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 a big population 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 land is used for farming, 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 long history with buildings and places that are very old. You can see old buildings from the Middle Ages and Tudor times, especially in St Albans. This city also has parts of a town called Verulamium that were built a long time ago in Roman times.

Long ago, in the year 913, a strong building called a fortress was made in a place called Hertford. The name comes from old words that mean "deer crossing." Many towns in Hertfordshire have names ending in words like "ford" or "ton," which also came from that time. People have lived in this area since times long before the Romans arrived.

Geography

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

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

Economy

Hertfordshire has many big companies and important jobs. In Stevenage, MBDA makes missiles, and Airbus builds satellites. Hatfield was where de Havilland made the first jet plane, the Comet. Today, it is a busy area with companies like EE, Computacenter, and Ocado.

Welwyn Garden City is where Tesco has its main office in the UK, along with factories for food and medicines. Hemel Hempstead has large shops run by Dixons Carphone. Watford is a key place for many big companies, including J D Wetherspoon, Camelot Group, Bathstore, Hilton Worldwide, TotalEnergies, TK Maxx, Costco, and Warner Bros., which has its main UK studio there.

Media

Most of Hertfordshire gets its television from BBC London and ITV London. 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 has many interesting places to visit. Some famous spots are Aldenham Country Park, Ashridge with the tall Bridgewater Monument, and Berkhamsted Castle. Other popular places include the de Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre, Frogmore Paper Mill, and Hatfield House with its lovely gardens.

The county also has special sites such as 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 spots like St Albans Cathedral and the remains of the Roman town Verulamium. There are also nice walks along paths such as The Ridgeway and the Icknield Way.

Transport

Hertfordshire is a home county with many towns close to London. 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. There are 26 independent schools and 73 state secondary schools. Most state schools are comprehensive, so students of all abilities learn together. A few schools choose some students based on ability.

The county has several colleges, such as Hertford Regional College, North Hertfordshire College, Oaklands College, and West Herts College. The University of Hertfordshire is a large modern university in Hatfield.

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 there. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is mostly set in Hertfordshire.

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