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©John Partridge
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©Sebastian Ballard
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©Sebastian Ballard
Dist:0.3km<br/>Lemsford Village Road heading to the Great North Road
©Shaun Ferguson
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©Colin Pyle
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©David Howard
Dist:0.4km<br/>There are many theories regarding the origins of the name. The current pub sign shows a coach and four crossing a ford formed where the river Lea crossed the road in front of the pub. There is a signal board having two arms, one long and one short used to indicate the depth of water in the ford. It might be noted that the ford was bridged in 1775 and the beer house did not get its license until 100years later although the original building dates from 1734. An alternative theory is that the long and short refer to the lengths of the two roads out of the village. That which goes off to the right was a longer route compared with the shorter steeper route that once ran the left of the pub. Another theory is that an early sign was painted by one John Frederick Herring, an accomplished "whip" and artist who frequently came through the village on his way from London to York. His sign showed a coachman extending his arm to the publican who was holding a glass of ale back with a short arm. To make the meaning clear the inscription "pay before you sup" was incorporated into the design. One more suggestion is that a coach and four horses as depicted in the sign has to be driven by the coachman with the reins of one pair of horses in the left hand on a "long arm" and the other pair on a "short arm." However as it says in the Lemsford Local History Group, Publication No. 3,... "other suggestions have been put forward over the years and the reasons for the name remains a riddle to this day."
©John Partridge
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©Robert Edwards
Dist:0.4km<br/>To the left, and not possible to get a view of at this point is the River Lea. This photograph is taken from the Welwyn Garden City - Lemsford road. The pub in the distance is the "Long Arm and the Short Arm". The pub sign depicts a wooden lever arm that indicated the depth of the water at the crossing point of the River Lea of the ancient Great North Road. When the arm was in the dropped or raised position it showed the depth of water to the horse drawn waggoners and other users.
©Robin Hall
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©David Howard
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©David Howard
Dist:0.4km<br/>Designed by Louis de Soissons, the first state school in Welwyn Garden City. It was opened in 1923 and named Handside School, now called Applecroft Primary School.
©Paul Shreeve
Dist:0.5km<br/>Looking towards Welwyn.
©David Howard
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©Paul Shreeve
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©Paul Shreeve

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