Watford Gap
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This article is about Watford Gap and village. For the larger town 80 km (50 miles) south, see Watford, Hertfordshire.
The Watford Gap is located at a natural break in the hills, in the county of Northamptonshire, England. Engineers since the Romans onwards have found it to be a natural route connecting the English Midlands with the South East.
In a width of 400 metres (0.25 mi) the A5 road, Grand Union Canal, West Coast Main Line railway and M1 motorway all transverse the gap in parallel.
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[edit] Focal point
The easiest route between the London and Birmingham areas passes through or close to the small village of Watford in Northamptonshire. The first of the routes, the Watling Street Roman road is an important north-south route constructed in the era of the Romans. This is now the A5 trunk route.
Later the road was joined by Grand Union Canal, the main waterway link between London and Birmingham. The Leicester Arm branch of the canal forks off from the Main Line and passes down the Watford Locks/staircase just to the north.
The geographic importance of the area has led to many modern communication routes passing through this narrow gap; the coming of the railways brought the West Coast Main Line linking London to Birmingham and on to Glasgow. The most recent addition, in 1959, was Britain's first inter-urban motorway linking London and Yorkshire; and the first motorway service station.
However, although the modern view of Watford Gap is that it is a border between North and South, the actual topography indicates that it is a border between East and West. A tributary of the River Nene rises at Watford and flows east, whereas at Kilsby a tributary of the River Leam rises and flows west, joining the River Avon at Royal Leamington Spa.
[edit] Stagecoach route
Historically, this was the traditional crossing point on the old east-west stagecoach route across England. An important coaching inn, named as The Watford Gap was located in the area.
The pub, and the route from Cambridge to Coventry, are mentioned as early as 1769 [1]. This route ran through Northampton, Duston, Harlstone, past Althorp Park, Brington, Long Buckby, Watford, Watford Gap itself - the map indicating that the coaching inn was on the west side of Watling Street, and then into Kilsby. The route from Watford Gap to Kilsby is now part of the diverted A5 following construction of the M1.
The location of the Watford Gap coaching inn is the subject of some confusion, with the most recent location, on the east side of the Grand Junction canal within the confines of the modern service station, being the most cited. That is in a very similar location to the disused Welton Station and there is no mention of a Watford Gap pub, or indeed any pub at the suggested location on the 1889 or 1927 or 1952 Ordnance survey maps of Northamptonshire. The nearest pub being the Stags Head Inn on Station Road, Watford.
However, the original location is further north on Watling Street and is clearly shown on the 1889, 1927 and 1952 maps. It is at latitude 52°19'26.33"N and longtitude 1° 8'32.58"W.
The canal side building still stands but as of 2000 has closed for business and is in need of renovation. The earlier Watford Gap is also still standing and is in a good state of repair, and is generally unaltered with the stabling yards and main structures used as farm buildings, it can be easily viewed from the road, there is a parking layby on the southbound side of Watling Street
[edit] Motorway impact
Nowadays, the village lends its name to the nearby Watford Gap service station on the M1 motorway which was the first motorway service station in the United Kingdom.
[edit] Popular use
Whilst driving on the M1 the services are unofficially, and sometimes comically, known by residents of London and southeastern England as the point where the north/south divide occurs. The implication is that there is neither culture nor sophistication "North of the Watford Gap". Those living south of the Watford Gap claim that it is the point where well being, self respect and spirit begin. Northerners respond by claiming that it is the line where humour, humility and humanity end.
However, it has since become more popular to use the phrase "north of Watford", referring to the larger town. The reason for this change is probably due to the signs at Staples Corner, where the M1 begins, reading simply "M1, Watford, The North" thus potentially implying that Watford is the last place in the South.
[edit] Song
Roy Harper wrote a song named after the area. The song Anfield Rap released by Liverpool FC references The Gap.
[edit] References
- ^ http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~genmaps//genfiles/COU_files/ENG/NTH/unimag_cam-cov-roads_1769.html
[edit] External links
- Map sources for Watford Gap Public House
- Map sources for Watford Gap Services
