Another great landowner who had the Pendley estate at that time was Count de Harcourt and the Royal Hotel at Tring Station was at one time called the Harcourt Arms, but he left because of the canal.
Before the canal came the Bulbourne streams which rose at the Tring Summit (one running down the Gade Valley and joining up with the Gade at Hemel Hempstead; the other running northwards and becoming the head waters of the river Thames), provided excellent trout fishing.
When the canal was built the Count said it had spoiled his fishing and he would leave his estate. This was bought in later years by the Williams’ family, the well-known member of this family being Mr Dorian Williams (died 1979), the famous show jumping broadcaster.
