Flamstead is an ancient community with a documented history going back nearly a thousand years. The first record of the village is from 1006 when it is mentioned in a Charter granted by King Ethelred to the Abbot of St Albans. Eighty years later, the Domesday Book records Flamstead as being held by Ralph de Todeni having been granted to his father, Roger, for services rendered to William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings. The de Todeni family were Lords of the Manor for 244 years. In 1298, Robert, the last of the line, was granted permission to hold a market in Flamstead every Thursday and a fair for five days annually at the Feast of St Leonard, which suggests that at that time it was a place of some importance. Construction on the church of St Leonard’s, which is in the centre of the village began in the 12th century. It is a particularly attractive building, with a lovely churchyard and is the highlight of the conservation area.
Other important buildings in the parish include the mansion at Beechwood. Today it is a preparatory school, but the first recorded building on the site was the little nunnery of St Giles-in-the-Wood, founded about 1120 and dissolved by Henry VIII in 1537. Also of interest are the Almshouses opposite the Three Blackbirds, which are dated 1669 and the Three Blackbirds pub itself, the western wing of which is sixteenth century.
“A New History of Flamstead” was published in 1999 by the Flamstead Society, for those interested.
Nowadays, it is a very active village with plenty of societies and groups to join: Guides, Brownies, Rainbows, Cubs, Beavers, indoor table tennis club, Flamstead Netball Club, WI, yoga and Pilates for all ages, Allotments Association, and even its very own Dragons and Dungeons Club. It has a Pre School and a Primary School plus a thriving church community through St Leonard’s which apart from its well-attended services, hosts many activities as part of its Heritage Project.
On the recreation ground, cricket is played in the summer and youth football in the winter, with the added advantage of a newly completed sports pavilion (April 2020) and a refurbished playground. There is also one tennis court (professional coaching is available) which is used for netball and basketball training plus an outdoor table tennis table.
Communications are excellent, with the M1, M25 and London Luton Airport close by. The village is linked by bus routes between Luton, Dunstable, St Albans and Hemel Hempstead and there are excellent rail links to London from either Harpenden or Hemel Hempstead. There are 3 popular public houses and 1 very well stocked village store which also has a post office.