Editing Radlett (section)

===Modern period===
In 1823 the town was the site of the [[Radlett murder]], a notorious crime which became the subject of numerous books and stage plays. The victim, William Weare, was killed on Gills Hill Lane (subsequently popularly known as Murder Lane), with the site gaining such notoriety that it became a tourist attraction for some time.<ref name="wratten1997"/>

[[Image:Radlett Main Building (2).jpg|thumb|left|The modern ticket office at [[Radlett station]], dating from the 1970s, contrasts with the ornate shelter above the cycle storage area.]]

In 1860 the [[Midland Railway]] was extended from [[Bedford]] into London and a station was built at Radlett connecting it with London.{{citation needed|date=January 2011}} On 8 December 1865 the [[Parish|Ecclesiastical Parish]] of Radlett was created out of the eastern part of [[Aldenham]] and this marks the start of the modern history of the village. Development could only start when the landowners sold off their land for this purpose and this started in the final decade of the 19th century when land to the west of Watling Street was sold off. In 1910 the estate of Aldenham Lodge to the north of Shenley Hill was released for development and in 1935 the Newberries estate. Newberries mansion was demolished in the 1950s and Aldenham Lodge in 1964.

[[Handley Page]] Ltd opened a grass airfield just north of the town in 1929 for the production of aircraft. By 1939 [[Radlett Aerodrome]] was upgraded to have three hard runways for use in the production of [[Handley Page Hampden]] and [[Handley Page Halifax]] bombers during the [[Second World War]]. Post-war the airfield was used for production of [[Handley Page Hastings]] transport aircraft and [[Handley Page Hermes]] airliners. The [[Society of British Aerospace Companies|SBAC]] held air shows here in 1946 and 1947 which subsequently moved to Farnborough. The [[Handley Page Victor]] bomber prototype was built here, with the main runway being extended in 1952 to allow flight testing, and there is now a road on this site named in its honour next to a [[Dynamic Parcel Distribution|DPD]] depot.  Handley Page went bankrupt in 1969 and the airfield closed in 1970.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.controltowers.co.uk/r/radlett.htm |title=Control Towers |publisher=Control Towers |access-date=22 March 2014}}</ref>

The 1948 Olympic Marathon went through Radlett. It was an out-and-back course from the Empire Stadium, Wembley.<ref>[http://palgrave.typepad.com/polley/2007/12/londons-olympic.html Course history] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717124141/http://palgrave.typepad.com/polley/2007/12/londons-olympic.html |date=17 July 2011 }}</ref>

In 1977 [[Eddie Kidd]] the stunt rider jumped over 14 London Double Decker buses at the former [[Radlett Aerodrome]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.alamy.com/apr-08-1978-eddie-kidd-breaks-world-record-motor-cycle-jump-cockney-image69492493.html|title=Stock Photo - Apr. 08, 1978 - Eddie Kidd breaks world record motor cycle jump: Cockney stunt ace 18 year old Eddie Kidd, today broke the world record when he jumped over 14 double decker|last=Limited|first=Alamy|website=Alamy|language=en|access-date=2020-03-04}}</ref>

The introduction of the [[Metropolitan Green Belt]] in the 1950s set a legal framework limiting further outward growth beyond the then existing limits of the village, and since then new development has been restricted to infilling within the built-up area. Despite this, many new houses continue to be built in former large gardens, and the population now stands at just over 10,000.{{citation needed|date=January 2011}}

[[File:Radlett fire station - geograph.org.uk - 279912.jpg|thumb|Radlett fire station]]
In 2005, and 2006, there was a large campaign<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/content/articles/2006/11/15/radlett_fire_station_cheque_151106_feature.shtml|title=BBC - Beds Herts and Bucks - Read This - Radlett Fire Station: The battle continues|website=www.bbc.co.uk|language=en|access-date=2020-03-04}}</ref> in the village, and surrounding areas to save the Fire Station, which was opened 100 years ago.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hopes of reopening fire station dashed as building put up for sale |url=https://www.borehamwoodtimes.co.uk/news/8200209.hertfordshire-county-council-put-radlett-fire-station-up-for-sale/ |access-date=2023-04-09 |website=Borehamwood Times |date=3 June 2010 |language=en}}</ref> The campaign failed, and the station closed in October 2006. The campaign continued for a while after the closure, however the fire station has now been demolished.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.borehamwoodtimes.co.uk/news/1440021.print/ |title=7,000 sign petition, Borehamwood Times |publisher=Borehamwoodtimes.co.uk |date=31 May 2007 |access-date=22 March 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/4707631.Number_of_house_fires_rise_following_closure_of_fire_station/ |title=Number of house fires rise in Radlett following closure of fire station |work=Watford Observer|date=28 October 2009 |access-date=22 March 2014}}</ref>