The Church of St Bartholomew, the Wigginton War Memorial and two walks offer different ways to explore Wigginton and its surroundings. Those interested in history will find architectural history, remembrance and Roman traces at Cow Roast. For a stay focused on the landscape, the routes and Harding’s Wood offer different points of reference.
Church, Remembrance and Architectural History
The Church of St Bartholomew is a listed Church of England parish church, Grade II*. It includes the 15th-century west chamber, known as the Weedon Chapel. This brings together the status of a parish church and a named historic architectural feature in one place. Flower Festivals are held at the church every few years and attract visitors. Dates vary; if you plan your trip around a festival, check the dates in advance.
The Wigginton War Memorial commemorates 25 people from the local community who died in the First World War, as well as 11 residents who lost their lives in the Second World War. Its history has two phases: the memorial was erected around 1920 to commemorate the First World War; elements commemorating the Second World War were added later. This distinguishes its original date from its later expansion, while both conflicts are remembered at the same memorial.
Cow Roast: Roman Traces and Timber Framing
The Roman settlement at Cow Roast includes part of Akeman Street, a Roman road. The protected Roman monument consists of three protected areas with a combined area of around 12.49 hectares. These details give the archaeological site a sense of scale: several areas are protected and together cover a larger area.
The Cow Roast Inn is also a listed Grade II building and dates from the 17th century or earlier. Inside, exposed timber framing and a broad fireplace with an opening for a stove can be seen. The name “Cow Roast” is thought to refer to a resting place for drovers taking cattle to the London market. At Cow Roast, Roman transport and settlement traces sit alongside later architectural history and a traditional interpretation of the place name.
Walks and Landscape
The Tring and Wigginton stile-free walk starts at the footbridge over the A41 and climbs moderately to Wigginton. The route crosses rolling chalk hills, passes through beech woods and follows the Grand Union Canal. Its landscapes therefore shift between hills, woodland and canal.
The Wigginton Circular Walk starts at the Wigginton Greyhound Pub or the Wigginton Community Shop. It uses sections of the Chiltern Way, the Ridgeway and the Icknield Way. On the return, it passes through Tring Park and offers views across Tring towards Mentmore; weather and vegetation affect how far you can see.
When choosing between the walks, you can compare the route features described: the first focuses on chalk hills, beech woodland and the canal, while the second takes in sections of three long-distance paths, Tring Park and the views. Starting-point details and trail conditions can change; check both before setting off.
Harding’s Wood is a mixed woodland area of almost six hectares on the edge of Wigginton village, within a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Its woodland type, size and location give this landscape a different scale from the longer route descriptions.
As a local landmark, the Wigginton Village Shop & Café is at the sports ground on Chesham Road, near The Greyhound Pub.
Discover more destinations: Ware, Borehamwood, Stevenage, Little Berkhampstead, Codicote, Benington, Hertford, Harpenden.
For the broader travel overview: Hertfordshire.
