Books

We will be adding to this list (please let us know of other books, whether in print or not).

In order of publication.

'London's New River in Maps' Vol. 1 (Part 1) c.1600 to 1850 Robert Mylne's Survey' by M.F. Kensey. Published 2013. 329+pp hardback. £16 retail.

'London's New River in Maps' Vol. 1 (Part 2) c.1600 to 1850 Robert Mylne's Survey' by M.F. Kensey. Published 2013. 344+pp hardback. Full colour. £25 retail.

Copies of the above books are available from Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies (HALS), based at County Hall in Hertford; Lowewood Museum in Hoddesdon; Hoddesdon Bookshop; Myddelton House Visitors Centre, Bulls Cross, Enfield; Enfield Local Study Centre & Archive (Dugdale Centre); and Islington Local History Centre/Museum. Also available by post from the author, each book with additional £5.60 P&P (within UK, actual cost, they are heavy books). Contact "Mike Kensey" < This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. > (remove the word 'remove').

'The New River: A Romance of the Time of Hugh Myddelton' by Edward Fitzgibbon. Paperback. Published by British Library, Historical Print Editions, United States, 2011. ISBN 10: 1241212295 / ISBN 13: 9781241212292. This item is printed on demand. Shipped from UK. From The Book Depository (Guernsey, GY, United Kingdom). £11.79, post & packing £2.80 within UK.

'London's New River' by Robert Ward. Published by Historical Publications, 2003. Hardback 248 pp. ISBN 978-0-948667-84-8. (Out of print).

'New River Head' by Bevis Frond. Audio CD published July 31, 2003 by Caroline Distribution. 1 edition: Cdcdis Rbc22. ISBN 10 6307884355.

'Exploring the New River' by Michael Essex-Lopresti. Paperback. Published by Brewin Books Ltd (3rd revised edition 1997; 1st published 1986). 80 pp paperback. Publisher: Brewin Books; 3rd edition (January 7, 1997). ISBN-10: 1858580684, ISBN-13: 978-1858580685. Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.8 x 0.3 inches. Available from the London Canal Museum (near Kings Cross, http://www.canalmuseum.org.uk), or from the publisher http://www.brewinbooks.com/Transport%20files/newrivtext.htm. £9.95, £2 post and packing from Brewin Books. An online search will find other suppliers.

'An historical walk along the New River' by Mary Cosh. 26 pp paperback. Published by Islington Libraries, London, 1982 (1 edition). Map inserted. No. 2 in a series of historical walks arranged by the Islington Archaeology and History Society. (Note by BH of NRAG - although short, informative).

'The New River - a legal history' by Bernard Rudden. 335 pp. Published 1985 by Clarendon Press, Oxford University Press in Oxford, New York. ISBN 10 0198254970.

'Sir Hugh Myddelton and the New River' by G. C. Berry. Cover title. Reprinted from the Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, 1956. 1 edition. 30 pp with plates. Open Library number: OL20811665M.

'The New River Head – some descriptive notes'. Facsimile of a book published in 1927 by the Metropolitan Water Board. It includes photographs of New River Head before the ponds and filter beds were filled in and the water house demolished. It also gives a good history of the New River and its context. Price £10 from The Amwell Society, email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

'New River' a poem, by William Garbott. Published 1728 by printed for the author, and sold by J. Hooke in London. Edition Notes: In praise of Sir Hugh Middleton's construction of the New River. Date from Foxon. With a half-title. Foxon G9. Microfilm. Woodbridge, CT Research Publications, Inc., 1986. 1 reel ; 35mm. (The Eighteenth Century ; reel 6752, no.07). Series Eighteenth century -- reel 6752, no. 07. The Physical Object Format Microform. Pagination 38 pp. ID Numbers: Open Library OL16829738M (http://openlibrary.org/).

 

 

 


 

 

New River Photo Gallery

[Coming soon]

The photo library is currently in two sections, covering the southern and northern halves of the New River. The photos were taken during two walks covering these sections.

SOUTHERN SECTION WALK   Photo-record of a walk in late-Summer 2006 of the southern half of the New River from New River Head (beside Sadlers Wells) in Islington to the centre of Enfield.

Southern section photos   Display of 202 larger-size photos. Do try this first with any internet connection. However, if you find your internet connection is struggling, then try the thumbnails link below.

Southern section 'thumbnails'   Thumbnails display of 202 photos. You click on thumbnails to see the larger size version. Try this for slower-speed internet connections.

NORTHERN SECTION WALK   Photo-record of a walk in late-Summer 2006 of the northern half of the New River from New River Head (beside Sadlers Wells) in Islington to the centre of Enfield.

Northern section photos    Coming soon! Display of around 240 larger-size photos. Do try this first with any internet connection. However, if you find your internet connection is struggling, then try the thumbnails link below.

Northern section 'thumbnails'    Coming soon! Thumbnails display of around 240 photos. You click on thumbnails to see the larger size version. Try this for slower-speed internet connections.

All-Day Walks 2014

NRAG member John Polley is leading the first walk of 2014 along the New River on Sunday 13 April.

This walks is around 12 miles in length. It's not unusual for John's walks to finish at an attractive pub!

Do join us!

The next walk is on Sunday 13 April, from Bounds Green to Enfield. Details here You can also download the same details as a PDF document.

Details of walks include estimated timings.

Do consider joining our 'low traffic' email list, so that you will receive updates promptly and automatically. Send a short email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

John Polley 
07814 546772

 

All-Day Walks 2013

NRAG member John Polley is leading five walks along the New River on Sundays in 2013, with a special 400th anniversary walk on Sunday 29th September.

Walks are normally around 15 miles (25 km) in length, and it's not unusual for them to finish at an attractive pub!

We do hope you can join us for at least one of our walks!

The next walk is on Sunday 20 October, from Enfield to Hertford. Details here. You can also download the same details as a Word document or PDF document.

Details of walks include estimated timings.

Do consider joining our 'low traffic' email list, so that you will receive updates promptly and automatically. Send a short email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

400th Anniversary Walk

The 29th September this year marks the 400th anniversary of the completion of the New River when, after more than 5 years work, it flowed into the 'Round Pond' at New River Head, Islington. From the Round Pond, water was distributed in hollowed-out elm pipes to those in the city fortunate enough to be able to afford a fresh water supply. It was usually fed to the ground floor of dwellings, although it wasn't by any means a constant supply, and sometimes little more than a trickle! However, its water was certainly cleaner, safer & much more convenient than that carried from the River Thames or other sources by water sellers! The creation of the New River was one of the greatest engineering and mapping works of its time, and the New River Company was one of the first companies in the world, the first in the UK to be substantially financed by the King, and one of the longest-lived companies to have existed, operational for over 300 years. The New River is still supplying drinking water to London.

Dates of Walks

The walks all take place on Sundays, and all start at 10 a.m.

  • 21st April - Enfield to Sadlers Wells
  • 2nd June - Hertford to Enfield
  • 4th August - Old New River loops (Whitewebbs & Enfield Town)
  • 29th September - 400th anniversary walk - will be from Manor House to Sadlers Wells where we will join the celebrations being held in the New River Head gardens (this walk was previously announced as 'Enfield to Sadlers Wells' ie to New River Head, but the wish to incorporate the celebrations, not originally known about, meant choosing a shorter route).
    Please see the Calendar for the details of this walk, and download the route details and invitation.
  • 20th October - Enfield to Hertford. Details here. You can also download the same details as a Word document or PDF document.

John Polley
07814 546772

All-Day Walks 2015

NRAG member John Polley is leading the second walk of 2015 along the New River on Sunday 28 June, from Enfield to Islington.

This walk is around 11 miles (17 km) in length. It's not unusual for John's walks to finish at an attractive pub!

Do join us!

For more information on the walk on Sunday 28 June, including on trains, please see Walk 2015-06-28. You can also download full details including estimated timings.

The full list of walks is on our front page.

Do consider joining our 'low traffic' email list, so that you will receive updates promptly and automatically. Send a short email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .