Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/260

Rh HERTFORDSHIRE. 252 HERTFORDSHIRE. Stanstead St. Margaret, Stapleford, Tewin, Wormley, and part of All Saints, comprising 34,410, exclusive of the liberty of Hertford. It gives name to a deanery in the archdeaconry of St. Alban'sand diocese of Rochester. HERTFORDSHIRE, or HERTS, an inland co. of England, situated in the S.E. part of the island, between 51 36' and 52 5' N. lat., and 13' E. and 45' W. long. ' It is very irregular in form, and of small extent, being only the thirty-fifth shire in England for size, including an area of about 630 square miles, or 393,951 acres. In its greatest length, from Royston in the N.E. to Rickmansworth in the S.W:, it extends for near 40 miles, and in its greatest breadth, from Hitchiu to Wal- tham Cross, 26 miles. It is hounded on the N. by Cambridgeshire, E. by Essex, S. by Middlesex, W. by Buckingham, and N.W. by Bedfordshire. Before the Koman invasion, it was inhabited hy a British tribe called the Catyeuchlani, mentioned by Ptolemy and Dion, and perhaps partly by the Cassii, whose name Camden identifies with that of the hund. of Cashio. After the subjugation of Britain it formed part of the Roman pro- vince of Flavia Camriensis, and contained the mimicipium of Verolamium, and the post, or town ad fines, hesides numerous camps and villages where Roman antiquities are frequently turned up. It was crossed in various directions by the three great British ways, Watling, Ermine, and Icknield Streets. The two first, being converted into military roads by the Romans, have con- tinued to the present dav, not varying much from the line of the modern roads from London to Dunstable, and from London to Royston. Upon the Saxon conquest of this island, part of the county was appropriated by the East Saxons and part by Mercia. It was several times devastated by the Danes, and in the reign of Alfred they brought their vessels up the Lea to Hertford, but Alfred diverting the course of the river, obliged them to aban- don their ships and march across the island to the Severn. More effectually to check the incursions of the Danes, Edward the Elder, the son of Alfred, built Hert- ford Castle, about 905, and probably also the castle at Bishop Stortford for the same purpose. After his vic- tory at Hastings, William the Conqueror marched north- wards, and was met near Berkhampstead by Frederic, Abbot of St. Alban's, whose influence with the Saxon nobles and clergy was such that the Conqueror found it necessary to come to terms by taking an oath before the witenagemote, assembled at Berkhampstead, to govern according to the laws of the realm, as revised by Edward the Confessor. In the reign of John the castle of Hert- ford was defended for the king against Prince Louis and the barons, but surrendered after a brave defence. In 1312 the nobles confederated against Gaveston and Ed- ward II., and assembled their troops at Wheathampstead, near St. Alban's, at which latter town many ringleaders in the revolt of the peasantry, under "Wat Tyler and Jack Straw, were executed. In 1455 St. Alban's was stormed by Richard Duke of York, and the Earls of Salisbury and Warwick, who took the king prisoner. Six years afterwards, the second battle of St. Alban's was fought, in which the Earl of Warwick was slain, and the king restored to his own party. In the civil war of Charles 1. Hertford formed one of the associated counties ; and it was here that Cromwell, while yet only captain of a troop of horse, captured the high sheriff of Hertfordshire as he was proceeding to St. Alban's to publish the king's proclamation declaring all the parliamentary leaders traitors. The geographical configuration of the county gives it many natural advantages, both of soil and climate. Being situated on the N. edge of the chalk basin which forma the valley of the Thames, its soil is of various qualities. In the S. part the London clay prevails, succeeded by the plastic clay, and further N., the chalk crops out, forming the continuation of the Chiltern hills. Some of these downs, as Kensworth Hill, on the border of Bedfordshire, rise 908 feet above the sea-level, but on the whole the shire is level, or rather wavy, and being well wooded and tilled, presents a variety of scenery. It is adorned with numerous mansions and thriving plantations, which are generally situated in the higher and drier parts. The climate is mild, and well suited to the growth of fruit and flowers. Apple and cherry orchards and market gardens are met with in sheltered spots, for supply of the London markets, and the florists carry off most of the prizes for-roses at the metropolitan flower shows. Although situated within 20 miles of London the county does not partake of the metropolitan character, but is almost wholly agricultural. The chief crops are wheat the best white being extensively grown turnips/vegeta- bles, and hay. Cattle, sheep, pigs, and poultry are also reared for the London market. The richest lands occur on the Essex border, along the road from London to Bedford, where the mixture of the chalk, clay, and gravel forms a rich loam ; but in the more hilly districts the soil is a cold clay, only recently brought under tillage. The rivers for the most part belong to the basin of the Thames, except those in the N. part of the county, which flow towards the Ouse. The chief of those falling into the Thames are the Lea, Stort, and Colne, with their affluents, the Maran, or Mimram, Beane, Rib, Quin, Ash, Verlam, or Muse, Gade, and Chess ; besides several headsprings of the Thame, another affluent of the Thames, which take their rise in the north-western part of the county, near Tring. The Lea, which rises at Leagrave, in Bedfordshire, traverses the county from W. to E., becoming navigable at Hertford, and after a course of 50 miles joins the Thames at Bromley, near London. The Stort, which is a branch of the Lea, rises in Essex, and for a considerable distance forms the S.E. boundary of the county, being navigable from Bishop Stortford : its whole length is about 21 miles. The Colne rises between Barnet and Elstree, near Hatficld, and pursues a very circuitous course, partly through and partly on the border of the county, sometimes crossing into Mid- dlesex, and finally quits Hertfordshire to form the boun- dary between Buckinghamshire and Middlesex. Of the smaller streams above mentioned few are navigable, but in their course turn a great number of mills, and several of them afford good sport to the angler. The streams which fall into the Ouse are the Hiz, Oughton, and Pirral. These, rising on the northern slope of the chalk downs, have but a short course in this county, and then enter Bedfordshire. The only other stream of any con- siderable length is the Rhee, which, rising near Ashwell, joins the Cam. The New River, which is brought to- London from springs near Ware, is an artificial cut formed in 1G08. Part of its course is through Herts, nearly parallel to the river Lea, from which it has a feeder. The only navigable canal is the Grand Junction, which enters the county on the N., and proceeding in a southerly direction, passes near the towns of Tring, Berkhampstead, Hemel Hempstead, Watford, and Rick- manstead, where it enters Middlesex, following the valley of the Lower Colne till it joins the Thames. There are cuts from the main line to Aylesbury, Wendover, and Watford. The county is intersected by the main N. ' road, which passes through the towns of Chipping Barnet, Hatfield, Stevenage, and Baldock, and sends off a branch through St. Alban's and Dunstable, known as the Liverpool road. There is also a main line of road to Cambridge, passing by Waltham Cross and Ware to Puckeridge, where it separates into two branches, one going to Eoyston, and the other continuing in a straight line. The three great lines of railway, the London and North- Western, Great Northern, and Cambridge section of the Great Eastern, also traverse the county. Thu North- Western proceeds through the western part of the county, nearly in the line of the Grand Junction canal, throwing off branch lines to Rickmansworth and Ux- bridge to join the Great Western (not yet completed), to Aylesbury, to St. Alban's, and to Dunstable, which last only touches the northern border; the Great Northern passes through the centre of the county, and has stations at all the principal towns, with branch lines to Hertford and Hitchin ; the Cambridge section of the Great Eastern passes through the eastern part of the county, and has branch lines to Hertford and Buntingford. The three Grand Trunk lines are connected by the Hertford,