Cheshunt
Encyclopedia
Cheshunt is a town in Hertfordshire
, England with a population of around 52,000 according to the United Kingdom's 2001 Census
. It is a dormitory town and part of the Greater London Urban Area
and London commuter belt
served by Cheshunt railway station
. The town is located 13 miles (20.9 km) from Charing Cross
, making it one of the closest parts of Hertfordshire to Central London
.
passes to the east of Cheshunt.
The town name comes from the Old English name (as recorded in the Domesday Book
) for the area, Cestrehunt, which probably refers to a "castle, erected by the Romans", the word word cestre (along with the form ceastre), or even its modern forms, chester
and caster
being derived from the Latin
castrum meaning "fort". The town Chester
also derives from this root and it is an element in various English place-names. This is commemorated in the arms of the former Cheshunt urban district council.
Cheshunt was a settlement on Ermine Street
, the main Roman road leading north from London. This origin was investigated by the television archaeology programme Time Team
. Before the Norman Conquest, the manor of Cheshunt was held by Eddeva the Fair, but William I
granted it to Alan of Brittany
. The parish church of St Mary-the-Virgin was first recorded in a charter of 1146, but was entirely rebuilt between 1418 and 1448 with a three stage tower topped by an octagonal turret.
As Princess Elizabeth, Queen Elizabeth I
lived at Cheshunt in the care of Sir Anthony Denny, after she left Queen Catherine Parr
's household in 1548. Richard Cromwell
, Lord Protector of the Commonwealth, died here in 1712. In 1825, Cheshunt was also the location of the Cheshunt Railway. Running from the town's High Street
to the River Lea near the present-day Cheshunt railway station, this 0.75 mi (1.2 km) horse
-drawn line was the first passenger-carrying monorail
and the first railway line to be built in Hertfordshire.
The town's Bury Green neighbourhood was once the home of singer Cliff Richard
. Lotus Cars as well as the nationally famous Debenhams
were also founded in Cheshunt, and the headquarters of Tesco
, the UK's largest and most profitable supermarket chain, is also located here. In 2002, Cheshunt hosted the only officially licensed European BotCon
convention ever.
Services in Cheshunt include the Brookfield Centre, which includes Next
, Boots, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Argos
and Marks & Spencer
stores, as well as a large Tesco Extra store. There is a Marriott Hotel nearby, and the town centre includes a wide variety of smaller shops.
Being located in the Lea Valley
, Cheshunt has access to the Lee Valley Park
.
At 8.00am on 12 August 1944 a Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber belonging to the United States Army Air Forces
392nd Bombardment Group (Heavy) from RAF Wendling
crashed next to Maxwells Farm (51.698328°N 0.051610 °W), near Cheshunt killing all ten crew. The B198 which runs near the crash site has been renamed Lieutenant Ellis Way after the pilot had managed to avoid crashing into the nearby town, one of the firemen who attended the scene has recently secured funding for a permanent crash memorial at the scene
Up until 2004, Cheshunt was home to the famous Temple Bar
, which was moved from London at the turn of the 19th century. The gateway was re-installed in London at Paternoster Square
on the north side of St Paul's Cathedral
.
Until the late 1960s the main land use around Cheshunt was for its nursery
industry, and many new techniques for growing under glass were developed here. Thomas Rochford had a large concern here, although now almost all the glasshouse
s have been re-developed into housing estates. This is often reflected in the names of the roads or estates, such as Rosedale or Thomas Rochford Way. A small amount of nursery trade survives to the west of the town. The neighbouring town of Goffs Oak still has a large number of nurseries as well as a large garden centre.
The River Lee Navigation
passes through Cheshunt and was used for the transport of flowers and crops to the London markets for many years until road transport became more viable. A wharf
existed just east of the railway on the site now occupied by Herts Young Mariners Base. The Youth Hostel was built on the site of the derelict open-air swimming pool. Photos of the pool are exhibited at the hostel.
"Cheshunt Compound" a fungicide
developed at the Cheshunt Research Station is still manufactured today.
From the end of World War II
a large area of the River Lea flood plain was used for sand and gravel extraction which resulted in the creation of the now mature lakes which are popular with anglers, birdwatchers and naturalists
. The area now forms part of the 1000 acres (404.7 ha) River Lee Country Park
and the Turnford and Cheshunt Pits
SSSI
.
; Goffs School
; and Turnford School
.
The non-conformist theological college Cheshunt College, moved to Cheshunt in the 1790s from Trevecca, Brecknockshire
. It moved to Cambridge in 1905. Between 1909 and 1968 the buildings were occupied by the Church of England's Bishop's College. Since 1972 they have been council offices.
and the town was also home to the band Unit 4 + 2
whose song Concrete and Clay
topped the UK charts in 1964. UFO
drummer Andy Parker was born in the town in the 1950s.
The popular underground band Neils Children
, who have recently gained attention, originally hail from Cheshunt.
Gary Prosser, singer in 90's Epic Pop Indie band Ballroom hails from Cheshunt.
who play in the Isthmian League Division One North. Founded in 1946, their most famous player was Iain Dowie
who played for them in the 1980s.
The town also has long-established rugby and cricket clubs and a publicly-owned 18-hole golf course.
Junction 25, as well as to Enfield
, London and the famous university city of Cambridge
.
(where there are links to north London and Essex), Hoddesdon
and Broxbourne
. The towns of Hertford
, Harlow
, Cuffley
, Potters Bar
, and Waltham Abbey
are also linked to Cheshunt. Buses are operated by Arriva
, Centrebus, Metroline
or Sullivan Buses
.
Victoria Line
at Tottenham Hale
and Seven Sisters
. Away from London, Cheshunt trains serve Broxbourne
, Hertford East
, Stansted Airport
and Cambridge
.
Other nearby stations include Waltham Cross
, Theobalds Grove
, Enfield Lock
, Cuffley
. Oakwood
and Cockfosters
tube stations, on the Piccadilly Line
, are located further afield.
National Cycle Route 1 passes through Cheshunt as part of its route connecting Dover
to Shetland.
project a proposal is in place to create a new cycle link over the A10. The scheme involves the building of a new cycle bridge over the A10 and connecting paths to link Theobalds Lane with Lieutenant Ellis Way. The scheme aims to be complete in time to coincide with the opening of the new St Marys High School and has an estimated cost of £1.7m. £500,000 of this cost is funded by the Big Lottery Fund
via the Connect2 project. Planning permission has been granted for the scheme and it is currently in the design process.
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, England with a population of around 52,000 according to the United Kingdom's 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
. It is a dormitory town and part of the Greater London Urban Area
Greater London Urban Area
The Greater London Urban Area is the conurbation or continuous urban area based around London, England, as defined by the Office for National Statistics. It had an estimated population of 8,505,000 in 2005 and occupied an area of at the time of the 2001 census. It includes most of Greater London,...
and London commuter belt
London commuter belt
The London commuter belt is the metropolitan area surrounding London, England from which it is practical to commute to work in the capital. It is alternatively known as the Greater South East, the London metropolitan area or the Southeast metropolitan area...
served by Cheshunt railway station
Cheshunt railway station
Cheshunt railway station serves the town of Cheshunt in Hertfordshire, England. It is on the West Anglia Main Line and the Lea Valley Lines, and train services are provided by National Express East Anglia....
. The town is located 13 miles (20.9 km) from Charing Cross
Charing Cross
Charing Cross denotes the junction of Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square in central London, England. It is named after the now demolished Eleanor cross that stood there, in what was once the hamlet of Charing. The site of the cross is now occupied by an equestrian...
, making it one of the closest parts of Hertfordshire to Central London
Central London
Central London is the innermost part of London, England. There is no official or commonly accepted definition of its area, but its characteristics are understood to include a high density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally,...
.
History and geography
The Prime MeridianPrime Meridian
The Prime Meridian is the meridian at which the longitude is defined to be 0°.The Prime Meridian and its opposite the 180th meridian , which the International Date Line generally follows, form a great circle that divides the Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.An international...
passes to the east of Cheshunt.
The town name comes from the Old English name (as recorded in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
) for the area, Cestrehunt, which probably refers to a "castle, erected by the Romans", the word word cestre (along with the form ceastre), or even its modern forms, chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
and caster
Caster
A caster is an undriven, single, double, or compound wheel that is designed to be mounted to the bottom of a larger object so as to enable that object to be easily moved...
being derived from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
castrum meaning "fort". The town Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
also derives from this root and it is an element in various English place-names. This is commemorated in the arms of the former Cheshunt urban district council.
Cheshunt was a settlement on Ermine Street
Ermine Street
Ermine Street is the name of a major Roman road in England that ran from London to Lincoln and York . The Old English name was 'Earninga Straete' , named after a tribe called the Earningas, who inhabited a district later known as Armingford Hundred, around Arrington, Cambridgeshire and Royston,...
, the main Roman road leading north from London. This origin was investigated by the television archaeology programme Time Team
Time Team
Time Team is a British television series which has been aired on Channel 4 since 1994. Created by television producer Tim Taylor and presented by actor Tony Robinson, each episode features a team of specialists carrying out an archaeological dig over a period of three days, with Robinson explaining...
. Before the Norman Conquest, the manor of Cheshunt was held by Eddeva the Fair, but William I
William I of England
William I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
granted it to Alan of Brittany
Alan IV, Duke of Brittany
Alan IV was Duke of Brittany, from 1084 until his abdication in 1112. He was also Count of Nantes and Count of Rennes. He was son of Hawise, Duchess of Brittany and Duke Hoel II. He was known as Alan Fergant, which in Breton means "Alan the Strong"...
. The parish church of St Mary-the-Virgin was first recorded in a charter of 1146, but was entirely rebuilt between 1418 and 1448 with a three stage tower topped by an octagonal turret.
As Princess Elizabeth, Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
lived at Cheshunt in the care of Sir Anthony Denny, after she left Queen Catherine Parr
Catherine Parr
Catherine Parr ; 1512 – 5 September 1548) was Queen consort of England and Ireland and the last of the six wives of King Henry VIII of England. She married Henry VIII on 12 July 1543. She was the fourth commoner Henry had taken as his consort, and outlived him...
's household in 1548. Richard Cromwell
Richard Cromwell
At the same time, the officers of the New Model Army became increasingly wary about the government's commitment to the military cause. The fact that Richard Cromwell lacked military credentials grated with men who had fought on the battlefields of the English Civil War to secure their nation's...
, Lord Protector of the Commonwealth, died here in 1712. In 1825, Cheshunt was also the location of the Cheshunt Railway. Running from the town's High Street
High Street
High Street, or the High Street, is a metonym for the generic name of the primary business street of towns or cities, especially in the United Kingdom. It is usually a focal point for shops and retailers in city centres, and is most often used in reference to retailing...
to the River Lea near the present-day Cheshunt railway station, this 0.75 mi (1.2 km) horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
-drawn line was the first passenger-carrying monorail
Monorail
A monorail is a rail-based transportation system based on a single rail, which acts as its sole support and its guideway. The term is also used variously to describe the beam of the system, or the vehicles traveling on such a beam or track...
and the first railway line to be built in Hertfordshire.
The town's Bury Green neighbourhood was once the home of singer Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
. Lotus Cars as well as the nationally famous Debenhams
Debenhams
Debenhams plc is a British retailer operating under a department store format in the UK, Ireland and Denmark, and franchise stores in other countries. The Company was founded in the eighteenth century as a single store in London and has now grown to around 160 shops...
were also founded in Cheshunt, and the headquarters of Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
, the UK's largest and most profitable supermarket chain, is also located here. In 2002, Cheshunt hosted the only officially licensed European BotCon
BotCon
BotCon, briefly known as "The Official Transformers Collectors' Convention" , is an annual convention for Transformers fans and collectors. BotCon has been held annually since 1994...
convention ever.
Services in Cheshunt include the Brookfield Centre, which includes Next
Next (retailer)
Next plc is a British retailer marketing clothing, footwear, accessories and home products with its headquarters in Enderby, Leicestershire, England. The company has over 550 stores throughout the UK and the Republic of Ireland, and 50 franchise branches in Europe, Asia and the Middle East...
, Boots, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Argos
Argos (retailer)
Argos is the largest general-goods retailer in the United Kingdom and Ireland with over 800 stores. It is unique amongst major retailers in the UK in that it is a catalogue merchant...
and Marks & Spencer
Marks & Spencer
Marks and Spencer plc is a British retailer headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, with over 700 stores in the United Kingdom and over 300 stores spread across more than 40 countries. It specialises in the selling of clothing and luxury food products...
stores, as well as a large Tesco Extra store. There is a Marriott Hotel nearby, and the town centre includes a wide variety of smaller shops.
Being located in the Lea Valley
Lea Valley
The Lea Valley, the valley of the River Lea, has been used as a transport corridor, a source of sand and gravel, an industrial area, a water supply for London, and a recreational area...
, Cheshunt has access to the Lee Valley Park
Lee Valley Park
Lee Valley Regional Park is a long linear park, much of it green spaces, running through the northeast of London, Essex and Hertfordshire from the River Thames to Ware in Hertfordshire, England through areas such as Hackney, Tottenham, Enfield, Stratford, Tower Hamlets, Walthamstow, Cheshunt,...
.
At 8.00am on 12 August 1944 a Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber belonging to the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
392nd Bombardment Group (Heavy) from RAF Wendling
RAF Wendling
RAF Station Wendling is a former World War II airfield in Norfolk, England. The airfield is located approximately west-northwest of East Dereham.Opened in 1942, it was used by both the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Force...
crashed next to Maxwells Farm (51.698328°N 0.051610 °W), near Cheshunt killing all ten crew. The B198 which runs near the crash site has been renamed Lieutenant Ellis Way after the pilot had managed to avoid crashing into the nearby town, one of the firemen who attended the scene has recently secured funding for a permanent crash memorial at the scene
Up until 2004, Cheshunt was home to the famous Temple Bar
Temple Bar, London
Temple Bar is the barrier marking the westernmost extent of the City of London on the road to Westminster, where Fleet Street becomes the Strand...
, which was moved from London at the turn of the 19th century. The gateway was re-installed in London at Paternoster Square
Paternoster Square
Paternoster Square is an urban development, owned by the Mitsubishi Estate Co., next to St Paul's Cathedral in the City of London, England. In 1942 the area, which takes its name from Paternoster Row, centre of the London publishing trade, was devastated by aerial bombardment in The Blitz during...
on the north side of St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
.
Industry
Cheshunt's best-known employer is Tesco, whose head office has been in Cheshunt for many years. A small store has been in the town centre for many years and is still open today, together with an adjacent "Home 'n' Wear" store (now closed). In 1983 a new out-of-town Tesco store located to the north of the town opened, named "Brookfield Farm". It later expanded, and a branch Marks & Spencer built next door, the entire estate renamed "The Brookfield Centre".Until the late 1960s the main land use around Cheshunt was for its nursery
Nursery (horticulture)
A nursery is a place where plants are propagated and grown to usable size. They include retail nurseries which sell to the general public, wholesale nurseries which sell only to businesses such as other nurseries and to commercial gardeners, and private nurseries which supply the needs of...
industry, and many new techniques for growing under glass were developed here. Thomas Rochford had a large concern here, although now almost all the glasshouse
Greenhouse
A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
s have been re-developed into housing estates. This is often reflected in the names of the roads or estates, such as Rosedale or Thomas Rochford Way. A small amount of nursery trade survives to the west of the town. The neighbouring town of Goffs Oak still has a large number of nurseries as well as a large garden centre.
The River Lee Navigation
River Lee Navigation
The Lee Navigation is a canalised river incorporating the River Lea . Its course runs from Hertford Castle Weir all the way to the River Thames at Bow Creek. The first lock of the navigation is Hertford Lock the last being Bow Locks....
passes through Cheshunt and was used for the transport of flowers and crops to the London markets for many years until road transport became more viable. A wharf
Wharf
A wharf or quay is a structure on the shore of a harbor where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.Such a structure includes one or more berths , and may also include piers, warehouses, or other facilities necessary for handling the ships.A wharf commonly comprises a fixed...
existed just east of the railway on the site now occupied by Herts Young Mariners Base. The Youth Hostel was built on the site of the derelict open-air swimming pool. Photos of the pool are exhibited at the hostel.
"Cheshunt Compound" a fungicide
Fungicide
Fungicides are chemical compounds or biological organisms used to kill or inhibit fungi or fungal spores. Fungi can cause serious damage in agriculture, resulting in critical losses of yield, quality and profit. Fungicides are used both in agriculture and to fight fungal infections in animals...
developed at the Cheshunt Research Station is still manufactured today.
From the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
a large area of the River Lea flood plain was used for sand and gravel extraction which resulted in the creation of the now mature lakes which are popular with anglers, birdwatchers and naturalists
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
. The area now forms part of the 1000 acres (404.7 ha) River Lee Country Park
River Lee Country Park
The River Lee Country Park is located in the Lee Valley Park and is managed by the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority. Covering acres on either side of the River Lee Navigation between Waltham Abbey and Broxbourne...
and the Turnford and Cheshunt Pits
Turnford and Cheshunt Pits
The Turnford and Cheshunt Pits is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the English counties of Hertfordshire and Essex and covers a total of 428.17 acres . -Location:...
SSSI
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
.
Education
Cheshunt has four secondary schools: St Mary's High School (C.E.); Cheshunt SchoolCheshunt School
Cheshunt School is a secondary school and sixth form for boys and girls, located in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, UK.-General information:Cheshunt School is a mixed Foundation school for students aged 11 to 18 years at Cheshunt in Hertfordshire. It has 1015 students on roll, including 165 students...
; Goffs School
Goffs School
Goffs School is a language secondary school and sixth form college located in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England with around 1,200 students. The school was awarded 'Language College' status in the late 1990s....
; and Turnford School
Turnford School
Turnford School is a secondary school in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England. The current head teacher is Jo Gant. It is a Specialist Sports College....
.
The non-conformist theological college Cheshunt College, moved to Cheshunt in the 1790s from Trevecca, Brecknockshire
Brecknockshire
Brecknockshire , also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, and a former administrative county.-Geography:...
. It moved to Cambridge in 1905. Between 1909 and 1968 the buildings were occupied by the Church of England's Bishop's College. Since 1972 they have been council offices.
Music
Cheshunt's best-known son is the rock singer Cliff RichardCliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
and the town was also home to the band Unit 4 + 2
Unit 4 + 2
Unit 4 + 2 were a British pop band, who had a number one hit in the UK Singles Chart in 1965 with the song "Concrete and Clay". The track topped the UK chart for one week.-Early days:...
whose song Concrete and Clay
Concrete and Clay
"Concrete and Clay" is the title of a 1965 #1 hit single recorded by the UK pop group Unit 4 + 2: the song was written by group membersTommy Moeller and Brian Parker....
topped the UK charts in 1964. UFO
UFO (band)
UFO are an English heavy metal and hard rock band, who were formed in 1969. UFO became a transitional group between early hard rock and heavy metal and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal...
drummer Andy Parker was born in the town in the 1950s.
The popular underground band Neils Children
Neils Children
Neils Children is an English post-punk band, founded by John Linger and Brandon Jacobs .-Career:Neils Children formed in 1999 at Harlow College in Essex, where John Linger and Brandon Jacobs were studying with Richard Hawkins...
, who have recently gained attention, originally hail from Cheshunt.
Gary Prosser, singer in 90's Epic Pop Indie band Ballroom hails from Cheshunt.
Sport
Cheshunt has its own football Club in Cheshunt F.C.Cheshunt F.C.
Cheshunt Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Cheshunt, Hertfordshire and currently playing in the Isthmian League Division One North.-Original club:...
who play in the Isthmian League Division One North. Founded in 1946, their most famous player was Iain Dowie
Iain Dowie
Iain Dowie is a former footballer and manager. He is currently without a club. He has previously managed Hull City and Queens Park Rangers and was assistant manager of Newcastle United...
who played for them in the 1980s.
The town also has long-established rugby and cricket clubs and a publicly-owned 18-hole golf course.
Road
Cheshunt is located on the A10 trunk road (also known locally as the Great Cambridge Road) which provides links to the M25M25 motorway
The M25 motorway, or London Orbital, is a orbital motorway that almost encircles Greater London, England, in the United Kingdom. The motorway was first mooted early in the 20th century. A few sections, based on the now abandoned London Ringways plan, were constructed in the early 1970s and it ...
Junction 25, as well as to Enfield
London Borough of Enfield
The London Borough of Enfield is the most northerly London borough and forms part of Outer London. It borders the London Boroughs of Barnet, Haringey and Waltham Forest...
, London and the famous university city of Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
.
Bus
Cheshunt has a mixture of commercial and Hertfordshire County Council contract services. Most buses operate to Waltham CrossWaltham Cross
Waltham Cross is the most southeasterly town in Hertfordshire, England. It is 12 miles from the City of London and immediately north of the M25 motorway, forming part of the Greater London Urban Area and London commuter belt. Part of Waltham Cross is located within Greater London.-Geography:It is...
(where there are links to north London and Essex), Hoddesdon
Hoddesdon
Hoddesdon is a town in the English county of Hertfordshire, situated in the Lea Valley. The town grew up as a coaching stop on the route between Cambridge and London. It is located southeast of Hertford, north of Waltham Cross and southwest of Bishop's Stortford. At its height during the 18th...
and Broxbourne
Broxbourne
Broxbourne is a commuter town in the Broxbourne borough of Hertfordshire in the East of England with a population of 13,298 in 2001.It is located 17.1 miles north north-east of Charing Cross in London and about a mile north of Wormley and south of Hoddesdon...
. The towns of Hertford
Hertford
Hertford is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. Forming a civil parish, the 2001 census put the population of Hertford at about 24,180. Recent estimates are that it is now around 28,000...
, Harlow
Harlow
Harlow is a new town and local government district in Essex, England. It is located in the west of the county and on the border with Hertfordshire, on the Stort Valley, The town is near the M11 motorway and forms part of the London commuter belt.The district has a current population of 78,889...
, Cuffley
Cuffley
Cuffley is a village in the Welwyn Hatfield district of south-east Hertfordshire located between Cheshunt and Potters Bar. It has a population of just over 4,000 people. Politically, Cuffley is part of Broxbourne Constituency in the House of Commons, and sends a Councillor to Hertfordshire County...
, Potters Bar
Potters Bar
Potters Bar is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire, England, located north of Central London. In 2001 it had a population of 21,618....
, and Waltham Abbey
Waltham Abbey, Essex
Waltham Abbey is a market town of about 20,400 people in the south west of the county of Essex, in the East of England region. It is about 24 km north of London on the Greenwich Meridian and lies between the River Lea in the west and Epping Forest in the east. It takes its name from The Abbey...
are also linked to Cheshunt. Buses are operated by Arriva
Arriva
Arriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
, Centrebus, Metroline
Metroline
Metroline, owned by ComfortDelGro Corporation of Singapore, is one of many companies operating bus services in London under the management of London Buses.-Company history:...
or Sullivan Buses
Sullivan Buses
Sullivan Buses is a bus operating company based in South Mimms, Hertfordshire, England. Founded in 1999, it operates local bus services in and around Hertfordshire including school services; rail replacement bus services in and near London; bus links in Surrey to and from Thorpe Park; and vehicle...
.
Rail
Trains from Cheshunt railway station run into Liverpool Street and Stratford, with connections to the London UndergroundLondon Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
Victoria Line
Victoria Line
The Victoria line is a deep-level London Underground line running from the south to the north-east of London. It is coloured light blue on the Tube map...
at Tottenham Hale
Tottenham Hale station
Tottenham Hale, is a National Rail and London Underground Victoria Line station in Tottenham, north London. It is on Hale Road near the Tottenham Hale one-way gyratory system...
and Seven Sisters
Seven Sisters station
Seven Sisters station is a National Rail and London Underground Victoria Line station in the Seven Sisters area of the London Borough of Haringey, north London.The station is in Travelcard Zone 3....
. Away from London, Cheshunt trains serve Broxbourne
Broxbourne railway station
Broxbourne railway station, opened in 1840, serves Broxbourne in Hertfordshire, England. It is on the West Anglia Main Line, and train services are provided by National Express East Anglia, who also manage the station.-History:...
, Hertford East
Hertford East railway station
Hertford East railway station is one of two stations in Hertford in Hertfordshire, England. The station is 39 km north of London Liverpool Street. It is fifteen minutes' walk from Hertford North station....
, Stansted Airport
Stansted Airport railway station
Stansted Airport railway station serves London Stansted Airport in Essex, England.It is situated at the end of a short branch from the West Anglia Main Line. The branch was constructed at a cost of £44 million and opened in 1991, to coincide with the completion of the airport's new terminal building...
and Cambridge
Cambridge railway station
Cambridge railway station is a railway station serving the city of Cambridge in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located at the end of Station Road, off Hills Road, 1 mile south-east of the city centre...
.
Other nearby stations include Waltham Cross
Waltham Cross
Waltham Cross is the most southeasterly town in Hertfordshire, England. It is 12 miles from the City of London and immediately north of the M25 motorway, forming part of the Greater London Urban Area and London commuter belt. Part of Waltham Cross is located within Greater London.-Geography:It is...
, Theobalds Grove
Theobalds Grove railway station
Theobalds Grove railway station serves Waltham Cross in Hertfordshire, England. It is part of the Lea Valley Lines network, and train services are provided by National Express East Anglia.-History:...
, Enfield Lock
Enfield Lock
Enfield Lock is an area in the London Borough of Enfield, North London. It is approximately located east of the Hertford Road between Turkey Street and the Holmesdale Tunnel overpass, to the River Lee Navigation, including the Enfield Island Village. The locality gains its name from the lock on the...
, Cuffley
Cuffley railway station
Cuffley railway station serves the village Cuffley in the Welwyn Hatfield district in Hertfordshire. It also serves other surrounding settlements, namely Goffs Oak, Northaw and the west of Cheshunt. The station opened in 1910 on the Hertford Loop Line between Enfield Chase and Hertford North as...
. Oakwood
Oakwood tube station
Oakwood is a London Underground station on the Piccadilly Line. It is the second most northerly station on the line, between Southgate and Cockfosters stations, and is in Travelcard Zone 5...
and Cockfosters
Cockfosters tube station
Cockfosters is a London Underground station on the Piccadilly Line for which it is the northern terminus. The station is located on Cockfosters Road approximately 9 miles from central London and serves Cockfosters in the London Borough of Barnet although it is actually located a short distance...
tube stations, on the Piccadilly Line
Piccadilly Line
The Piccadilly line is a line of the London Underground, coloured dark blue on the Tube map. It is the fifth busiest line on the Underground network judged by the number of passengers transported per year. It is mainly a deep-level line, running from the north to the west of London via Zone 1, with...
, are located further afield.
Cycle
The SustransSustrans
Sustrans is a British charity to promote sustainable transport. The charity is currently working on a number of practical projects to encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport, to give people the choice of "travelling in ways that benefit their health and the environment"...
National Cycle Route 1 passes through Cheshunt as part of its route connecting Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
to Shetland.
Proposed cycle bridge over A10
As part of the Connect2Connect2
Connect2 is a project run by Sustrans to develop new walking and cycle routes in 79 communities around the UK.- Project :Connect2 is a five year project run by Sustrans. It involves the creation of new cycle and walking routes, bridges and other facilities in 79 locations around the UK...
project a proposal is in place to create a new cycle link over the A10. The scheme involves the building of a new cycle bridge over the A10 and connecting paths to link Theobalds Lane with Lieutenant Ellis Way. The scheme aims to be complete in time to coincide with the opening of the new St Marys High School and has an estimated cost of £1.7m. £500,000 of this cost is funded by the Big Lottery Fund
Big Lottery Fund
The Big Lottery Fund is a grant-making non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom created by the Government to administer the funding of "good causes" following the creation of the National Lottery. It has an annual expenditure of £630 million...
via the Connect2 project. Planning permission has been granted for the scheme and it is currently in the design process.
Notable people
- Michael Birch, founder of BeboBeboBebo is a social networking website launched in July 2005. It is currently owned and operated by Criterion Capital Partners after taking over from AOL in June 2010....
- Michael DobbsMichael DobbsMichael Dobbs, Baron Dobbs is a British Conservative politician and best-selling author.-Background:Michael Dobbs was born on 14 November 1948 in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, the son of nurseryman Eric and Eileen Dobbs. He was educated at Hertford Grammar School and Christ Church, Oxford University....
, writer and politician - Billy Joe SaundersBilly Joe SaundersBilly Joe Saunders is a British professional boxer, who after a distinguished junior career qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.-Career:...
, boxerBoxingBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds... - Richard CromwellRichard CromwellAt the same time, the officers of the New Model Army became increasingly wary about the government's commitment to the military cause. The fact that Richard Cromwell lacked military credentials grated with men who had fought on the battlefields of the English Civil War to secure their nation's...
, died in Cheshunt - Queen Elizabeth I - as Princess Elizabeth, lived here in her younger life
- Ralph Creed MeredithRalph Creed MeredithThe Ven. Ralph Creed Meredith, M.A., was an Anglican Cleric who succeeded Edward Keble Talbot as Chaplain to His Majesty, King George VI and afterwards Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II...
- Chaplain to George VI and Elizabeth II
External links
- Lee Valley Youth Hostel
- Additional Information about Cheshunt
- Lee Valley Park
- Cheshunt History
- Broxbourne Borough Council
- Lowewood Museum
- North Met fishery
- Cheshunt Comrades Club