Hertford
- For other places with the same name, see Hertford (disambiguation).
Hertford is the county town of Hertfordshire in England and has a population of around 25,000. It lies 20 miles directly north of London. It was the birthplace of Samuel Stone, who is credited with being the founder of Hartford, Connecticut.
Get in
Despite its relatively small size, Hertford is blessed with two railway stations. 1 Hertford East has regular services from London's Liverpool Street station, while 2 Hertford North connects up with Moorgate in the "City" of London (during weekdays) as well as with the main King's Cross station (all week). Journey time around 45 minutes.
By road, it is just 30 minutes from Stansted Airport and can be reached from London Gatwick and London Heathrow via the M25 London ring road.
Hertford can be reached by public transport from five nearby airports:
- London Heathrow (LHR IATA) – Greenline 724 bus (2½ hr) or Picadilly Line connecting at Finsbury Park to line to Hertford North (1½ hr).
- London Stansted (STN IATA) – National Express Bus 767 (1 hr) or train to Broxbourne connecting with line to Hertford East.
- London Gatwick (LGW IATA) – Thameslink train to St Pancras and cross to next-door Kings Cross station for train to Hertford North, changing at Finsbury Park on weekdays (2 hr).
- London City (LCY IATA) – Docklands Light Railway (DLR) to Bank underground station, underground to Liverpool Street station then train to Hertford East.
- London Luton (LTN IATA) – National Express 767 to Hertford East station (1 hr).
Get around
Hertford has a small town centre and everything can be seen by walking around.
See
Points of interest include:
- 1 Hertford Castle. It goes back to 900, although there is little remaining. The building is now government offices.
- Quaker Meeting House. The oldest purpose-built one in the world (in Railway Street), in use since 1670.
- The home of Alfred Russel Wallace, 11 St. Andrew St. Russell proposed the theory of natural selection more or less at the same time as Charles Darwin. It is marked with a plaque.
- 2 Shire Hall, 4 Market Place, SG14 1DF, ☏ +44 1992 588998. It was built in 1779 and designed by the noted architect, Robert Adam.
- Samuel Stone memorial. A statue of the founder of Hertford can be found next to the Castle Theatre on Mill Bridge.
- 3 Hertford Museum, 18 Bull Plain, SG14 1DT, ☏ +44 1992 582686. Although small, this museum in the town centre offers a fascinating range of artifacts and an oversight of the history of the town.
Do
- Walk along the rivers. Hertford is at the confluence of four rivers, with the Rivers Beane, Mimram and Rib flowing into the River Lea and forming a navigable canal at Hertford.
Buy
Hertford is a noted centre for shops selling antiques and collectables.
Eat
- The Riverside Garden Centre. Has a fantastic restaurant by the river side which serves a superb selection of meals to set the tastebuds racing. From a magnificent traditional English breakfast to light lunches, hot and cold snacks, excellent main meals to fresh cream teas.
- Loch Fyne, 130 Fore Street, ☏ +44 1992 585440. Noon-10PM. In the centre of town. Part of a chain of 49 restaurants in the UK, offering kippers, kiln-roasted salmon fillet, oysters, well-aged rib-eye steak and smoked venison. £25.
Drink
The town is well supplied with public houses.
Sleep
- [dead link] Master's House, 88-96 Fore Street, ☏ +44 1992 660660, fax: +44 1992 510931, info@mastershouse.co.uk. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. 14 individually decorated rooms right in the centre of town. Fair restaurant with extensive wine list. £90-150.
- [dead link] White Horse Hotel, Hertingfordbury Road, Hertingfordbury (One mile west of Hertford, turn left at the roundabout), ☏ +44 1992 586791, fax: +44 1992 550809. 42-room hotel of the Aquarius chain in a quiet village close to Hertford. £55 per room and up.
Go next
The surrounding villages are very attractive and very affluent as the area forms part of London's commuter belt.
| Routes through Hertford |
| Cambridge ← Buntingford ← | N  S |
→ London |