Steve's World Blog Information and articles on cities, towns and villages around the world.

April 5, 2012

Harlow Essex

Filed under: England,History,United Kingdom — Tags: , , , , , — needahand @ 3:25 pm

Harlow Essex – Harlow is a town in Essex in south-east England. It was created in 1947 as a New Town from the towns of Harlow, Great Parndon, Latton, Little Parndon and Netteswell and today with some 80,000 inhabitants, is one of the largest north-eastern suburbs of London. Administratively, Harlow is both a town and district in Essex. Harlow was the first British town, which was equipped with a pedestrian zone in the town, also here in 1951 was the first residential tower in the country, now a listed building. Harlow is located approximately 30 km northeast of London’s city centre. It has a highway access to the M11 (London-Cambridge) and a station on the London-Cambridge line.The Harlow area has been inhabited since the Neolithic period, in Parndon was found an axe, which was dated to about 6000 BC. The place name Harlow indicates a foundation by the Anglo-Saxons. Harlow was in the Magna Carta and was mentioned as a typical rural village. Harlow is situated to the north-west of Chelmsford and also to the north-west of Brentwood.

View a map of Harlow, Essex here: http://www.my-towns.co.uk/harlow-map.html

December 18, 2010

Hoddesdon Hertfordshire

Filed under: England,History,United Kingdom — Tags: , , , , , — needahand @ 5:44 pm

A a small commuter town located in the valley of the River Lea in Hertfordshire, Hoddesdon has a population of 20,250, and is an ancient town which mostly developed as a stopping point for horse drawn coaches travelling between London and Cambridge, heading north on the Great North Road. Hoddesdon originated as a Saxon settlement probably deriving its name from the Old English or Danish, it was significant enough in the 11th century to be listed in the Domesday Book and later received a charter to hold a market. As the importance of horse drawn carriages declined, another industry provided income for the town in the form of gravel, though this ran out by the 1970’s, leaving water filled gravel pits providing water sports facilities for its modern day residents. Hoddesdon is just north of Broxbourne and surrounding villages include Roydon, Great Amwell, Hunsdon, Lower Nazeing and Stanstead Abbotts.

November 3, 2010

Cambridgeshire Attractions

Filed under: England,Travel,United Kingdom — Tags: , , , , , , — needahand @ 4:35 pm

A county in eastern England, well known for its Fens and its University city, Cambridgeshire has plenty of attractions for anyone planning to visit the county. The Fens which were once unusable and inhospitable, have long since been drained and now provide large areas of productive arable land that produces vast quantities of vegetables and fruit. A good first choice of places to visit would be Cambridge itself, the beautiful University city with large numbers of historic buildings, its Peterhouse College was founded in 1284, attractions in the city are many and varied, but you could choose from the Fitzwilliam Museum, the Cambridge Museum of Technology, and Cambridge University Botanical Garden. From Cambridge you could head for Ely, where one of the most beautiful cathedrals in England resides, dating from the early 11th century this stunning cathedral is a must visit place in Cambridgeshire, while in Ely you could also take a look at the Bishop’s Palace and the King’s School. From Ely, you could next head for Wisbech, famous centre of the spring bulb industry, this charming riverside town has some fine Georgian architecture, which makes it well worth a visit. In Wisbech head for Peckover House, a National Trust run property, built in 1722, it has superb interiors and a beautiful Victorian walled garden. From Wisbech you could head west to the city of Peterborough, standing on the River Nene. This city which is the centre of England’s brickmaking industry has a long history and another beautiful cathedral, this one built in the 12th century, and the burial place of Catherine of Aragon. Peterborough Cathedral boasts a magnificent west façade in Early English Gothic style. From Peterborough you could go next to Huntingdon (to the south of Peterborough), a charming town on the River Great Ouse, here you could take a look at the Cromwell Museum, ensconced in a former school in which the former Lord Protector of England was educated. Oliver Cromwell was actually born in Huntingdon and there are many references to him in the town, other places to visit include Hinchingbrooke House, originally an 11th century nunnery which later became home of the Cromwell family, and Huntingdon Racecourse where you can watch some excellent horse racing. From Huntingdon an obvious next stop would be St Neots, named after a Cornish monk (St Neot), this pretty town on the River Great Ouse has some delightful old coaching inns and a cathedral like church dating back to the 12th century. This concludes our brief tour around Cambridgeshire, I shall be back soon to write about other places in the county.

July 2, 2010

Bedford Lodge Hotel Newmarket

Filed under: England,hotels,United Kingdom — Tags: , , , — needahand @ 1:57 pm
Bedford Lodge Newmarket

Bedford Lodge Newmarket

If you are visiting the famous horse racing town of Newmarket, Suffolk, in the near future, you might want to consider staying at the luxurious Four Star Bedford Lodge Hotel, one of the finest establishments in the area. Offering luxurious suites, well appointed guest rooms and a calm peaceful atmosphere, the Bedford Lodge Newmarket will not disappoint as your choice of hotel in the town. It is also ideal for wedding events, offering a fantastic setting among 3 acres of rose gardens, which you can also walk around and enjoy when the weather is fine. Other facilities include Jacuzzi, sauna, steam rooms, indoor pool, health club and first class restaurant. Newmarket is the headquarters of UK horse racing and also the main centre for horse breeding, it is a historic market town, located in a beautiful part of the country. Rooms are available in the Bedford Lodge Newmarket from 120 pounds per night, book, relax and enjoy! Newmarket is located between Bury St Edmunds and Cambridge and is only 28 miles from Stanstead Airport.

Newmarket Street Map.

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