Mill End, is a semi-rural suburban neighbourhood sat on the outskirts of Rickmansworth and in the quaint Parish of Chorleywood. Understated and cosy, it is home to a few primary schools and a much-loved leisure centre which provides the community with great sports facilities. Residents also use the local favourite Chorleywood Working Men’s Club as a social space, events venue, and meeting place for the community. Its friendly feel is bolstered by the public green spaces and idyllic rivers, canals, and lakes nearby, namely Stocker’s Lake Nature Preserve, where families go to spend a weekend walking and relaxing. The neighbourhood is increasingly developing a reputation as a commuter hotspot, due to its close proximity to Rickmansworth station, Uxbridge Road and the A25, as well as its relatively affordable large homes.

By 1880, Mill End was a certified village that grew up along the road to Uxbridge, as a place to reside for hard toiling workers who laboured in the watermills and factories nearby. Due to the proximity of the River Colne, the area as a whole became a hub for industry spanning from watercress growing to soft drinks. Interestingly, Mill End was the home of the short-lived car manufacturer Tornado Cars. They were noted for making cars that could be bought premade or flat-packed Ikea-style. Sadly, they only lasted 6 years, from 1958 to 1964.

If you take a walk along the Grand Union Canals near to Mill End, you might spot a large monkey suspended from one of the derelict buildings. Known as ‘The Hanging Monkey’ The stuffed toy (sadly not a real monkey, although that could also be an animal welfare issue) has been hanging there for a good few years now and nobody is quite sure how it got there, but it has become somewhat of a tourist attraction.

In general, Mill End is a relatively quiet part of town. It has recently had a problem with anti-social behaviour. Due to its Travelcard Zone 7 location, it can also feel isolated to a degree from the inner city, though for many this is exactly the reason they like the place.

There aren’t large-scale developments going on in the area, other than council support for a cycling path around nearby Rickmansworth station and the community fight to keep William Penn Leisure Centre from being renovated by the local authorities. North of the neighbourhood, there is a waterfront luxury housing project, Elmswater by Berkeley Ground, that was recently completed. The development has already proven quite popular as all of its units have already been sold!