THE village of "Reodbune" was given to St Albans Abbey by a Saxon landowner, Aegelwine de Swarte and they've played cricket here since 1666, making Redbourn the oldest cricket club in England.

Even earlier, the common was witness to the gruesome martyrdom of St Amphibalus, a Christian priest, apparently: "They tied him to a stake, opened up his entrails, and stabbed him with knives and spears".

Crossing the common, I took the Nicky Way, the route of the old railway from Hemel Hempstead to Harpenden.

It was opened in 1877 to link the straw-plait industry with the Luton hat trade. Now rails and trains are gone, leaving an excellent walkway, free of traffic, ideal for striding forth and breathing in the fresh air of a Sunday morning.

The railway wasn't only used by trains. In the 1930's, the Ro-Railer ran here, a strange, but versatile, vehicle that ran on road and railway alike. It drove around Hemel Hempstead, then along the Nicky line to Redbourn. Sadly, it failed. Maybe it would be a good idea to try it again.

After a mile, I left the way and headed east, across Rothamsted Park. It was here that John Bennet Lawes set up his famous experimental station, introducing fertilisers to improve crop rotation.

He combined ash with acid to create a new "super-phosphate". Personally, I don't think you can beat a dollop of good old horse-manure, but then I'm no scientist! You can see the tall chimneys of Lawes' old house but no more from the path.

In sight now was Harpenden, "with a touch of gold forever on its gorse-clad common, and air as sweet and pure as any corner of the British Isles".

Not a bad testimony, and well merited it is. The common, covering 238 acres and reaching right into town, has been the venue of horseracing, fairs, archery and golf. In the Great War, soldiers drilled on it, in the Second World War they grew corn on it.

I crossed the common, to the little mere at Southdown. This is a picturesque spot, an ideal place to picnic. The local ducks think so, too. They were soon on the scrounge.

Heading south, fingerposts lead the way to the Three Horseshoes, ideally sited off the beaten track.

The route crosses the golf course, where ears and eyes should be on the alert for little white missiles and (hopefully) shouts of "fore!" Safely across, Beasonend Lane leads from Roman Watling Street to the River Ver and Redbournbury Mill.

A former mill appears in the Domesday Book (1086), and they milled here thereafter until the 1950's. In the early days it was a corn mill, later grist, for animal products. Ivy Hawkins was the "only lady miller in England", at Redbournbury, in the 1930's, and remained so until 1985. Much of the present building was damaged by fire in 1987, but they saved the machinery which, happily, is working again.

Now the mill's a museum, where you can buy organic flour, ground at the mill. A notice says admission to the restaurant is free, with "walkers especially welcome".

I followed the Ver for half mile, where a little footbridge crosses the river (such as it is) and the path leads to Spritzers Bar (formerly the Punch Bowl) on the A5.

Here I was reminded of the real world, as motorists sped past in their determined efforts to kill one other and themselves on this long, straight stretch of the Queen's Highway.

Safely across, I headed west along quiet Punch Bowl Lane, then north across farmland, with traffic on the M1 now visible and audible in the distance.

At Church End, St Mary's Church (12th Century), has interesting features, notably a window, which depicts St Alban, and the aforementioned St Amphibalus, with his stake; and the rood screen, with intricate carvings: a basket of eggs, nuts and grapes, and geese.

Outside, opposite the Hollybush pub, is the old workhouse, now a row of pretty cottages, well worthy of inspection as is, perhaps, a visit to the pub itself, before re-crossing the common to that ancient cricket pitch.

Routefinder

Start and finish: The Common, Redbourn, near cricket pavilion

Appreviations: l. = left. r. = right. n. s. e. w. = north, south, east, west. br. = bridge. r.o.w. = right of way. PH = public house. m = mile. s/post =signpost. f/post = fingerpost. b/way = bridleway. ch = church. f/p = footpath.

Head s.e. past children's playground to Nicky Way. Turn left (n.), follow Way for 1.5m. Turn r. at f/post, corner of wood, r.o.w. to Rothampsted (house private). Take lane and f/p to main road, Harpenden. Cross the common to clump of trees and mere.

Head s., (f/posts), perimeter of common, for 1 m. to Three Horsehoes PH, East Common. Cross golf course (Public Footpath 1081) to main road, turn r. 300 yds, then l. into Beesonend Lane, which follow for 1.5 m. to River Ver. Turn r. to Redbournbury Mill.

Retrace steps, head s. on Ver Valley walk for 0.5m., crossing small footbridge over Ver to Spritzers Bar (formerly Punch Bowl). Cross A5183 (old A5), along Punch Bowl Lane, turn r. to Hill farm. Beyond, pass through wide, brick gateway (private house) and orchard (arrows on trees), follow r.o.w. n. to Dane End farm, Flowers farm and over Redbourn by-pass to St Mary's ch., Church End.

Leave churchyard by main gate, Hollybush on l., "workhouse" cottages on r. Recross common to starting point.

Pubs

Redbourn: Cricketers. Many others in village

Harpenden Common: Silver Cup

East Common: Three Horseshoes

Reproduced from Limited Edition magazine, exclusive guides to living in Hertfordshire, Middlesex and the London Borough of Barnet (01923 216295).

For a printable map of the walk, please click the image below.