Hertford Heath
Encyclopedia
Hertford Heath is a small village and civil parish
near the county town of Hertford
in Hertfordshire
, England
.
above the River Lea valley, on its south side. Almost all of the village is 90 metres (300 feet) above sea level, with most of the surrounding fields being arable farm land, or cattle and horse grazing.
tribe, before Julius Caesar
invaded in 54 BC.
In 1956 builders laying concrete for the garages in Trinity Road, came across a Belgic grave from about the 40-50 AD period, early Iron Age
pottery was discovered and remnants are available to view in the British Museum
.
More extensive historical facts can be found here extrapolated from a note written by Esme Nix of Rush Green (an area nestled in the corner of Downfield Road, Hoe Lane, Gallows Hill and the A10, giving the service station and A10 junction its name.)
Haileybury College, the renowned private boarding school (formerly the East India Company College
[1805], Imperial Service College [1845] and United Services College [1874]) is on the south-east boundary of the village.
In addition, it offers facilities to the village and public at large with its relatively recent addition of a modern sports complex offering;
Availability and opening times vary according to use by the school.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
near the county town of Hertford
Hertford
Hertford is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. Forming a civil parish, the 2001 census put the population of Hertford at about 24,180. Recent estimates are that it is now around 28,000...
in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Geography
It is located on a heathHeath (habitat)
A heath or heathland is a dwarf-shrub habitat found on mainly low quality acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, often dominated by plants of the Ericaceae. There are some clear differences between heath and moorland...
above the River Lea valley, on its south side. Almost all of the village is 90 metres (300 feet) above sea level, with most of the surrounding fields being arable farm land, or cattle and horse grazing.
History
Hertford Heath was once a settlement of the CatuvellauniCatuvellauni
The Catuvellauni were a tribe or state of south-eastern Britain before the Roman conquest.The fortunes of the Catuvellauni and their kings before the conquest can be traced through numismatic evidence and scattered references in classical histories. They are mentioned by Dio Cassius, who implies...
tribe, before Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
invaded in 54 BC.
In 1956 builders laying concrete for the garages in Trinity Road, came across a Belgic grave from about the 40-50 AD period, early Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
pottery was discovered and remnants are available to view in the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
.
More extensive historical facts can be found here extrapolated from a note written by Esme Nix of Rush Green (an area nestled in the corner of Downfield Road, Hoe Lane, Gallows Hill and the A10, giving the service station and A10 junction its name.)
Shops and Facilities
The village has modest amenities including a convenience store, numerous public houses and eateries and a service station.- The Townshend Arms on London Road is a recently refurbished contemporary pub with pool, darts and regular live entertainment.
- The Silver Fox on London Road is a centrally located country pub with a small garden. It offers home cooked food and a wide selection at the bar.
- The Goat Inn at the junction of Vicarage Causeway and Downfield Road is the oldest building in the village, with cartography dating pre-1756 showing its location and existence. It is another country pub serving food and boasting an exterior seating area overlooking the village green and the petanquePétanquePétanque is a form of boules where the goal is, while standing inside a starting circle with both feet on the ground, to throw hollow metal balls as close as possible to a small wooden ball called a cochonnet or jack. It is also sometimes called a bouchon or le petit...
court.
- The College Arms (formerly the Jolly Pindar, and prior to that, the East India College Arms - linked to the then East India Company CollegeEast India Company CollegeThe East India College was a college in Hertford Heath, Hertfordshire, England. It was founded in February 1806 as the training establishment for the British East India Company . At that time, the BEIC provided general and vocational education for young gentlemen of sixteen to eighteen years old,...
[1805], now Haileybury College) is a modern GastropubGastropubGastropub or Gastrolounge refers to a bar and restaurant that serves high-end beer and food.The term gastropub, a portmanteau of gastronomy and pub, originated in England in the late 20th century. English pubs were drinking establishments and little emphasis was placed on the serving of food. If...
, is currently open after being closed for almost 2 years and is now in a chain with the vine in ware and other pubs like the brookman in cambridge. Its been refurbished and welcomes all.
- The Galley Hall, located in Hailey Lane is family free house pub offering home cooked food and a country pub experience.
- Hertford Heath Motors are a small friendly filling station, MOT test centre and workshop located centrally on London Road.
- Haileybury Motor Works offer garage services, repairs, mechanics and equipment, and are located on the Southern edge of the village by Haileybury College[see Schools below].
Schools
Hertford Heath Junior Mixed Infant (JMI) School caters for children from Nursery up to Year 6 (leavers for Secondary Education).Haileybury College, the renowned private boarding school (formerly the East India Company College
East India Company College
The East India College was a college in Hertford Heath, Hertfordshire, England. It was founded in February 1806 as the training establishment for the British East India Company . At that time, the BEIC provided general and vocational education for young gentlemen of sixteen to eighteen years old,...
[1805], Imperial Service College [1845] and United Services College [1874]) is on the south-east boundary of the village.
In addition, it offers facilities to the village and public at large with its relatively recent addition of a modern sports complex offering;
- a 25-metre deck level indoor heated swimming pool
- an 8-court badminton hall
- 4 squash courts
- all-weather surface (with floodlights)
- a state-of-the-art fitness suite
- 8 tennis courts (summer only)
Availability and opening times vary according to use by the school.
Notable Locations and Buildings
- The Village Hall - plays host to events such as the local Farmer's Market and the Annual Horticultural Society Show
- Holy Trinity Church (Little Amwell) led by the Rev. Nick Sharp
- Ermine Street, the former Roman RoadRoman roadThe Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
from London to York runs from the rear of Hertford Heath Motors to Goose Green near HoddesdonHoddesdonHoddesdon is a town in the English county of Hertfordshire, situated in the Lea Valley. The town grew up as a coaching stop on the route between Cambridge and London. It is located southeast of Hertford, north of Waltham Cross and southwest of Bishop's Stortford. At its height during the 18th...
and onwards to London (it is now a bridleway to the South. The former route across the village through what is now Hogsdell Lane, on to Rush Green, has been bisected by the main route through Hertford Heath (B1197) and the development of housing across the village. - The Hertford Heath Nature Reserve and the Balls Wood Nature Reserve cover nearly 80 hectares of surrounding countryside and woodland, and are currently subject to campaigns to ensure preservation and maintenance of these reserves