KLLH&MS Website

A Wonderful Weekend at the Exhibition about Kings Langley Royal Palace

What an outstanding two days! Our exhibition on the History of Kings Langley Royal Palace proved to be a tremendous success, welcoming hundreds of interested visitors over the weekend – not only from Kings Langley and the surrounding area, but from much further afield. Many members of the KLHMS committee were there throughout the weekend, and just as well! We were all rather blown away by the enthusiasm, which began almost as soon as the doors opened on Saturday morning and continued unabated until we finally closed the exhibition on Sunday afternoon.

The feedback since has been absolutely excellent, and it has been wonderful to hear just how much people enjoyed the exhibition. Here are some photographs of the layout – even we were surprised by just how extensive it looked once everything had been assembled and put in place. Most importantly, it entertained, informed and sparked plenty of conversation among the many people who came through the doors.

Our sincere thanks go to everyone who gave up some of their weekend to come along and see it. Your interest, enthusiasm and very kind comments made all the work involved in putting the exhibition together more than worthwhile.

Quote from one of the committee “It was so popular, we had to call time on Sunday afternoon – we almost had a lock-in!” 🤣

This print from about 1840, shows the All Saints Church in Church Lane.
Traditional life in the village was then starting to undergo many changes. In contrast to the herdsman, a steam engine and carriages are just visible behind the four trees beyond the village school whose construction was at about the same time as the arrival of the railway.

Kings Langley, a village in Hertfordshire, lays claim to an extraordinary history. From local prehistoric remains to Roman settlement and a thriving Domesday community, through its Royal Palace in the 14th Century to a wealth of transport connections, farming and industry, the village can recount tales matched by few other places in the U.K.

Kings Langley Local History and Museum Society (KLLH&MS) was founded in 1969 the same year as the opening of the village library. The Kings Langley branch of the Workers Educational Association produced the book The History of Kings Langley edited by L. Mumby in 1963 and the formation of this history society developed from that major publication.

KLLH&MS was founded with two specific objectives. The first is collecting documents and artifacts, researching and recording histories (both written and oral), and maintaining archives of events and places in Kings Langley and the immediate surrounding area. The second part is to make this curated material available to the membership and the general public.

This society has built up an impressive collection of documents and photographs currently held in the village library where they are accessible, by appointment, to the public. A database, ‘Modes’ records about 25,000 documents, photos and objects. However, most of our collection of artifacts, along with the significant Ovaltine collection, is stored to museum standards in the Dacorum Heritage store in Berkhamsted. Dacorum Heritage is the registered museum authority for the Dacorum area.

KLLH&MS has always enjoyed a good reputation in the village and has produced a number of booklets as well as arranging a regular programme of presentations and exhibitions. The annual society Newsletter has included many in-depth and shorter articles of local historical interest. Collaboration with independent historians has resulted in the publication of Kings Langley a Hertfordshire Village 1991 by David Spain and Scott Hastie and more recently the acclaimed Palace Lives book by Michael Long. The society has been most fortunate in having the village library as its main base as a weekly meeting place for the archivists. We do have an additional temporary store in the village but we are still looking for suitable larger permanent premises to house our extensive collection of resources and possibly a display area.

Kings Langley is interesting because it blends deep history with a lively modern identity:

• Royal links: Once home to a Royal Palace, it was a favourite residence of Edward III and Richard II. Edmund of Langley, first Duke of York, is buried in its church.

• Medieval Abbey: The remains of the Dominican priory reflect its importance in medieval England.

• Grand Union Canal: Running through the village, it shaped trade and industry, and today offers picturesque walks.

• Industrial heritage: Known for paper-making and later Ovaltine production, giving it a unique place in British industrial history.

• Community feel: Despite its royal and industrial past, it retains a village full of charm with great independent shops, welcoming pubs, and of course is situated in very beautiful green surroundings.

Last updated 16 September, 2026