford remained ahamlet up to the 19th century until thenursery industry began to move out ofNorth London in the 1880s. Growers including Thomas Rochford grew grapes, tomatoes, cucumbers and other items. By the late 20th century this industry had moved away to be replaced by housing estates whereThomas Rochford Way andRochford Close are a reminder of the area'shorticultural past.[2]
The name Turnford appears to have Saxon origins and is probably a compound ofOld Englishtun andford - the ford by the farm.[2]
Much of Turnford due to its good transport links and close proximity toLondon is given over to residential development. However, its western boundary is mostly rural and to the east includes theTurnford and Cheshunt Pits aSSSI located in theLee Valley Park.
Amenities include a selection of retail outlets, essential services, twopublic houses including theGrade II listedBull's Head Inn.[3] and is home toHaileybury Turnford (formerly Turnford School) and theHertford Regional College.
In 2014, the area of Wormley & Turnford was awarded £1m from theBig Local Trust to invest in the community over the next 10 years. Completely resident volunteer led, it will enable locals to regenerate their community.[4]
Passing under theA10 road from west to eastTurnford Brook aRiver Lea tributary flows in aculvert alongside theHigh Road, Turnford before flowing under the West Anglia railway line to merge with theSmall River Lea in theRiver Lee Country Park. Accessed from theNew River Path[5] the Turnford Pumping Station built in 1870stands close to the man-madeNew River. The building houses a unique stationarysteam engine built byBoulton and Watt in 1845.[6] Forming a boundary between Hertfordshire andEssex the Lee Navigation flows in a southerly direction on Turnford's eastern fringe. Pedestrian and cycle access from theB176, Cheshunt Wash51°42′54″N0°01′20″W / 51.715°N 0.0221°W /51.715; -0.0221 links to the towpath of the river to join theLee Valley Walk.
West Anglia Main Line railway stationsCheshunt andBroxbourne are both approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) distant. Several bus routes serve Turnford including 310, 310A, 410.[7]There are plans to open a new railway station in Turnford.[8] As part of the Broxbourne Local Plan by the Borough of Broxbourne and Hertfordshire County Council,"the proposed station would [provide] access to Hertford Regional College and also serve the Brookfield development. The new station is proposed to be located at a site between the Regional College and Groom Road, with access provided from the Turnford High Road/The Springs roundabout through the college car park and along the undeveloped strip of land between Robinia Road/Sorbus Road to the north and Landau Way/Tarpan Way to the South."[9] The plans also include the opening of Park Plaza North station between Turkey Street and Theoblads Grove, and the four-tracking of the West Anglia Main Line.[10][11]
The village together with Wormley form one of tenelectoral wards in the Broxbourne constituency.[12]
FootballerOssie Ardiles lived in the village whilst playing forTottenham Hotspur in the 1970s and 1980s.
