Timeline

Supplemental Information

Fore Street

The widest of the town's old streets, Fore Street was once the main thoroughfare through the town. It was often used for the sale of livestock until a new market was built behind The Ram Inn in Fore Street. The market later moved to Caxton Hill. Parallel to Fore Street ran Back Street, now known as Railway Street.

Parliament Square

Created in the 1920's and named after Parliament Row to the south side (now demolished) which was so named to commemorate the relocation of Parliament to The Castle behind, following the outbreak of The Great Plague in 1563.

Livestock Market

Fore Street was used for the sale of livestock until a purpose built market was constructed in 1851. This market had space for 2,500 sheep, 500 pigs and also space for calves. However there was no space for adult cattle. A further market was later built in Caxton Hill, which itself has now disappeared, making way for homes.

Corn Exchange

The original Corn Exchange was built in the early 1840's next to the Cross Keys Inn. Prior to this date, trading in corn was done behind the Shire Hall. The New Corn Exchange which replaced it was opened in 1859.

Market Street

Market Street was cut through between Fore Street and Railway Street in 1890. This meant the demolition of Beard's men's outfitters and Savage the cooper and basket maker in Fore Street; and cottages in Railway Street. Later on in the mid-1930s a bus stop was constructed in Market Street, whicg required the removal of the Thistledoo Cafe.

Post Office

The original Post Office was in Fore Street next to what is now the NatWest Bank. A purpose built Post Office was erected in 1890 by local builder H.Norris. .

Old Cross

Old Cross was originally the town centre of the northern part of the town. Free passage between the two parts of the town didn't come about until the removal of tolls from Mill Bridge in 1893.

Maidenhead Street

Maidenhead Street is so named after The Maidenhead Inn, which occupied the premises that are now Woolworth's. In earlier times it has also been known as Cordwainer Street and Glove Street. This has always been one of the principle shopping areas of the town, with shops such as Sweetings Butchers, who traded for over 300 years. The town's first cinema was also in the street - the People's Electric Theatre - on the corner of Bull Plain. In 1917 fire destroyed an important part of the street opposite what is now Stead and Simpson's shoe shop. Click here for picture

Railway Street

Once the eastern end of Back Street until the coming of the railway in the mid-1800s. It was bordered on the north by Butcherly Green, a densely populated area of slums.

Bull Plain

Bull Plain takes its' name from The Bull Inn, which once stood near to what is now the site of Hertford Cameras. It 1915, there was extensive damage here after a Zeppelin raid.

Cowbridge

Cowbridge leads from Old Cross towards Port Vale and Port Hill. It is so called because it was the route used by drovers to get cattle in and out of the town.

St.Nicholas Hall

In 1893 the hall was restored as a parish Hall, with funds raised by a fete in Christs's Hospital grounds and monies from Hartford, Conneticut in America. It was named after the church in Maidenhaed Street, which fell into disuse, the parish being combined with that of St.Andrews. The church of St.Andrews stands next to St.Nicholas Hall.

Town Mills

Four of the town's mills were recorded in The Domesday Book of 1087 - Horn's Mill, Molewood Mill, Sele Mill and the Town Mill.

• Dicker Mill (sometimes known as Priory Mill) moved downstream from its' position by The Hertford Priory when the River Lee Navigation was extended to Hertford. In latter years it was an oil mill, extracting oils from linseed. It closed in the 1920s.
• Horn's Mill was at the foot of Bullock's Lane. The mill ground corn, crushed oil seeds and ground bones for fertiliser. Production ceased in the late nineteenth century and the premises were sold to leather-dresser William Webb. Chamois leather was produced at first but later a glove making business was established. This closed in 1971. The site is now occupied by housing in Tanners Crescent and Glovers Close.
• Molewood Mill was a corn mill until 1888.
• Sele Mill in the North Road was England's first paper mill. However, for most of it's time it was a corn mill. It was destroyed by a fire in 1890 that lasted three days. A new mill was built and continued until the late 1980s.
• The Town Mill on the bank on the River Lee by Mill Bridge was solely a corn mill. Run by Ilotts from 1855, the buildings were damaged by a V2 flying bomb in 1944. Production ceased in the 1960s and eventually the buildings were demolished to make way for the Castle Hall.
• Ware Park Mill, built by James Fordham in 1721, was used for griding corn and was powered by the water of the River Rib where it meets The Lee. It eventually fell into the hands of J.W.French & Co.

Butcherley Green

Butcherley Green was a densely populated area of slums inhabited by some 1300 people, on the site that borders Railway Street and is now the Bircherley Green shopping Centre and bus station. This area was cleared after the first world war and the original bus station built. The residents were moved out to new housing, probably in Camps Road, now part of the Sele Farm Estate. In 1859 the town''s Ragged School was built here, next to the Tallow House, where candles were made. This site is now occupied by modern housing.

Breweries

• McMullens Brewery started in 1827 in Railway Street and in 1830 moved to premises on what is now the site of the Woolpack Public House. In 1890 the brewery moved to Hartham Lane, taking in the Hope Brewery.
• Nicholl's Brewery was in West Street and was demolished to make way for housing in 1965.
• The Hope Brewery was in Hartham Lane and was taken over by McMullen's in 1890.
• Wickham's Brewery stood in Mill Bridge where The Castle Hall now stands.
• Young's Brewery occupied a site behind hwta is now The Sportsman Public House. It was opened in 1754 and closed in 1897, when it was absorbed into Christ's Hospital's grounds. The wall with cellar openings can still be seen in South Street.

Mill Bridge

Close the the original crossing on the River Lea, Millbridge is arguably the cradle of the town.

Hertford Priory

Hertford Priory was established shortly after the Norman Conquest by Ralph de Limesi, a strong supporter of William I. It was built on the banks of the Lee close to the present Priory Street and was dedicated to St.Mary. The lands owned by the Priory included pastures on the Meads and Dicker Mill. De Limesi eventually became Prior and both he and his wife were buried in the Priory cemetery.

In 1536 the Priory was dissolved and the property passed to Anthony Denny, one of Henry VIII's Privy Councillors. It later fell into the ownership of Thomas Willis., who in 1629 built St.John's Church on the site of the ruined St.Mary's. In 1637 the Priory Manor and it's grounds were sold to Sir John Harrison of Ball's Park and later on that century the church was pulled down. The Priory House was built in the late 16th Century. The eastern part was demolished in 1860 and the remainder in 1906.

Bibliography:
The Archive Photographs Series - Hertford by Mervyn Miller
Hertford's Past in Pictures by Len Green
The Book Of Hertford by Cyril Heath
History Of Hertford by Dr.F.M.Page
Buildings Of Hertford, Hertford Civic Society