Hertfordshire

In the following pages I have endeavoured to give a brief description of Hertfordshire on the lines of Mr. F. G. Brabant's book in this series. The general features of the county are briefly described in the Introduction, in sections approximately corresponding to the sections of the volume on Sussex. I have thought it wise, however, to compress the Introduction within the briefest limits, in order that, in the Gazetteer, I might have space for more adequate treatment than would otherwise have been possible.

I have visited a large proportion of the towns, villages and hamlets of Hertfordshire, and have, so far as possible, written from personal observation.

I desire to thank Mr. John Hopkinson, F.L.S., F.G.S., etc., for his kindness in writing the sections on Climate and Botany; Mr. A. E. Gibbs, F.L.S., F.R.H.S., for his permission to make use of several miscellanies from his pen, and Mr. Alfred Bentley of New Barnet for his courtesy in placing some photographs from his collection at the disposal of Mr. New.

VERULAM, SOUTHEND-ON-SEA, 1903.

CONTENTS

PAGE

INTRODUCTION 1

I SITUATION, EXTENT AND BOUNDARIES 1

II PHYSICAL FEATURES 2

III CLIMATE 11

IV FLORA AND FAUNA 15

V POPULATION 23

VI COMMUNICATIONS 25

VII INDUSTRIES 28

VIII HISTORY 31

IX ANTIQUITIES 33

X CELEBRATED MEN 39

DESCRIPTION OF PLACES IN HERTFORDSHIRE ARRANGED ALPHABETICALLY 45

INDEX TO PERSONS 235

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS

THE RAILWAYS OF HERTFORDSHIRE Front Cover

THE ABBEY CHURCH, ST. ALBANS Frontispiece (From a Photograph by the Graphotone Co., Enfield)

LEAFLESS BEECHES IN NOVEMBER, ASHRIDGE WOODS To face page 2 (From a Photo. by Mr. J. T. Newman, Great Berkhampstead)

ON THE RIVER COLNE 8 (From a Photo. by Mr. J. T. Newman, Great Berkhampstead)

GRAND JUNCTION CANAL AT TRING--THE HIGHEST WATER LEVEL IN ENGLAND 10 (From a Photo. by Mr. J. T. Newman, Great Berkhampstead)

THE PARISH CHURCH, ALDBURY 47 (From a Photo. by Mr. J. T. Newman, Great Berkhampstead)

ASHRIDGE HOUSE 53 (From a Photo. by Mr. J. T. Newman, Great Berkhampstead)

OLD COTTAGE, BALDOCK 59 (From a Photo. by Messrs. Valentine, Dundee)

CASTLE STREET, BERKHAMPSTEAD 72 (From a Photo. by Mr. J. T. Newman, Great Berkhampstead)

BISHOP'S STORTFORD 74 (From a Photograph by Messrs. Frith, Reigate)

BROXBOURNE 79

CHORLEY WOOD COMMON 87 (From a Photo. by the London Stereoscopic & Photo. Co.)

HATFIELD HOUSE 109 (From a Photo. by Messrs. Valentine, Dundee)

KING JAMES'S DRAWING-ROOM, HATFIELD HOUSE 111 (From a Photo. by Messrs. Valentine, Dundee)

HEMEL HEMPSTEAD 115

HERTFORD 117

HITCHIN 125 (From a Photograph by Messrs. Frith, Reigate)

KNEBWORTH PARK 139

OLD COTTAGES NEAR MACKERY END 146 (From a Photograph by the Author)

RICKMANSWORTH 170 (From a Photo. by the London Stereoscopic & Photo. Co.)

THE HIGH STREET, ROYSTON 172 (From a Photo. by Messrs. Valentine, Dundee)

THE FIGHTING COCKS, ST. ALBANS--THE OLDEST INN IN ENGLAND 178 (From a Photo. by Messrs. Valentine, Dundee)

BACON'S MONUMENT 183 (From a Photograph by Messrs. Frith, Reigate)

RUINS OF BACON'S HOUSE 184 (From a Photograph by Messrs. Frith, Reigate)

ST. ALBAN'S SHRINE 192 (From a Photograph by the Graphotone Co., Enfield)

STEVENAGE CHURCH 204 (From a Photograph by Messrs. Frith, Reigate)

WALTHAM CROSS 214

MAP OF HERTFORDSHIRE 233

INTRODUCTION

I. SITUATION, EXTENT AND BOUNDARIES

Hertfordshire, or Herts, is a county in the S.E. of England. On the S. it is bounded by Middlesex; on the S.W. by Buckinghamshire; on the N.W. by Bedfordshire; on the N. by Cambridgeshire; on the E. by Essex. Its extreme measurement from due E. to W., say from Little Hyde Hall to Puttenham, is about 38 miles; from N. to S., from Mobb's Hole at the top of Ashwell Common to a point just S. of Totteridge Green, about 30 miles; but a longer line, 36 miles in length, may be drawn from Mobb's Hole to Troy Farm in the S.W. Its boundaries are very irregular; the neighbourhood of Long Marston is almost surrounded by Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire, that of Hinxworth by Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire, and that of Barnet by Middlesex. Its extreme points are:--