Discover Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire

Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:High_Street,_Hemel_Hempstead.jpg
Author: Oxfordian Kissuth


Hemel Hempstead is a town in Dacorum district, in Hertfordshire, England. It occupies a chalkland valley where the River Gade meets the River Bulbourne. Hemel Hempstead is 43 km (27 mi) to the north-west of London. It has a population of 81,000 people (2012 estimate).

Although modern-day Hemel Hempstead dates to the post-World War II period, the original town was founded back in the 8th century, and human habitation goes back even further, to Roman times and perhaps earlier. Its name has evolved over time from Henamsted or High Hempstead during Anglo-Saxon time, appearing in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Hamelhamstede.

St Mary's Church, Hemel Hempstead: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hemel_Hempstead_-_St_Mary%27s_Church_-_geograph.org.uk_-_407742.jpg
Author: Nigel Cox


Perhaps the oldest place of worship in Hemel Hempstead is its parish church of St Mary's, which dates to 1140. With its 61-meter (200-foot) spire, which was built in the 12th century and was one of the tallest in Europe during its construction, St Mary's is regardedas one of the finest Norman-era parish churches in the country.

Hemel Hempstead received a Royal charter in 1539 from King Henry VIII to hold a market on Thursdays and a fair on Corpus Christi Day. Its geographical located between London and the Midlands region benefited it infrastructure-wise, though it remained largely agricultural till the 19th century.

After the Second World War, Hemel Hempstead was cohosed as one of the sites for New Towns to house those displaced by bombings that devastate London. Redevelopment got on the way almost immediately, and the first residents of New Town moved in in April 1949. Today Hemel Hempstead is a well-developed town with many modern amenities and shopping centers. Among the retailers with branches in Hemel Hempstead include Sainsbury's, Debenhams, Waterstones, Starbucks and HMV, among others.

Visiting Hemel Hempstead

From London, take the M1 motorway until Exit 8, which leads towards Hemel Hempstead.

Places of Interest in Hemel Hempstead

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Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.