About
HarpendenUK.com provides information about the community, services, the town, news, events, and local activities.
Harpenden is a town in the City and District of St Albans of Hertfordshire in the South East of England. It lies on the A1081, north of St Albans. Harpenden has a population of around 35,000. A significant number of Harpenden residents work in London. The reliable Thameslink train journey takes under half an hour to the new St Pancras International station.
Harpenden’s exceptionally high-performing schools and fast train links to the city of London and airports make it a popular and affluent commuter town, with The Daily Telegraph listing the town as 8th on their ‘Richest Towns List‘ in May 2008. With an average house price of £500,000 and many properties selling for up to £3/4 million it is one of the most expensive places to live in the UK, outside of London.
Harpenden Town Council exists to serve its community and is the first port of call for many queries and enquires about local government services. The Hertfordshire Constabulary force is responsible for policing the St. Albans Council local authority area.
Harpenden boasts excellent secondary schools:
- Sir John Lawes School, a specialist Media Arts College and Science College and Teacher Training collage
- Roundwood Park School, a dual specialist Mathematics and Computing College and Language College
- St. George’s School, a specialist Technology College
In the past:
There are Roman remains in land around Harpenden, for instance in the park at Rothamsted. Harpenden village grew out of Westminster Abbey’s gradual clearing of woodland for farming and settlement within its Wheathampstead manor, granted by Edward the Confessor in 1060. A first reference to a parish church is in 1221 (where it is referred to as Harpenden) so it is inferred that the village grew up around then. The church of St Nicholas is the oldest church in the town, originally built as a Chapel of ease in 1217.
Just beyond the southern edge of the town lies Nomansland Common (sometimes simply called “No Man’s Land”) upon which part of the Second Battle of St Albans was fought during the Wars of the Roses. Nomansland Common also saw the first annually contested steeplechase in England, in 1830 when it was organised by Thomas Coleman, and the last fight of nineteenth century bare-knuckle fighter, Simon Byrne. It was also the haunt of the highwaywoman known as “Wicked Lady” (hence the name of the local pub “The Wicked Lady“).
Between 1848 and 1914 the common was a regular venue for horse racing (hence the name of the local pub “Silver Cup“). In his History of Hertfordshire in 1879, John Edwin Cussans commented “Notwithstanding that these meetings are under the most unexceptional patronage as regards the Stewards, yet for two days in the year all the London pickpockets, sharpers and blackguards who happen to be out of gaol are permitted to make Harpenden their own and to make travelling in a first-class carriage on the Midland Railway a danger to men and an impossibility to ladies.” Golf has been played on the Common since 1894 and it was at that time Harpenden Common Golf Club was set up by a group of Harpenden people with the help and a financial contribution of 5 pounds from Sir John Bennett Lawes of Rothamsted.In 1932 Bamville Cricket club was formed and shares part of the Common with the Golfers.
Leave a Reply