Here are some interesting facts about Hertford that you may want to check out:

Water, Water Everywhere

Hertford is literally a place where rivers are forded; the Lee (or Lea), Mimram, Rib and Bean all converging on the town. In addition, the Lee Navigation reaches Hertford while the man-made New River begins its 20-mile journey to London in adjacent Ware, providing drinking water to the city. This has always been an important crossing place, being the first point at which a major river confronts travellers heading north from London. A ready supply of fresh spring water from Hertford’s chalky basin combined with numerous sites for water mills also make this an ideal place for brewing beer, with McMullens being the main brewer today.

Places to Visit

As a strategically important gateway to London, Hertford has its castle. A Grade 1 listed building in landscaped grounds by the River Lea, it is on the site of a Norman castle whose stone walls still contain it. Tours occur in summer or by prior arrangement. On a wet day, there’s the recently refurbished Hertford Museum with a collection of local objects. Scotts Grotto in nearby Ware is a man-made chalk chamber constructed by an 18th century poet open Saturdays plus some Bank Holidays. Out in Hertfordshire at Much Hadham is the Forge Museum and Victorian Cottage Garden with a collection revealing country life of yesteryear.

Entertainment

Given its brewing heritage, Hertford is, not surprisingly, full of pubs (42 at last count!). With today’s population of about 24,000, this is one pub for every 571 people, a wide choice when many pubs elsewhere are closing. Surprisingly, there are no cinemas in the town but in adjacent Hertfordshire towns there’s a good choice, including Hatfield, Stevenage and Welwyn Garden City. For live entertainment, you need go no further than the long-established Corn Exchange. Castle Hall also runs shows, including local acts and children’s entertainers. Night owls will seek out Zeros, the only nightclub in town.

Historic Buildings

As well as Hertford’s Castle, Hertfordshire is famed for its collection of attractive old buildings, over 6,000 of which are listed. The centre of Hertford itself is a conservation area and Shire Hall is one of its finest buildings. With its prominent clock face hanging over the street, this impressive building was the work of James Adam (Robert’s brother) and houses the Magistrates’ Court. Outside town, it’s difficult to choose from the architectural places of interest. Certainly, nearby Hatfield House would make it onto the list of must-visit places for anyone interested in the historic architecture, as would Berkhamsted Castle. Knebworth House is another place worth a visit, and sometimes acts as a venue for music festivals. Finally, there are many wonderfully preserved villages that give a glimpse of the past such as Benington Lordship or Much Hadham.

Famous People

As a Home County, Hertfordshire has been well placed for its children to prosper in public life. Some, like the now-deceased Queen Mother, were born to prominence while others such as Victoria Beckham achieved fame by their own efforts. Graham Greene represented literature while Sir Michael Hordern made it on the stage. Equally, Graham Poll learnt to blow the whistle on the football pitch while Gareth Southgate gained fame by missing that penalty. The fastest local boy though is Formula 1’s Lewis Hamilton, who comes from nearby Stevenage.

The Home Counties are so grouped for their proximity to London but each has its own individual character. Hertford and its surrounding county manage to stand out from the crowd as a great place to live or just to visit.