For other places with the same name, see Hertford (disambiguation).

Parliament Square, Hertford Town Centre

Hertford is the county town of Hertfordshire in England and has a population of around 26,000 in 2011. It lies 20 mi (32 km) miles directly north of London. It was the birthplace of Samuel Stone, who is credited with being the founder of Hartford, Connecticut.

The medieval town was built next to 1 Hertford Castle.   that protects the ford through the River Lee replacing an earlier Saxon burh.

Get in

By rail

Despite its relatively small size, Hertford has two railway stations:

• 1 Hertford East. Has regular services from London Liverpool Street station. (updated Aug 2022)
• 2 Hertford North. Connects up with Moorgate in the City of London (during weekdays) as well as with London King's Cross station (all week). The journey time is around 45 minutes. (updated Aug 2022)

By road

It is 30 minutes from Stansted Airport and can be reached from London Gatwick and London Heathrow via the M25 London ring road.

By plane

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 London King's 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

Hertford Castle

Points of interest include:

• Hertford Castle. It goes back to 900, although there is little remaining. The building is now government offices.  

2 St. Leonard’s Church, 28 St Leonard's Rd, Bengeo, SG14 3JW (from Port Hill follow Hartham Bank footpath north of Hartham Common), ☏ +44 1992 413 691. A Norman church built about 1120 and the oldest building in Hertford. (updated Jan 2021)

3 St Nicholas Hall (Beckwith & Son), 43 St Andrew St, SG14 1HZ (next to St Andrews Church), ☏ +44 1992 582 079. (updated Nov 2020)

4 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. 

5 Quaker Meeting House, Railway Street. The oldest purpose-built one in the world (in Railway Street), in use since 1670.  

6 Shire Hall, 4 Market Place, SG14 1DF, ☏ +44 1992 588998. It was built in 1779 and designed by the noted architect, Robert Adam.  

7 Samuel Stone memorial, Mill Bridge (next to the Castle Theatre on Mill Bridge). A statue of the founder of Hartford.  

8 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.  

9 Christ's Hospital (Bluecoat's School), 1 Bluecoats Ave, Hertford SG14 1PB. (updated Nov 2020)

Do

The view from Millbridge, Hertford town

• 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, with the 10 Hertford Castle Weir.   next to the Hertford Theatre.
• 1 Hertford Theatre, The Wash SG14 1PS, ☏ +44 1992 531 500, box.office@hertfordtheatre.com. (updated Nov 2020)
• 2 Manic Ceramics, 22 Port Vale, Hertford SG14 3AB, ☏ +44 1992 554 124. Tu-F 10AM-5PM. Paint your own pottery (updated Dec 2020)

Buy

Hertford is a noted centre for shops selling antiques and collectables.

1 Mark Wines Antiques, 1 St.Andrew Street, SG14 1HZ, ☏ +44 1992 534 522, info@markwinesantiques.co.uk. (updated Nov 2020)

2 Sworders, 42 St.Andrew Street, SG14 1JA, ☏ +44 1992 583 508, hertfordoffice@sworder.co.uk. Fine art auctioneer. (updated Nov 2020)

3 Rossi's Attic, 4 Mill Bridge, SG14 1PY, ☏ +44 1992 568 933. Vintage shop. (updated Nov 2020)

Market

4 Hertfords Farmers Market, Salisbury Square, SG14 1BG. 8AM-3PM 2nd Sa every month. Fruit & vegetables, cheese. (updated Nov 2020)

Eat

• 1 Oh My Cod (Fish Bar), 39 Cowbridge, Hertford SG14 1PN, ☏ +44 1992 505 066. M-Th 11:30AM-10PM, F Sa 11:30-11PM, Su 3-10PM. (updated Dec 2020)
• 2 Oishii, 33 Green Dragon Vaults, The Wash, SG14 1PT, ☏ +44 1992 500995, info@Oishiihertford.com. M-F noon-3PM 6-11PM, Sa Su noon-11PM. Japanese restaurant. (updated Nov 2020)
• The Riverside Garden Centre (by the river side). Has a fine restaurant. Traditional English breakfast, light lunches, hot and cold snacks, main meals and fresh cream teas. (updated Mar 2017)
• 3 Veyso's Brasserie, 97-101 Fore Street, SG14 1AS, ☏ +44 1992 550 055, info@veysos.co.uk. Su-Th noon-11PM, F Sa noon-midnight. Mediterranean restaurant. (updated Nov 2020)

Drink

McMullen's Brewery

Hertford is well provisioned with public houses many of which are supplied by the 11 McMullens brewery.   in the town:

• 1 Blackbirds, 15-17 Parliament Square, SG14 1EX (by the war memorial with the hart statue), ☏ +44 1992 509 286. 11AM-10PM. (updated Nov 2020)
• 2 Dog and Whistle at the Ram, 112 Fore St, SG14 1AB, ☏ +44 1992 552 274. (updated Nov 2020)
• 3 Hertford House Hotel, 1 Fore St, SG14 1DA (by the war memorial with the hart statue), ☏ +44 1992 517 440. (updated Nov 2020)
• 4 Lord Haig, 5 South St, SG14 1AZ, ☏ +44 1992 582 706. 11AM-10PM. McMullens (updated Nov 2020)
• 5 Lomo Bar and Grill, St Andrews Street. (updated Nov 2020)
• 6 The Old Cross, 8 St Andrew St, SG14 1JA, ☏ +44 1992 558 061. 4:30-10PM. (updated Nov 2020)
• 7 The Practitioner. (updated Nov 2020)
• 8 The Snug, 32-36 Railway St, SG14 1BA, ☏ +44 7483 038 971, hertford@thesnugbar.co.uk. closed M Tu W. (updated Nov 2020)
• 9 White Hart, Salisbury Square, SG14 1BW, ☏ +44 1992 583 605. McMullens (updated Nov 2020)*

10 The Woolpack, Mill Bridge, SG14 1PZ, ☏ +441992 583 766. McMullens (updated Nov 2020)

Not McMullens

Some town centre pubs that don't sell McMullen's Beer:

• 11 The Hertford Bell, 24 Railway St, SG14 1BA, ☏ +44 1992 551 494. 11AM-10PM. Green King (updated Nov 2020)
• 12 The Quietman, 2/4 Fore St, SG14 1BZ (by the war memorial with the hart statue), ☏ +44 1992 517 440. (updated Nov 2020)
• 13 The Six Templars, 1 The Wash, SG14 1PS, ☏ +44 1992 517 430. 8AM-11PM. Wetherspoons (updated Nov 2020)
• 14 White Horse, Castle St, SG14 1HH, ☏ +44 1992 500 557. M-Th 4-11PM, F Sa noon-11PM, Su noon-10PM. Fullers (updated Nov 2020)

Off Centre

Out of Hertford's town centre:

The Old Barge

• 15 The Black Horse, 29-31 West St, Hertford SG13 8EZ, ☏ +44 1992 583 630, info@theblackhorse.biz. M-Th noon-11PM, F Sa noon-midnight, Su noon-10:30PM. Traditional free house established in 1817. (updated Dec 2020)
• 16 Great Eastern Tavern, 29 Railway Pl, SG13 7BS, ☏ +44 1992 582 048. noon-10PM. McMullens (updated Nov 2020)
• 17 The Old Barge, 2 The Folly, SG14 1QD (next to the canal), ☏ +44 1992 581 871. W-F 5-9PM, Sa noon-9PM, Su noon-6PM. Real ale and cider free house. (updated Nov 2020)

North

To the north of Hertford in Bengeo:

• 18 The Millstream, 88 Port Vale, SG14 3AF, ☏ +44 1992 582 755, millstreamhertford@hotmail.co.uk. (updated Nov 2020)
• 19 White Lion, 59 Bengeo St, Bengeo, SG14 3ET, ☏ +44 1992 509 717. (updated Nov 2020)

Coffee and milkshakes

• 20 Hertford Coffee Lab, 6 Bull Plain, SG14 1DT. M-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 9AM-4PM. (updated Nov 2020)
• 21 Shaken Cow, 5 Maidenhead Street, SG14 1DP, info@theshakencow.com. F noon-5PM, Sa 9:30AM-5:30PM, Su 11AM-4PM. A shake bar (updated Nov 2020)
• 22 Il Vino Cafe (formerly Talbot Arms), 82 Fore St, SG14 1BY (next to the Post Office), ☏ +44 1992 550 582. 8:30AM-4PM. Italian family-run cafe that becomes a restaurant in the evening. Beautiful facade. (updated Nov 2020)

Sleep

Salisbury Arms Hotel

• 1 Cinnabar Hotel, 88-96 Fore St, SG14 1AA, ☏ +44 1992 660 660. 4-star hotel with night club and 14 individually decorated rooms. Fair restaurant with extensive wine list. £90-150. (updated Nov 2020)
• 2 Number One Port Hill, 1 Port Hill, SG14 1PJ, ☏ +44 1992 587350. Gorgeous arty B&B with three rooms in a Georgian town house. No children under 12 or dogs. B&B double £130. (updated Aug 2020)
• 3 Salisbury Arms Hotel (was the Bell), Fore St, SG14 1BZ, ☏ +44 1992 583 091. M-Sa 8AM-10PM, Su 8AM-8:30PM. Beautiful Grade II* 15th-century McMullens Hotel with white pargeted façades. (Closed for renovation as of Aug 2022.) (updated Aug 2022)
• 4 White Horse Hotel, Hertingfordbury Road, Hertingfordbury (1 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. 

Cope

• 1 Public toilet (adjacent to Six Templars by the entrance to the castle). closed during Covid. free. (updated Nov 2020)

Go next

The surrounding villages are very attractive and very affluent as the area forms part of London's commuter belt.

• To the east, Ware, 3 mi (4.8 km) miles following the River Lea.
• To the west, Hatfield, 8 mi (13 km) miles along the A414 and another 6 mi (9.7 km) to St Albans.
• To the south west through country lanes to Essendon, Brookmans Park and Potters Bar along the B158.

Routes through Hertford

Cambridge ← Buntingford ←	N  S	→ Hoddesdon → London
Hemel Hempstead ← Hatfield ←	W  E	→ Harlow → Maldon