epw016013 ENGLAND (1926). The gardens and glasshouses at Carpenders Park, Carpenders Park, 1926

Highfield School Oxhey

Thanks for all the detail and extra information everyone! We'll update the catalogue and post the new data here in due course.



Yours, Katy

Britain from Above Cataloguing Team Leader

Definitely Highfield girls school, formerly Carpenders situated in Oxhey Lane, Carpenders Park. Demolished 1960. Mansion is just out of view to the right with the old stables, later used as mainhall and ballroom linked by that covered passageway. The house lower just to the right of the angled wall - lower leftwas the gardeners cottage - I knew the people that lived there during the war. Entrance lodge is opposite the farm on the other side of the road. There was another entrance lodge further along Oxhey lane towards Harrow. It was in use at this time as a sick bay for the school

Everything fits for Carpenders Park. The house in Oxhey Lane is still there. The main house and gardens can be seen on the 1934 1:2500 Ordnance Survey map. Well done Graeme.

I suspect that this is a view of Highfield School, Watford from the NW. Formally known as Carpender Mansion, it became a school and was demolished in 1959. The flat roofed single story seen on the left of the attched pic seems to match the building in the top right of the photo.

View is looking south.

I believe this shows the grounds of Shenley Hospital (Mental Asylum) just outside Radlett. Now private housing estate.

The next picture EPW016014 is of Elstree - Aldenham Reservoir

The whole place (with the probable exception of the foreground) is a strange mixture of decoration and practical. The possible chapel and the neighbouring building, with perhaps another bell, add to the probability of a religous community.