Barley, Hertfordshire

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Barley
Barley shown within Hertfordshire
Population	659^[1]
OS grid reference	TL400385
District	North Hertfordshire
Shire county	Hertfordshire
Region	East
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ROYSTON
Postcode district	SG8
Dialling code	01763
Police	Hertfordshire
Fire	Hertfordshire
Ambulance	East of England
European Parliament	East of England
UK Parliament	North East Hertfordshire
List of places: UK • England • Hertfordshire

Coordinates: 52°01′38″N 0°02′29″E / 52.0272, 0.0415

Barley is a village and civil parish in the district of North Hertfordshire, England. According to the 2001 census it has a population of 659.^[1]

Located on the Royston to Saffron Walden road, Barley has a church with a 12th century Norman tower. The church was rebuilt in 1871 using designs by William Butterfield.

The village also includes a 17th century lock-up and an early Tudor town house with a large timbered upper room, which was mentioned by Daniel Defoe in a travel book in 1726.

A well-known landmark in the village is the sign of the Fox and Hounds public house, which stretches across the road at the top of Church End. Although it is a long-established feature of the village, it has not always been at its present site. In 1955 the Fox and Hounds, with its famous sign, was a pub located in the High Street, at the time part of an important route to London. In 1955 the Fox & Hounds burned down in a disastrous fire. The sign, which was partially saved, moved to its present site and the existing pub (the Wagon and Horses) was renamed. There are two pubs in the village - the other being the picturesque Chequers. Pictures of both feature on the website of the North Hertforshire Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale.

By comparison to other villages in rural Hertfordshire, Barley has a substantial village infrastructure, with a junior school, playground, village green, tennis courts, cricket team ( new players please ring Chris Allan - 01763 848171), stables,football team, petrol station and post office/general stores.

A local eccentricity is to embed objects into the flint walls. The Manor has a row of dentures set into its flint wall at one point and a cherub at another, while one of the newer houses in the village has a small figure of the Buddha set into its wall.

Although there is a steady flux of people moving into and out of the village, and a substantial commuter element (Royston station is only 10 minutes drive away - and then only 35 minutes to Kings Cross) - there are still a substantial number of long-established families resident in the village.

There is a regular bus service (6 buses a day in each direction) to Royston and Hertford run by Arriva (Service 331^[2]).

Famous historical residents include William Warham and Thomas Willet future Mayor of New York. His house Willets Cottage still stands.[ ^[3].