Museums · East of England
Hitchin
In or near Preston.
Hitchin () is a market town in the North Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England. The town dates from at least the 7th century. It lies in the valley of the River Hiz at the north-eastern end
Nicholas Youell — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Best time of year
- Year-round
- Nearest railway station
- Hitchin · 1.5 km
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit the Hitchin museum, the nearest railway station is Hitchin, located 1.5 km away. The postcode for the museum is SG5 2EE. Please note that accessibility is limited for wheelchair users.
About
Hitchin () is a market town in the North Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England. The town dates from at least the 7th century. It lies in the valley of the River Hiz at the north-eastern end of the Chiltern Hills. It is 16 miles (26 km) north-west of the county town of Hertford, and 35 miles (56 km) north of London. The population at the 2021 census was 35,220. Hitchin grew around a market place and the adjoining parish church of St Mary on the western banks of the River Hiz. At the southern end of the town centre is Hitchin Priory, a former monastery dating back to 1317, which was partially rebuilt into a large country house with extensive parkland following the dissolution of the monasteries. The ancient parish of Hitchin covered a large rural area as well as the town itself, including several hamlets which subsequently became separate parishes, including Langley, Preston, St Ippolyts and Walsworth. The town's economy was historically based on serving as the market town for the surrounding agricultural area, which was primarily arable with some sheep farming. Lavender has long been grown in the fields around the town, and an early industry in the town was lavender distilleries. The Great Northern Railway built its main line from London King's Cross to York through the town; Hitchin railway station opened with the line in 1850. The Cambridge line opened shortly afterwards, diverging from the main line just north of Hitchin, which therefore became an important junct
Photo gallery
From the Wikipedia article
Hitchin () is a market town in the North Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England. The town dates from at least the 7th century. It lies in the valley of the River Hiz at the north-eastern end of the Chiltern Hills. It is 16 miles (26 km) north-west of the county town of Hertford, and 35 miles (56 km) north of London. The population at the 2021 census was 35,220. Hitchin grew around a market place and the adjoining parish church of St Mary on the western banks of the River Hiz. At the southern end of the town centre is Hitchin Priory, a former monastery dating back to 1317, which was partially rebuilt into a large country house with extensive parkland following the dissolution of the monasteries. The ancient parish of Hitchin covered a large rural area as well as the town itself, including several hamlets which subsequently became separate parishes, including Langley, Preston, St Ippolyts and Walsworth. The town's economy was historically based on serving as the market town for the surrounding agricultural area, which was primarily arable with some sheep farming. Lavender has long been grown in the fields around the town, and an early industry in the town was lavender distilleries. The Great Northern Railway built its main line from London King's Cross to York through the town; Hitchin railway station opened with the line in 1850. The Cambridge line opened shortly afterwards, diverging from the main line just north of Hitchin, which therefore became an important junction station. The A1 motorway passes Hitchin a short distance to the east. The town's historic character and accessibility make it popular with commuters.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
Hitchin is first noted as the central place of the Hicce people, a tribe holding 300 hides of land as mentioned in a 7th-century document, the Tribal Hidage. Hicce, or Hicca, may mean the people of the horse. The tribal name is Old English and derives from the Middle Anglian people. The ancient Icknield Way runs just north of Hitchin, passing through the neighbouring village of Ickleford. It has been suggested that Hitchin was the location of 'Clofesho', the place chosen in 673 by Theodore of Tarsus the Archbishop of Canterbury during the Synod of Hertford, the first meeting of representatives of the fledgling Christian churches of Anglo-Saxon England, to hold annual synods of the churches…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.9470, -0.2830
- County
- Hertfordshire
- District
- North Hertfordshire
- Parish
- North Hertfordshire, unparished area
- Postcode
- SG5 2EE
- Parliamentary constituency
- Hitchin
- Nearest railway station
- Hitchin — 1.5 km
Sources
- wikipedia: Hitchin (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
The Highlander Public House
Historic pubs · 0.1 km
Hitchin Museum and Art Gallery
Museums · 0.2 km
Red Hart
Historic pubs · 0.2 km
Garden Bridge At The Priory
Historic bridges · 0.3 km
The Market Theatre
Theatres · 0.3 km
The Sun
Hotels · 0.3 km
War Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 0.4 km
Hitchin War Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 0.4 km
Hitchin Town Hall
Theatres · 0.4 km
North Hertfordshire Museum
Museums · 0.4 km
St Mary's Church, Hitchin
Abbeys & priories · 0.4 km
St Mary's Church, Hitchin
Cathedrals · 0.4 km
Nearby
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Garden Bridge At The Priory
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Hitchin?
- Hitchin is in Hertfordshire, London, United Kingdom (postcode SG5 2EE), in the parish of North Hertfordshire, unparished area.
- What is Hitchin?
- Hitchin () is a market town in the North Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England. The town dates from at least the 7th century. It lies in the valley of the River Hiz at the north-eastern end
- How do I get to Hitchin?
- The nearest railway station is Hitchin, about 1.5 km away. Drivers can use postcode SG5 2EE.
- How do I get to Hitchin?
- The nearest railway station is Hitchin, about 1.5 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode SG5 2EE.