Hertford

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Hertford

Hertford ( or ; locally ) is the affluent county town

County town

A county town is the 'capital' of a county in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county....
of Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire is a Ceremonial counties of England and Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England Counties of England in the East of England region of England....
, England

England

East Hertfordshire

East Hertfordshire is a Non-metropolitan district in Hertfordshire, England. Its council has offices in Bishop's Stortford and Hertford .The other two towns in the district are Ware , and Buntingford ....
district of the county. Forming a civil parish

Civil parish

In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a civil parish is usually the lowest unit of local government, below district and county councils....
, it has a population today of about 24,180 and boasts a wide selection of boutiques, bars and cafes.

In 2006 East Hertfordshire primarily Hertford was ranked within the top 10 places to live in the UK following a survey commissioned by Channel 4

Channel 4

Channel 4 is a UK Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom television broadcaster which began transmissions on 2 November 1982. Although commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the #Channel Four Television...
. This was in turn due to its small country-town feel, excellent transport links and high standards set by most of its schools.

The name is Anglo Saxon and means the ford

Ford (crossing)

A ford is a place in a watercourse that is shallow enough to be crossed by wading, on horseback, or in a wheeled vehicle. A ford is mostly a natural phenomenon, in contrast to a low water crossing, which is an artificial bridge that allows crossing a river or stream when water is low....
frequented by hart

Deer

Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae . A number of broadly similar animals from related families within the order even-toed ungulate are often also called deer....
s or stag

STAG

STAG: A Test of Love is a reality television television program, hosted by Tommy Habeeb. Each episode profiles an engaged couple a week or two before their wedding....
s.

The rivers Rib

River Rib

The River Rib originates near the East Hertfordshire village of Buckland, Hertfordshire and runs parallel with the A10 road through Buntingford, Westmill, Braughing, Puckeridge and Standon, Hertfordshire until it reaches its confluence with the River Lee near Hertford....
, Beane

River Beane

The River Beane originates from the hills around Stevenage in Hertfordshire and flows through Walkern, Watton-at-Stone, Stapleford, Hertfordshire and Waterford, Hertfordshire until it reaches the River Lee at Hartham Common in Hertford....
and Mimram

River Mimram

The Mimram Valley is named after the River Mimram, which rises from a spring to the north of Whitwell, Hertfordshire, in North Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, and makes its confluence with the River Lea near Horn's Mill in Hertford....
join the River Lea at Hertford to flow south toward the Thames as the Lee Navigation after Hertford Castle Weir

Hertford Castle Weir

Hertford Castle Weir is a weir located in Hertford near to Hertford Castle and next to Castle Hall.Its function is to connect the upper River Lee to the canalised section that runs through Hertfordshire, North London into the River Thames....
.

Employment in the town is centred on County Hall (Hertfordshire County Council

Hertfordshire County Council

Hertfordshire County Council is the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Hertfordshire, in England, the United Kingdom....
), Wallfields (East Hertfordshire District Council

East Hertfordshire District Council

East Hertfordshire District Council is the local authority for the East Hertfordshire non-metropolitan district of England, the United Kingdom. East Hertfordshire covers most of the eastern third of Hertfordshire, in the East of England Regions of England....
) and McMullens Brewery, one of a dwindling number of independent brewer

Brewing

Brewing is the production of alcoholic beverages and alcohol fuel through fermentation . The term is used for the production of beer, although the word "brewing" is also used to describe the fermentation process used to create wine and mead....
s in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
.

Governance
The Council of Hertford

Council of Hertford

The Council of Hertford was a synod of the Christian Church in England held in 673. It was convened at Hertford by Theodore of Tarsus, archbishop of Canterbury....
met in the year 673 at the instigation of Archbishop Theodore of Tarsus

Theodore of Tarsus

Theodore was the eighth Archbishop of Canterbury, best known for his reform of the English Church and establishment of a school in Canterbury with major scholarly achievements....
, as the first Synod

Synod

A synod is a council of a Ecclesia , usually a Christianity church, convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. An ecumenical council is so named because it is a synod of the whole church ...
of the whole Church in England, on the site which is now St Joseph's Roman Catholic Church.

Discussion

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Encyclopedia

Hertford ( or ; locally ) is the affluent county town

County town

Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire is a Ceremonial counties of England and Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England Counties of England in the East of England region of England....
, England

England

East Hertfordshire

Civil parish

Channel 4

Ford (crossing)

Deer

STAG

STAG: A Test of Love is a reality television television program, hosted by Tommy Habeeb. Each episode profiles an engaged couple a week or two before their wedding....
s.

The rivers Rib

River Rib

River Beane

River Mimram

Hertford Castle Weir

Hertfordshire County Council

East Hertfordshire District Council

Brewing

United Kingdom

Governance

The Council of Hertford

Council of Hertford

Theodore of Tarsus

Synod

Easter

Easter is the most important religious feast in the Christianity liturgical year.Christians believe that Jesus was Resurrection of Jesus from the dead three days after his Crucifixion of Jesus, and celebrate this resurrection on Easter Day or Easter Sunday , two days after Good Friday....
.

Since 1974, Hertford has lain within the East Hertfordshire

East Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire is a Ceremonial counties of England and Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England Counties of England in the East of England region of England....
.

Hertfordshire County Council

Hertfordshire County Council

Hertfordshire County Council is the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Hertfordshire, in England, the United Kingdom....
's main base is at County Hall in Hertford. East Herts District Council's offices almost adjoin County Hall, and there is also a Hertford Town Council based at Hertford Castle

Hertford Castle

Hertford Castle was a Norman architecture castle situated by the River Lea in Hertford, the county town of Hertfordshire, England .It was built on a site first fortified by Edward the Elder around 911....
(see "Landmarks", below).

Geography

The town retains very much a country-town feel, despite lying only north of Central London

Central London

The term Central London refers to the districts of London which are considered closest to the centre. There is no conventional definition, nor any official one, for the entire area that can be called "central London"....
. This is aided by its proximity to larger towns such as Harlow

Harlow

Harlow is a new town and local government district in Essex, England. It is located in the west of the county and on the border with Hertfordshire, on the River Stort....
, Bishop's Stortford

Bishop's Stortford

Bishop's Stortford is a market town in east Hertfordshire, England, on the county boundary with Essex. It is situated just west of the M11 motorway, is the closest town to London Stansted Airport, and is part of the London commuter belt....
and Stevenage

Stevenage

Stevenage is a town and Non-metropolitan district in Hertfordshire, England. It is to the east of junctions 7 and 8 of the A1 road , and is between Letchworth to the north, and Welwyn Garden City to the south....
where modern development has been focused.

The town is beset by traffic despite the existence of the 1960s bypass called Gascoyne Way. The town centre is still a labyrinth of medieval streets with many timber-framed buildings hidden under later frontages, particularly in St Andrew Street.

]] The shared valley of the Lea and the Beane

River Beane

Hartham Common

Hartham Common is a park in the Counties of England of Hertfordshire in the East of England. It is located between the town centre of the county town of Hertford and the elevated suburb of Bengeo....
and this provides a large park to one side of the town centre running towards Ware and lying below the ridge upon which Bengeo

Bengeo

Bengeo is a village which is now considered part of the town Hertford in England. Bengeo can be found in the Domesday Book. It is situated on a rise between the River Beane and River Rib overlooking Hartham Common and the rest of the Hertford town....
is situated.

Surburbs and Estates

Bengeo
Bengeo

Bengeo is a village which is now considered part of the town Hertford in England. Bengeo can be found in the Domesday Book. It is situated on a rise between the River Beane and River Rib overlooking Hartham Common and the rest of the Hertford town....
Foxholes Estate
Horns Mill
Horns Mill, Hertford

Horns Mill is an area and suburb of south Hertford, Hertfordshire....
Pinehurst
Rush Green
Rush Green, Hertfordshire

Rush Green is a location on the outskirts of Hertford, Hertfordshire.It is next to the Foxholes and Pinehurst housing estates, and bridges the gap between Hertford Heath and Hertford....
Sele Farm
Sele Farm

Sele Farm is an area on the north-western edge of Hertford, Hertfordshire....

Economy

In terms of supermarkets there is a Waitrose

Waitrose

Waitrose is the supermarket division of the British retailer the John Lewis Partnership. As of February 2009, there are 198 branches across the United Kingdom....
, a Marks and Spencer Simply Food and Tesco

Tesco

Tesco Public limited company is a British-based international grocery and general merchandising retail chain. It is the largest British retailer by both global sales and domestic market share with profits exceeding ?2 billion....
in the town as well as two Co-Ops on the town's outskirts in Bengeo and Sele Farm. Sainsbury's have submitted designs for store in the town which will be on the old McMullens Brewery site. Iceland

Iceland (supermarket)

Iceland is a supermarket chain in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, partly owned by the Icelandic retail conglomerate Baugur. Iceland's primary product lines include frozen foods such as frozen prepared meals and frozen vegetables....
has said it is looking for a new site in Hertford, having sold its previous location to M&S. Other national shops include Boots, Lloyds Pharmacy, WH Smith, and Clintons

Clinton Cards

Clinton Cards is a chain of stores in the UK founded in 1968 by Don Lewin. Mainly selling greeting cards, the chain claims to be "the largest specialist retailer of greetings cards, plush merchandise and related products in the UK with over 700 shops." They used to be represented by concessions within Debenhams stores but pulled out in 200...
. The local branch of Woolworths

Woolworths Group

Woolworths Group plc is a United Kingdom group which owned the High Street retail chain, Woolworths, as well as other brands such as the entertainment distributor Entertainment UK and book and resource distributor Bertram Books....
closed for good on 27 December 2008, after the collapse of that store chain.

These retailers aside, there are very few of the usual chain shops found in most high streets and this makes Hertford stand out from other "clone town

Clone town

Clone town is a United Kingdom term for a town where the High Street or other major shopping areas are significantly dominated by Chain stores. The term was coined by the New Economics Foundation, a British think tank, in their 2004 report on "Clone Town Britain"....
s". There are a high number of independent shops in the town with a variety of boutiques & salons. It is also home to a delicatessen named Farrow & Farrow which was recently nominated in UKTV Food's Local Food Hero 2008 competition and emerged in the top 20 of over 500 competitors for the East Anglia region. Unusually, there is an independent camera shop called simply Hertford Cameras. Another independent shop in the centre is Marshalls furniture, which was established in 1921.

The McDonald's

McDonald's

McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of fast food restaurants, serving nearly 58 million customers daily. McDonald's primarily sells hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken products, French fries, breakfast items, soft drinks, milkshakes, and desserts....
in the town centre closed in September 2006, leaving the branch on the A10/A414

A414 road

The A414 is a major road in England. It runs from the A41 road at a junction west of Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire, through the town to the M1 motorway at Buncefield, disappearing for a short while, before re-emerging at junction 7 of the the M1, heading south of St Albans, east through Hatfield, Hertfordshire, Hertford, then across the A...
junction in Rush Green

Rush Green, Hertfordshire

Rush Green is a location on the outskirts of Hertford, Hertfordshire.It is next to the Foxholes and Pinehurst housing estates, and bridges the gap between Hertford Heath and Hertford....
the only McDonald's in Hertford. There are many pubs and banks and building societies.

Landmarks

In the town are the remains of Hertford Castle

Hertford Castle

Edward IV of England

Edward IV was Kingdom of England from 4 March 1461 until 2 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death....
in 1463, is the home to Hertford Town Council. The Motte: From the original Motte and Bailey castle in Hertford, can be found just behind Castle Hall, a short distance from the modern castle. There are several churches in the town, All Saints and St Andrew's, are late and mid 19th century respectively. In the northern suburb of Bengeo
Bengeo

Bengeo is a village which is now considered part of the town Hertford in England. Bengeo can be found in the Domesday Book. It is situated on a rise between the River Beane and River Rib overlooking Hartham Common and the rest of the Hertford town....
lies St Leonard's
Church of Saint Leonard, Bengeo

The Church of Saint Leonard is a Norman architecture church in Bengeo, Hertfordshire. Located on the hillside overlooking the shared River Beane and River Lee valley....
, a two-celled Norman church of considerable architectural interest.

Hertford contains the oldest purpose-built Quaker Meeting House in the world, in use since 1670. The Parliament of England
Parliament of England

The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. Its roots can be traced back to the early medieval period. In a series of developments, it came increasingly to constrain the power of the King of England, and went on after the Act of Union 1707 to merge with the Parliament of Scotland and form the main basis of the Pa...
temporarily moved to Hertford during the Great Plague of London
Great Plague of London

The Great Plague was a massive outbreak of disease in England that killed an estimated 100,000 people, a third of London's population. The disease was historically identified as bubonic plague, an infection by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, transmitted through a flea vector ....
. This is why the main square in the town, Parliament Square, is so named, although it is a twentieth century creation. Conspiracy theories link Hertford to the Knights Templar
Knights Templar

The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar or the Order of the Temple , were among the most famous of the History of Christianity#Sanctification of knighthood military orders....
and the Holy Grail
Holy Grail

According to Christian mythology, the Holy Grail was the dish, plate, or cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper, said to possess miraculous powers....
.

Transport

Rail
Hertford serves as a commuter town for London
London

London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union. An important settlement for two millennia, History of London goes back to its founding by the Roman Empire....
, and has two stations :
Hertford East
Hertford East railway station

Hertford East railway station is one of two stations in Hertford in Hertfordshire, England. The station is 39 km north of London Liverpool Street....
(on the Hertford East Branch Line
Hertford East Branch Line

The Hertford East Branch Line is a railway line in Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom. It runs between Hertford and Broxbourne. The line follows the route of the Lea Valley, serving many towns and villages along the way....
) provides a half hourly service to London Liverpool Street
Liverpool Street station

Liverpool Street station, also known as London Liverpool Street, is a major train station and connected London Underground station in the north eastern corner of the City of London in England....
(taking 52 minutes), via Tottenham Hale
Tottenham Hale

Tottenham Hale is a district in the former municipal borough of Tottenham, now part of The London Borough of Haringey....
and operated by National Express East Anglia.
Hertford North
Hertford North railway station

Hertford North railway station is one of two stations serving the town of Hertford in Hertfordshire, England with the other being Hertford East railway station....
(on the Hertford Loop Line
Hertford Loop Line

The Hertford Loop Line is a branch of the East Coast Main Line.First Capital Connect operates suburban services along the Hertford Loop Line between London King's Cross railway station or Moorgate station, and Letchworth railway station, Stevenage railway station or Hertford North railway station....
) has a service every 20 minutes off-peak to London Moorgate station
Moorgate station

Moorgate station is a London Underground and National Rail station in the City of London, on Moorgate, north of London Wall. At one time the station was named "Moorgate Street"....
(taking 50 minutes), via Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park station

Finsbury Park Station is a busy transport interchange in North London. The interchange consists of an interconnected National Rail station, London Underground station and two bus stations....
(change for King's Cross) and hourly northwards to Stevenage
Stevenage railway station

Stevenage railway station serves the town of Stevenage in Hertfordshire, England and lies on the East Coast Main Line 43 km north of London Kings Cross....
(for onward connections via the East Coast Main Line
East Coast Main Line

The East Coast Main Line is the electrified high-speed railway link between London and Edinburgh connecting Yorkshire, North East England and Scotland....
) and Letchworth (change for Cambridge
Cambridge railway station

Cambridge railway station is a railway station serving the city of Cambridge in Cambridgeshire, England.Several routes start at the station including the West Anglia Main Line to London Liverpool Street, the Fen Line to , and the Hitchin-Cambridge Line, heading southwards and following an alternate route, to London King's Cross, via Hitchin....
), services operated by First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect

First Capital Connect is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006. It is owned by First Group and combines the service on the cross-London Thameslink railway line between Brighton and Bedford with services along the East Coast Main Line from London King's Cross railway...
.

Road
The A414
A414 road

The A414 is a major road in England. It runs from the A41 road at a junction west of Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire, through the town to the M1 motorway at Buncefield, disappearing for a short while, before re-emerging at junction 7 of the the M1, heading south of St Albans, east through Hatfield, Hertfordshire, Hertford, then across the A...
main road now bypasses the town centre to the south and runs east to Harlow
Harlow

Harlow is a new town and local government district in Essex, England. It is located in the west of the county and on the border with Hertfordshire, on the River Stort....
, the M11
M11 motorway

The M11 motorway in England is a major road running approximately north from the A406 road in South Woodford in north-east London to the A14 road , north-west of Cambridge....
and Chelmsford
Chelmsford

Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England - the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford . It is located northeast of Charing Cross in London....
and runs west to Hatfield
Hatfield, Hertfordshire

Hatfield, originally Bishop's Hatfield, is in the Welwyn Hatfield district of Hertfordshire, in the south of England. It forms part of the Welwyn Hatfield which also includes Welwyn Garden City and has been twinned with the The Netherlands port town of Zierikzee since 1953....
, the A1, St Albans
St Albans

Saint Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans....
and the M1
M1 motorway

The M1 is a major north?south motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where it joins the A1 road near Aberford. While the M1 is considered to be the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the United Kingdom, the first road to be built to motorway standard in the country was the Preston Bypass route, which later bec...
. Hertford also lies just west of the A10 and the Kingsmead Viaduct
Kingsmead Viaduct

The Kingsmead Viaduct is a raised dual-carriageway viaduct of the A10 road . It is often referred to colloquially as the Ware Viaduct.The road was originally constructed as a trunk route by the Highways Agency as the second part of a two phase improvement of the A10 between Ware and Cheshunt....
which links it south to London
London

London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union. An important settlement for two millennia, History of London goes back to its founding by the Roman Empire....
and the M25
M25 motorway

To see information about the M25 motorway under construction in Ireland, see N25 road.The M25 motorway, also known as the M25 corridor, is a 117 mile beltway which encircles Greater London, United Kingdom....
and north to Royston
Royston, Hertfordshire

Royston is a town and civil parish in the districts of england of North Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire, England. It is situated slightly west of the Greenwich Meridian, and at the northernmost apex of the county on the same latitude of towns such as Milton Keynes and Felixstowe....
and Cambridge
Cambridge

The city status in the United Kingdom of Cambridge is a College town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies about 50 miles north of London....
.

Bus and Coach

The town's bus
Bus

A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. A bus can generally seat a maximum of anywhere from 8 to 200 passengers; many more passengers than a minivan....
services are run by a number of companies, most running from the bus station on Bircherley Green, destinations include Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford

Bishop's Stortford is a market town in east Hertfordshire, England, on the county boundary with Essex. It is situated just west of the M11 motorway, is the closest town to London Stansted Airport, and is part of the London commuter belt....
, Royston
Royston, Hertfordshire

Royston is a town and civil parish in the districts of england of North Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire, England. It is situated slightly west of the Greenwich Meridian, and at the northernmost apex of the county on the same latitude of towns such as Milton Keynes and Felixstowe....
, Stevenage
Stevenage

Stevenage is a town and Non-metropolitan district in Hertfordshire, England. It is to the east of junctions 7 and 8 of the A1 road , and is between Letchworth to the north, and Welwyn Garden City to the south....
and Waltham Cross
Waltham Cross

Waltham Cross is the most south-easterly town in Hertfordshire, England, bordered by Greater London to the south and northerly rural Essex to the east....
. Many of these routes receive subsidy from Hertfordshire County Council.
The town also lies on the 724 coach route (operated by Arriva the Shires
Arriva Shires & Essex

Arriva Shires & Essex is a division of Arriva, with operations in Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. It is also one of many private operators of London Buses....
) which provides an hourly service from Harlow
Harlow

Harlow is a new town and local government district in Essex, England. It is located in the west of the county and on the border with Hertfordshire, on the River Stort....
through the town and on to Hatfield
Hatfield, Hertfordshire

Hatfield, originally Bishop's Hatfield, is in the Welwyn Hatfield district of Hertfordshire, in the south of England. It forms part of the Welwyn Hatfield which also includes Welwyn Garden City and has been twinned with the The Netherlands port town of Zierikzee since 1953....
, Welwyn Garden City
Welwyn Garden City

Welwyn Garden City is a town in Hertfordshire, England. Welwyn Garden City is also referred to as WGC or, less correctly, as "Welwyn" ....
, St Albans
St Albans

Saint Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans....
, Watford
Watford

Watford is a town and Non-metropolitan district in Hertfordshire, England, situated 19 miles northwest of London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway....
and Heathrow.
Although bypassed by most National Express
National Express

National Express is the brand under which the majority of long distance bus and Coach services in Great Britain are marketed, and also the company that manages this network and operates some of the services....
routes Hertford (Mill Road) is served by the 767 service which operates from Nottingham
Nottingham

Nottingham is one of the three major city status in the United Kingdom in the East Midlands and is in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire, England....
to Stansted Airport via Leicester
Leicester

Leicester is a city status in the United Kingdom and unitary authority area in the East Midlands of England. It is the county town of Leicestershire....
and Luton Airport.
For all bus and coach timetables see .

Education

There are numerous schools in Hertford: these include the The Sele School
The Sele School

The Sele School is a school located in Hertford, Hertfordshire, in the south east of England, catering for pupils between the ages of 11 and 18....
, Richard Hale School
Richard Hale School

Richard Hale School is an all-boys' school located in Hertford, Hertfordshire, in the south east of England. In the 2007 – 2008 academic year the school had over 1,000 pupils, including students attending the optional sixth form....
and Simon Balle School
Simon Balle School

Simon Balle School is a mixed, 11–18 comprehensive school, that includes a sixth form, in Hertford, Hertfordshire, England. The school holds Specialist Humanities College status....
at secondary level, with primaries of Hollybush JMI, , , Morgans JMI, , Wheatcroft School, and St Andrew's School.

Private schools include (one of the oldest independent schools in the area), (a preparatory school
Preparatory school (UK)

In English language usage in the former British Empire, the present-day Commonwealth of Nations, a Preparatory School is an independent school preparing children up to the age of eleven or thirteen for fee-paying, secondary education independent schools, some of which are called Public school ....
in Bengeo) and Haileybury College in Hertford Heath
Hertford Heath

Hertford Heath is a small village near the county town of Hertford in Hertfordshire, England....
; a short distance to the north of Hertford on the A10 is .

Entertainment
Hertford has many food, drink and entertainment establishments which have grown in number considerably since the eighties and nineties. It attracts people from nearby towns, and often the North London
North London

North London is the northern part of London, England. The area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes....
suburbs. There are approximately 25 pubs and clubs in the area , and around 35 restaurants, takeaways and snack bars . Hertford also hosts swimming pool and gym facilities, and has also recently acquired a small skatepark, based in Hartham.

Trivia

The town of Meryton in the Jane Austen
Jane Austen

Jane Austen was an English novelist whose Literary realism, biting social commentary and masterful use of free indirect speech, Burlesque , and irony have earned her a place as one of the most widely read and most beloved writers in English literature....
novel Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice is a novel by Jane Austen. First published on 28 January 1813, it is her second published novel. Its manuscript was initially written between 1796 and 1797 in Steventon, Hampshire, where Austen lived in the rectory....
is thought to have been based on Hertford .
Harry Potter film star Rupert Grint
Rupert Grint

Rupert Alexander Lloyd Grint is an English actor best known for playing Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter#The films films.In December 2007, Grint was ranked #16 in the list of Forbes Top twenty earners under 25 with an annual earning of $4 million ....
comes from Hertford, and although he now lives outside the county town, he lived within Hertford when filming began on the Harry Potter series. He attended Richard Hale School
Richard Hale School

Richard Hale School is an all-boys' school located in Hertford, Hertfordshire, in the south east of England. In the 2007 – 2008 academic year the school had over 1,000 pupils, including students attending the optional sixth form....
before leaving after his GCSE exams in 2004, to concentrate on the Harry Potter films.
BBC soap EastEnders
EastEnders

EastEnders is a popular and award-winning television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985. It currently ranks within the top of the most watched shows in the United Kingdom....
has filmed in the town twice. Firstly for character Dan Sullivan
Dan Sullivan

Daniel "Dan" Sullivan was a fictional character in the popular BBC soap Opera EastEnders. He was played by Craig Fairbrass.He arrived in Albert Square as Carol Jackson's latest boyfriend in 1999 and was planning to marry her after she fell pregnant with his child....
's trial for shooting Phil Mitchell
Phil Mitchell

Phillip James "Phil" Mitchell is a long-running fictional character in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders. He is played by Steve McFadden....
and again for Sharon
Sharon Rickman

Sharon Anne Rickman was a fictional character in the popular BBC1 soap opera EastEnders. She was played by Letitia Dean, and was a regular cast member for the first 10 years after the programme began on 19 February 1985....
and Dennis
Dennis Rickman

Dennis Rickman was a fictional character in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. He was played by Nigel Harman.Dennis first appeared in the show on 14 April 2003 and his last appearance was screened on 30 December 2005 ....
' marriage. Letitia Dean
Letitia Dean

Letitia Dean is an England actor. She is best known for her role as Sharon Watts in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders, who was one of the serial's original characters....
, who played the character of Sharon, was born in a village about five miles to the south of Hertford called Wildhill (Potters Bar
Potters Bar

Potters Bar is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire, England, located 18 miles north of central London. In 2001 it had a population of 21,618....
). EastEnders is filmed about 20 miles from Hertford in Elstree Studios
Elstree Studios

Historically, the name "Elstree Studios" refers to any of several film studios that were based in the towns of Borehamwood and Elstree in Hertfordshire, England....
, Borehamwood
Borehamwood

Borehamwood is a town in southern Hertfordshire, situated 16 miles / 25km north of London. It is part of the borough of Hertsmere within the London commuter belt....
, Herts.
The band Deep Purple
Deep Purple

Deep Purple are an English Rock music band formed in Hertford, Hertfordshire in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of Heavy metal music and modern hard rock, although some band members have tried not to categorize themselves as any one genre....
formed in Hertford in 1968.
Dani Filth
Dani Filth

Dani Filth is the lyricist, vocalist and founding member of the British extreme metal band Cradle of Filth....
, singer of Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth

Cradle of Filth are an extreme metal band from Suffolk, England, formed in 1991. They have been embraced and disowned with equal fervour by various metal communities, and their particular subgenre has provoked a Cradle of Filth#Genre....
was born in Hertford, but grew up in Ipswich
Ipswich

Ipswich is a non-metropolitan district and the county town of Suffolk, England on the estuary of the River Orwell. Nearby towns are Felixstowe in Suffolk, Harwich in Essex and Colchester also in Essex....
.
John Wilkes
John Wilkes

John Wilkes was an England Radicalism , journalist and politician.In the Middlesex election dispute, he fought for the right of voters?rather than the British House of Commons?to determine their representatives....
was educated in Hertford.
David Bowie
David Bowie

David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and Arrangement. Active in five decades of rock music and frequently reinventing his music and image, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s....
appeared in the BBC TV show Extras with Ricky Gervais
Ricky Gervais

Ricky Dene Gervais is an England comedian, author, actor, Television director, Television producer, screenwriter and former pop music musician....
filmed in Elbert Wurlings bar in Pegs Lane Hertford.

Town twinning

Évron
Evron

Evron may refer to:*?vron, a community in Mayenne, France.*Evron, Israel, a kibbutz near Nahariya, North District , Israel.*Evroniani#Evron, the fictional emperor of the planet Evron and the founder of the Evroniani Empire as well as the name of the planet-turned-spaceship on which Evrons originated in the PKNA Disney comic....
, France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
Wildeshausen
Wildeshausen

Wildeshausen is a town and the capital of the Oldenburg in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated by the river Hunte....
, Germany
Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands....
Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford is the Capital of the Connecticut. It is located in Hartford County, Connecticut on the Connecticut River, north of the center of the state, south of Springfield, Massachusetts....
, Connecticut
Connecticut

Connecticut is a U.S. state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. The state borders New York to the west and south , Massachusetts to the north, and Rhode Island to the east....

External links

; The Guardian 4 January 2005.