Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire, often called Herts, is a ceremonial county in the East of England. It borders Bedfordshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Essex to the east, Greater London to the south, and Buckinghamshire to the west. The largest settlement in the county is Watford, located in the south-west.

With an area of 634 square miles (1,640 km²), Hertfordshire had an estimated population of over 1.2 million in 2024. Other important towns and cities include Stevenage in the north, the city of St Albans in the centre, and Hemel Hempstead in the west. For local government purposes, the county is organized as a non-metropolitan county with ten districts. Interestingly, Potters Bar in the south-east was historically part of Middlesex.

The landscape of Hertfordshire features the headwaters of the rivers Lea and the Colne, both of which flow south and are accompanied by canals. The northern and western parts of the county are higher in elevation, reaching more than 800 feet (240 meters) in the Chilterns near Tring. Much of the county’s undeveloped land is used for agriculture, and large areas are protected as part of the Metropolitan green belt.

Hertfordshire has a rich history of planned communities. Since 1903, Letchworth in the far north has been recognized as the first garden city. Later, Stevenage became the first town to expand under post-war Britain’s New Towns Act 1946. Today, the county’s economy is largely based on the services sector.

History

Main article: History of Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire has a rich history with landmarks dating back many centuries. You can find old buildings from the Middle Ages and Tudor times, especially in places like St Albans. This city also has remains of a town called Verulamium that dates back to Roman times.

Long ago, in the year 913, a fortress was built in a place called Hertford. The name comes from old words meaning "deer crossing." Many towns in Hertfordshire have names that ended in words like "ford" or "ton," which also came from that time. People have lived in this area since very old times, even before the Romans came.

Geography

Hertfordshire is a county located just north of London in the south-eastern part of England. It is part of the East of England region and shares borders with Essex to the east, Buckinghamshire to the west, and Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire to the north. Many people living in Hertfordshire travel to Central London for work.

The county's highest point is 244 meters above sea level, located on the Ridgeway near Tring. Hertfordshire has varied landscapes, including the hilly Chiltern Hills in the west and more rural areas in the east. Major settlements include Watford, St Albans, and Stevenage, among others. The River Lea flows through the county, and the area is known for its mix of historic towns and newer developments.

Economy

Hertfordshire is home to many big companies and important workplaces. In Stevenage, MBDA develops missiles, and Airbus makes satellites. Hatfield was where de Havilland created the first commercial jet liner, the Comet, and today it is a busy business park with companies like EE, Computacenter, and Ocado.

Welwyn Garden City has Tesco’s UK base and factories for food and medicines. Hemel Hempstead has large stores run by Dixons Carphone. Watford is an important place for many national and international companies, including J D Wetherspoon, Camelot Group, Bathstore, Hilton Worldwide, TotalEnergies, TK Maxx, Costco, and Warner Bros., which runs its main UK studio there.

Media

Most of Hertfordshire gets its television from BBC London and ITV London, but Stevenage and North Hertfordshire watch BBC East and ITV Anglia. Some areas near Tring can also see BBC South and ITV Meridian.

Radio in the county includes BBC Three Counties Radio, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire for Royston, Heart Hertfordshire, Greatest Hits Radio Bucks, Beds and Herts, and Mix 92.6. Local newspapers are the Hertfordshire Mercury, The Comet, Hemel Hempstead Gazette & Express, Watford Observer, and Welwyn Hatfield Times for Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield.

Sport

Hertfordshire is a great place for sports! The Lee Valley White Water Centre in Waltham Cross and Broxbourne was built for the 2012 Summer Olympics. It has two courses for canoe and kayak racing and has hosted world championships.

The county has several football teams, including Watford and Stevenage. Arsenal also has training facilities here. There are rugby teams like Hemel Stags and many netball teams, such as the London Mavericks.

Landmarks

Hertfordshire is home to many interesting places to visit. Some of the notable attractions include Aldenham Country Park, Ashridge with its tall Bridgewater Monument, and Berkhamsted Castle. Other popular spots are the de Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre, Frogmore Paper Mill, and Hatfield House with its beautiful gardens.

The county also features special sites like Knebworth House, Leavesden Film Studios (home to the Making of Harry Potter studio tour), and Letchworth Garden City—the world’s first Garden City. St Albans has many historic sites such as St Albans Cathedral and the remains of the Roman town Verulamium. There are also scenic walks along paths like The Ridgeway and the Icknield Way.

Transport

Hertfordshire is a home county with many towns that are part of the London commuter belt. It has important roads such as the A1, A1(M), A41, A414, M1, M11, and the M25.

The county has four main railway lines. The West Coast Main Line connects to places like the Midlands, North Wales, and Scotland. The East Coast Main Line goes to the east coast of Northern England and Scotland. The Midland Main Line links to the East Midlands and Yorkshire. The West Anglia Main Line serves the eastern part of the county. Other local rail routes also cross Hertfordshire, and some London Underground lines reach the area.

Stansted Airport and Luton Airport are nearby, and the Grand Union Canal runs through several towns in the county.

Education

Hertfordshire has many schools, including 26 independent schools and 73 state secondary schools. Most of these state schools are comprehensive, meaning students of all abilities learn together, though a few schools in the south and southwest choose some students based on ability.

The county also has several tertiary colleges, such as Hertford Regional College, North Hertfordshire College, Oaklands College, and West Herts College. The University of Hertfordshire is a large modern university located mainly in Hatfield, with over 23,000 students.

See also: List of schools in Hertfordshire

Literature

Hertfordshire has been a popular setting for many famous books. For example, Oscar Wilde’s play The Importance of Being Earnest features a country house in Hertfordshire, and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is mostly set there.

Other well-known stories like Charles Dickens’s Bleak House and E. M. Forster’s Howards End also have locations in Hertfordshire. Even George Orwell’s animal fable Animal Farm was inspired by a place called Wallington in the county.