River Ver

The River Ver is a river in Hertfordshire. The river begins in the grounds of Markyate Cell, and travels alongside the A5 through Redbourn and St Albans and joins the River Colne west of Bricket Wood.

The Romans built the city of Verulamium alongside it at a time when it was navigable, expressing their preference of building in valleys rather than on hills.

The Ver is a chalk stream , but many of its natural features have been compromised as a result of being canalised during the construction of the artificial lake at Verulamium Park on St Albans. During the 1960s and 1970s it suffered serious problems as a result of water extraction upstream. Although these have abated, the river is in sufficiently bad condition that, as at 2004, proposal for remedial work are being developed.