Population 4,295 Region East Sovereign state United Kingdom Shire county Hertfordshire Dialling code 01707 UK parliament constituency Broxbourne | OS grid reference TL305035 Country England Post town POTTERS BAR Local time Monday 9:47 AM District Welwyn Hatfield | |
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Weather 6°C, Wind NW at 14 km/h, 82% Humidity | ||
Cuffley is a village in the Welwyn Hatfield district of south-east Hertfordshire located between Cheshunt and Potters Bar. It has a population of just over 4,000 people. Northaw and Cuffley (where the 2011 Census population was included) is a civil parish and is part of Broxbourne parliamentary constituency.
Contents
Map of Cuffley, UK
History
The railway had an important impact on the development of the village. Cuffley was reached by the Great Northern Railway in 1910, as part of the plan to create the Hertford Loop Line, as a strategic alternative to the main line out of King's Cross to the north, by extending the line from Enfield Chase.
The early history of Cuffley is recounted by one of its residents, Molly Hughes, in her autobiographical book A London Family Between the Wars.
On 3 September 1916 the German airship SL 11 was shot down and crashed in Cuffley during an aerial bombardment intended for London. This incident is commemorated by a memorial on East Ridgeway to Lieutenant W. Leefe Robinson, the pilot who shot the airship down; he was awarded the Victoria Cross. There is also a model of the airship in the village hall. Contrary to many reports of the incident, the SL 11 airship was not a Zeppelin but an army Schütte-Lanz airship. Regardless, the local football team is still nicknamed 'The Zeps' after this event.
In 1939, the Scout Association purchased part of the Tolmers Park Estate that lies within the Parish of Cuffley. Tolmers Scout Camp was opened on Whit Saturday 1940 by Lord Wigram. Today, Tolmers hosts thousands of young people annually from all over the UK and across Europe; not only Scouts and Guides but schools and youth groups as well.
Transport
Cuffley is near to the M25 motorway and is part of the London commuter belt. Cuffley railway station provides a commuter service to Moorgate and connects to King's Cross in the evenings and at weekends, services operated by Great Northern. It is notable for operating the oldest Class 313 rolling stock in service, leading to local demands to class the branch as a 'heritage' line.
Facilities
Cuffley Primary School has occupied its present building since 1938 when it replaced the original Victorian school room.
Preschool education for children aged 2 to 5 years old is available at two preschools located at the Life Church (Four Corners Pre-School) and the youth centre (Cuffley Community Centre Pre-School).
Toddler and Parent group, for children under 3 years of age is available on Friday mornings at Cuffley and Northaw Youth Centre, Station Road, Cuffley, EN6 4EY.
St Andrew’s Anglican Church, built in 1965 on the site of the old school, replaced the ‘tin church’ built in 1911 next to the old village green. The village also has a Baptist church, which in May 2011 changed its name to the Life Church and is associated with the Life Church at Potters Bar. There is also St Martin de Porres Roman Catholic Church.
Famous residents
Its most famous current resident is Sir Terry Leahy, former CEO of Tesco, although this did not prevent locals from objecting vehemently to plans to build a "Express" store in the village replacing one of only two remaining village pubs. Other famous residents include Premier League footballers Ledley King, Jermain Defoe, Niko Kranjcar, David Bentley and Armand Traoré; and also former Sugababes singer Keisha Buchanan and Myleene Klass.