# Offley

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Civil parish in Hertfordshire, England

For locations in Ireland, see [Offaly (disambiguation)](/source/Offaly_(disambiguation)).

Human settlement in England

Offley Offley village sign with Green Man public house behind to left Offley Location within Hertfordshire Population 1,646 (Parish, 2021)[1] OS grid reference TL148262 District North Hertfordshire Shire county Hertfordshire Region East Country England Sovereign state United Kingdom Post town HITCHIN Postcode district SG5 Post town LUTON Postcode district LU2 Dialling code 01462 01582 Police Hertfordshire Fire Hertfordshire Ambulance East of England UK Parliament Hitchin List of places UK England Hertfordshire 51°55′40″N 0°20′10″W / 51.9279°N 0.3361°W / 51.9279; -0.3361

**Offley** is a [civil parish](/source/Civil_parish) in the [North Hertfordshire](/source/North_Hertfordshire) district of [Hertfordshire](/source/Hertfordshire), England. The main village is **Great Offley**, also known as Offley, which stands on a ridge of high ground. The parish covers most of the area between the towns of [Hitchin](/source/Hitchin) to the east and [Luton](/source/Luton) to the west. The northern part of the parish lies within the designated [Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty](/source/Area_of_Outstanding_Natural_Beauty) of the [Chiltern Hills](/source/Chiltern_Hills). The parish also includes numerous hamlets, including **Little Offley**, **Cockernhoe**, and **Tea Green**. At the western end of the parish, adjoining the edge of Luton, is the [Putteridge Bury](/source/Putteridge_Bury) estate which now serves as a campus of the [University of Bedfordshire](/source/University_of_Bedfordshire). The parish had a population of 1,646 at the [2021 census](/source/2021_United_Kingdom_census).

## Great Offley

Great Offley lies on the top of a chalk escarpment ridge (521 ft/159 metres above sea level) in the centre of the parish (the most north eastern ridge of the [Chiltern Hills](/source/Chiltern_Hills)). Road signs and Ordnance Survey maps call the village Great Offley, but the [Royal Mail](/source/Royal_Mail) just uses Offley in postal addresses.[2]

[Offa](/source/Offa), King of [Mercia](/source/Mercia) in the 8th century, is said to have built a palace here and thus gave his name to the village. There is a most interesting group of buildings, including Offley Place, which was rebuilt in 1810 but which retains a Tudor porch and a 17th-century wing.

St Mary Magdalene's Church

The parish church is dedicated to [St Mary Magdalene](/source/St_Mary_Magdalene) and contains some attractive monuments. Its [nave](/source/Nave) dates back to the 13th century. The [chancel](/source/Chancel) was extensively remodelled by Sir Thomas Salusbury in the 18th century, and the tower was rebuilt in brick in 1800.[3]

The village was by-passed by the [A505](/source/A505) dual carriageway in the 1970s. Close to the centre of the village is a water tower, near which stands a radio mast owned by [Arqiva](/source/Arqiva) and used by utility companies. The village has two public houses, the Green Man and the Red Lion, a primary school, and a village hall.

## Little Offley

**Little Offley** is a small hamlet lying 1+1⁄2 miles north-west of Great Offley, and it is reached via a bridge over the [A505](/source/A505_road). It contains a late [Tudor](/source/Tudor_period) brick-built [manor house](/source/Manor_house).

The [Hitchin Yeshiva](/source/Hitchin_Yeshiva) is based in Wellbury House which is a mile north east of Little Offley.

## Cockernhoe

Cockernhoe Green

Cockernhoe lies 2+1⁄2 miles south-west of Great Offley. Cockernhoe is clustered around two greens. To the south is the larger Cockernhoe Green, where there is a primary school and a small [tin tabernacle](/source/Tin_tabernacle) church dedicated to St Hugh. To the north is the smaller Mangrove Green, where there is a pub, the King William IV.

St Hugh's Church, Cockernhoe

Much of the area between Cockernhoe and the eastern edge of Luton is allocated for development as an eastern extension of Luton for approximately 2,100 homes as part of the North Hertfordshire Local Plan, adopted in 2022.[4] The scheme is opposed by Offley Parish Council,[5] as well as campaign groups including [Campaign to Protect Rural England](/source/Campaign_to_Protect_Rural_England) and a local group called Keep East of Luton Green.[6]

## Tea Green

The hamlet of Tea Green lies 2+1⁄2 miles south of Great Offley. Tea Green sits on top of a chalk ridge on the opposite side of [Lilley](/source/Lilley%2C_Hertfordshire) Bottom Valley. A major landmark is the tall water tower which is next to the White Horse pub.

Two of the oldest barns in the area (dating from the 16th century) are located at Tankards and Crutchmore Farms.[7]

## Putteridge Bury

Main article: [Putteridge Bury](/source/Putteridge_Bury)

Putteridge Bury

The Putteridge Bury estate comprises the grounds of a mansion designed by [Ernest George](/source/Ernest_George) and Alfred Yeats in the style of [Chequers](/source/Chequers). It was completed in 1911, replacing an earlier house on the site. The grounds were redesigned by [Edwin Lutyens](/source/Edwin_Lutyens) and planted by [Gertrude Jekyll](/source/Gertrude_Jekyll). Particular features are the reflective pool and massive [yew](/source/Taxus_baccata) hedges.[8] The estate was bought by [Luton Borough Council](/source/Luton_Borough_Council) in 1965 to serve as a teacher training college.[9] It has remained in educational use since then; since 2006, it has been a campus of the [University of Bedfordshire](/source/University_of_Bedfordshire).

The Putteridge estate is a mixture of arable farmland and woodland; as well as the occasional visiting [muntjac](/source/Muntjac) and [fallow deer](/source/Fallow_deer), the estate is home to [Lady Amherst's pheasant](/source/Lady_Amherst's_pheasant) (*Chrysolophus amherstiae*) as well as the more common pheasant.

## Landscape

The land use in the parish is a mixture of [arable](/source/Arable_land), and [woodland](/source/Woodland) with some minor seasonal grazing for beef [cattle](/source/Cattle) and [sheep](/source/Sheep). To the east of the village all the round to the south east forms part of the [King's Walden](/source/King's_Walden) estate. During the winter months [pheasant](/source/Common_pheasant) and [partridge](/source/Partridge) shooting takes with several shooting syndicates operating to the north of the village as well as a big shoot organised by King's Walden Estate.

[Red kites](/source/Red_kites) along with [common buzzard](/source/Common_buzzard) and [sparrowhawks](/source/Eurasian_sparrowhawk) can be seen in the area.[10]

Much of the woodland is not used for timber and is made up of [oak](/source/Oak), [beech](/source/Beech) and [horse chestnut](/source/Aesculus) trees, with smaller plantations of [pine](/source/Pine) and [spruce](/source/Spruce). During the [spring](/source/Spring_(season)) many of the woods are carpeted with [bluebells](/source/Common_bluebell).

The area is home to a sizeable herd of [fallow deer](/source/Fallow_deer) and [muntjac](/source/Muntjac) can also be seen.

### Chiltern Way

The 152-mile [Chiltern Way](/source/Chiltern_Way) long-distance footpath passes through the parish,[11] as does the 170-mile [Chilterns Cycleway](/source/Chiltern_Cycleway).[12]

## Governance

Offley Village Hall

There are three tiers of local government covering Offley, at [parish](/source/Parish_council_(England)), [district](/source/Non-metropolitan_district), and [county](/source/Non-metropolitan_county) level: Offley Parish Council, North Hertfordshire District Council, and [Hertfordshire County Council](/source/Hertfordshire_County_Council).[13] The parish council generally meets alternately at Offley Village Hall and Cockernhoe Memorial Hall.[14]

## Offley at War 1939 - 1945

Offley was Headquarters for an [Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS)](/source/Auxiliary_Territorial_Service) Searchlight unit based in Hoo Lane, that had detachments in Hitchin along Bedford Road, Chapel Foot along London Road, as well as at [Whitwell](/source/Whitwell%2C_Hertfordshire) and [Diamond End](/source/King's_Walden).[15]

### Lancaster bomber crash

At 7.15am on 18 July 1944 a [Lancaster Mk.111](/source/Avro_Lancaster) bomber belonging to [115 Squadron RAF](/source/No._115_Squadron_RAF)[16][17] crashed into the farmhouse at West End Farm ([51°56′03″N 0°20′35″W / 51.934070°N 0.343035°W / 51.934070; -0.343035](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Offley&params=51.93407_N_0.343035_W_)) killing the crew as well as the farmer's wife and two daughters (one of whom was home on leave from the [Auxiliary Territorial Service](/source/Auxiliary_Territorial_Service)).

The aircraft LM616 (KO J) had left its base at [RAF Witchford](/source/Witchford) near [Ely](/source/Ely%2C_Cambridgeshire) several hours earlier to support [Allied](/source/Allies_of_World_War_II) ground forces taking part in [Operation Goodwood](/source/Operation_Goodwood) during the [Normandy campaign](/source/Operation_Cobra). The [Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force) and [United States Army Air Forces](/source/United_States_Army_Air_Forces) objective was to bomb units of the [16th Luftwaffe Field Division](/source/Luftwaffe_Field_Division) and the [21st Panzer Division](/source/21st_Panzer_Division) which were located around [Caen](/source/Caen), [France](/source/France).[18]

LM616 received severe damage during the raid, in which its controls and navigation aids were shot up. The aircraft had descended through low cloud only to see the high escarpment of the [Chiltern Hills](/source/Chiltern_Hills) at Offley loom into view too late for the crew to take immediate action. The aircraft hit trees in a wood on top of Birkitt Hill before colliding with the farmhouse at West End Farm.[19][20][21]

### Glebe Farm Explosion

At 3 pm on 8 January 1945, a US Army lorry carrying [munitions](/source/Munitions) was involved in a road accident with a petrol tanker as it was passing Glebe Farm at the Flints.

The drivers managed to evacuate nearby residents; however, a bus from Luton came round the corner just as an explosion occurred, killing three US servicemen on the bus and injuring 21 others. The explosion was so severe that it made a crater on the road 50 feet wide and 14 feet deep.

The Windmill and Farm were completely destroyed and Flint cottages were severely damaged, other houses in Offley suffered extensive blast damage.[21][22][23]

## Population

At the [2021 census](/source/2021_United_Kingdom_census), the population of the parish was 1,646.[1] The population had been 1,307 in 2001,[24] and 1,398 in 2011.[25]

## Sport and recreation

- Offley and Stopsley Cricket Club,[26] play at the Recreation Ground.[26]

- Offley and District Riding Club have at least four shows at the Old Football Field, Luton White Hill.

- Luton and District Aeronautical Society fly remote control model aircraft at a field at the top of Chalk Hill to the south east of the village.

There is also a fishing club which uses the Long Pond and the Pump Pond which are located along Salusbury Lane.

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-2021census_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-2021census_1-1) ["2021 Census Parish Profiles"](https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/sources/census_2021_pp). *NOMIS*. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 31 March 2025. (To get individual parish data, use the query function on table PP002.)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Find an address"](https://www.royalmail.com/find-a-postcode). *Royal Mail*. Retrieved 25 April 2025. (See postcode SG5 3AR as an example.)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Historic England](/source/Historic_England). ["Church of St Mary Magdalene (Grade I) (1347084)"](https://HistoricEngland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1347084?section=official-list-entry). *[National Heritage List for England](/source/National_Heritage_List_for_England)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["North Herts Local Plan 2011–2031"](https://www.north-herts.gov.uk/north-herts-local-plan-2011-2031). *North Herts Council*. Retrieved 3 May 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Offley Parish Council opposes 2,100 homes East of Luton"](https://offleyparishcouncil.gov.uk/offley-parish-council-opposes-2100-homes-east-of-luton/). *Offley Parish Council*. Retrieved 3 May 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["KEOLG - Keep East of Luton Green - Green Belt - CPRE - campaign"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090214092644/http://www.keolg.org/). Archived from [the original](http://www.keolg.org/) on 14 February 2009. Retrieved 11 January 2009. website accessed 11/01/2009

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Local History - Offley Parish Council in Hertfordshire"](http://www.offleypc.org.uk/history.php). *www.offleypc.org.uk*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [Historic England](/source/Historic_England). ["Putteridge Bury (Grade II) (1000917)"](https://HistoricEngland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1000917?section=official-list-entry). *[National Heritage List for England](/source/National_Heritage_List_for_England)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** [Historic England](/source/Historic_England). ["Putteridge Bury (Luton College of Higher Education) (Grade II) (1347083)"](https://HistoricEngland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1347083?section=official-list-entry). *[National Heritage List for England](/source/National_Heritage_List_for_England)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Chilterns_10-0)** Schurmer, Michael (November 2002). ["Breeding Bird Survey of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty 2002"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110613151528/http://www.chilternsaonb.org/downloads/farm_birds_survey.pdf) (PDF). RSPB. Archived from [the original](http://www.chilternsaonb.org/downloads/farm_birds_survey.pdf) (PDF) on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Chiltern Way - LDWA Long Distance Paths"](https://www.ldwa.org.uk/ldp/members/show_path.php?path_name=Chiltern+Way). *www.ldwa.org.uk*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** [The Chilterns Cycleway, Chiltern Society website (accessed 04/07/10)](http://www.chilternsociety.org.uk/about-ChCyWay.php/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20100711181859/http://www.chilternsociety.org.uk/about-ChCyWay.php) 11 July 2010 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Election Maps"](https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/election-maps/gb/). Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 1 May 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Parish Council meeting dates"](https://offleyparishcouncil.gov.uk/notices/2024-parish-council-meeting-dates/). *Offley Parish Council*. Retrieved 3 May 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["BBC Peoples War, Una Bracey Remembers"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/57/a6336957.shtml).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["lostbombers.co.uk"](http://www.lostbombers.co.uk/results.php?type=Lancaster&pagefrom=90/). *www.lostbombers.co.uk*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** [Aircrew Remembrance Society (website accessed 15.07.10)](http://www.aircrewremembrancesociety.com/raf1944/2/lettssydney.html/)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["Royal Air Force Bomber Command 60th Anniversary Campaign Diary, July 1944 (website accessed: 07/07/2010)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110606110310/http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/jul44.html). Archived from [the original](http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/jul44.html/) on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 3 July 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** ["BBC Peoples War, Lancaster Bomber Crashes on Great Offley Farmhouse"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/27/a7880727.shtml).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** ["lostbombers.co.uk"](http://www.lostbombers.co.uk/bomber.php?id=2578). *www.lostbombers.co.uk*.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-autogenerated1_21-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-autogenerated1_21-1) ["BBC Peoples War, Brian Limbrick's Wartime Childhood 1942 to 1945"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/41/a6336641.shtml).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** [BBC Peoples War Alex Tooley remembers](https://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/39/a6371039.shtml/)[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Images_23-0)** Hillyard. Angela M. Images of Old Offley. Published 1993

1. **[^](#cite_ref-24)** Office for National Statistics, [2001 Census Parish Headcounts for Offley](http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=795325&c=Offley&d=16&e=15&g=455002&i=1001x1003x1004&o=1&m=0&r=1&s=1227900650297&enc=1&dsFamilyId=779) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110622123842/http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=795325&c=Offley&d=16&e=15&g=455002&i=1001x1003x1004&o=1&m=0&r=1&s=1227900650297&enc=1&dsFamilyId=779) 22 June 2011 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-25)** ["Civil Parish population 2011"](http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11127209&c=Offley&d=16&e=62&g=6434005&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1477941926268&enc=1). *Neighbourhood Statistics*. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 31 October 2016.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Offley_&_Stopsley_Cricket_Club_26-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Offley_&_Stopsley_Cricket_Club_26-1) ["Offley & Stopsley Cricket Club"](http://www.oscricket.com/). *www.oscricket.com*.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

## External links

Media related to [Offley](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Offley) at Wikimedia Commons

- [Great Offley](http://www.thesmith.org.uk/places/offley/village.html) - a resident's page about local history with many images.

- [Offley & Stopsley Cricket Club](https://web.archive.org/web/20051230144514/http://www.oscricket.com/) - Contains pictures, match reports, results, statistics and features from the cricket club

- [Offley Endowed Primary School](https://web.archive.org/web/20090615081920/http://www.offley.herts.sch.uk/index.html)

- [Cockernhoe Endowed C of E Primary School](http://www.cockernhoe.herts.sch.uk/)

- [Offley Parish Council](http://www.offleypc.org.uk/)

v t e Civil parishes in Hertfordshire Dacorum (partly parished) Aldbury Berkhamsted Bovingdon Chipperfield Flamstead Flaunden Great Gaddesden Kings Langley Little Gaddesden Markyate Nash Mills Nettleden with Potten End Northchurch Tring Tring Rural Wigginton East Hertfordshire (wholly parished) Albury Anstey Ardeley Aspenden Aston Bayford Bengeo Rural Benington Bishop's Stortford Bramfield Braughing Brent Pelham Brickendon Liberty Buckland and Chipping Buntingford Cottered Datchworth Eastwick Gilston Furneux Pelham Great Amwell Great Munden Hertford Hertford Heath Hertingfordbury High Wych Hormead Hunsdon Little Berkhamsted Little Hadham Little Munden Meesden Much Hadham Sacombe Sawbridgeworth Standon Stanstead Abbots Stanstead St Margarets Stapleford and Waterford Stocking Pelham Tewin Thorley Thundridge Walkern Ware Wareside Watton-at-Stone Westmill Widford Wyddial Hertsmere (partly parished) Aldenham Elstree and Borehamwood Hertsmere Meriden Shenley South Mimms and Ridge North Hertfordshire (partly parished) Ashwell Barkway Barley Bygrave Caldecote Clothall Codicote Graveley Great Ashby Hexton Hinxworth Holwell Ickleford Kelshall Kimpton King's Walden Knebworth Langley Lilley Newnham Nuthampstead Offley Pirton Preston Radwell Reed Royston Rushden Sandon St Ippolyts St Paul's Walden Therfield Wallington Weston Wymondley St Albans (partly parished) Colney Heath Harpenden Town Harpenden Rural London Colney Redbourn Sandridge St Michael St Stephen Wheathampstead Three Rivers (partly parished) Abbots Langley Batchworth Chorleywood Croxley Green Sarratt Watford Rural Welwyn Hatfield (partly parished) Ayot St Lawrence Ayot St Peter Essendon Hatfield North Mymms Northaw and Cuffley Welwyn Woolmer Green Wholly unparished boroughs Broxbourne Stevenage Watford See also List of places in Hertfordshire

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Offley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offley) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offley?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.