Kings Langley is a village in Hertfordshire that lies around 24 miles north west ofCharing Cross. The London orbital motorway, the M25, passes just south of the village. Frequent trains operate between Kings Langley and London Euston, taking between 25 and 30 minutes.
While Kings Langley has been inhabited since Roman times – the remains of a Roman villa were found there in 1981 – the area really began to prosper in the late 13th century when a royal palace and park were constructed there, along with a Dominican Friary, part of which remains to this day. From the 16th century onwards the area returned to its agricultural roots, but construction of a canal and then a railway line in the area in the late 17th/early 18th century prompted significant growth.
In the early 20th century, industry expanded and Kings Langley was home to an Ovaltine factory and numerous other factories which were served by the canals and railway. Industry in the area diminished in the late 20th century and the Ovaltine factory is now a housing development.
