Harlow

Last updated

Harlow
Town and non-metropolitan district
Bird by Hebe Comerford.jpg
Harlow Water Gardens
Harlow UK locator map.svg
Shown within Essex
Coordinates: 51°46′44″N0°07′41″E / 51.779°N 0.128°E / 51.779; 0.128
CountryFlag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Constituent country Flag of England.svg England
Region East of England
Ceremonial County Essex
Government
 • Type Non-metropolitan district
 • Governing body Harlow District Council
 • Control Labour and Co-operative
 •  MP Chris Vince
Area
 • District
11.79 sq mi (30.54 km2)
Population
 (2021 census)
 • District
93,300
 • Density8,330/sq mi (3,216/km2)
 •  Urban
93,580
  [1] [2]
Ethnicity (2021)
[3]
 •  Ethnic groups
List
Religion (2021)
[3]
 •  Religion
List
Postal code
CM17–CM20
ONS code 22UJ
Website www.harlow.gov.uk

Harlow is a town and local government district located in the west of Essex, England. Harlow was a small town until the mid-20th century. In 1947 it was designated as a new town. Housing estates, industrial areas and a new town centre were subsequently developed, lying mostly to the west and south of the old town, which became known as Old Harlow.

Contents

The town lies on the south bank of the River Stort, which also forms the county boundary with Hertfordshire. The M11 motorway passes to the east of the town. At the 2021 census the Harlow built up area had a population of 93,580 and the local government district had a population of 93,300.

Toponymy

The place name Harlow is Old English, but its meaning is uncertain; "army hill" or "temple hill" are both possible. The second element comes from hlaw, meaning "mound" or "hill", but the original meaning of the first element is not clear. One theory is that it derives from here meaning "army". A Bronze Age bowl barrow to the south of Mulberry Green reputedly served as the meeting place for the Harlow hundred in medieval times. This ancient mound may therefore have been described as an "army hill". [4] [5]

An alternative theory is that the first element is hearg meaning a temple or holy place, and that the mound or hlaw in question is not the one near Mulberry Green, but an Iron Age burial mound sometimes known as Stanegrove Hill, south of River Way. A Roman temple is known to have been built on this mound around 80 AD, so it may have been called a "temple hill". [6] [7] [8]

History

Early history

Some Neolithic and Bronze Age finds have been found in the area, with more substantial evidence of occupation from the late Iron Age onwards. [8] Excavations at the Iron Age mound at Stanegrove Hill have additionally found some features from the Paleolithic era, and evidence that flint tools were made at the site during the Mesolithic era. [9] [10]

In Roman times, Harlow was the site of a small town. [11] As well as the temple at Stangrove Hill, a Roman villa stood to the north of Old Oak Way. [12]

Harlow before the new town

The Domesday Book of 1086 lists four estates or manors at the vill of Herlaua. The vill also gave its name to one of the hundreds of Essex. [13] [14] The manors were not individually named in the Domesday Book, but the largest of the four, owned by Bury St Edmunds Abbey, was later recorded as Harlowbury. [8]

Tower of the Church of St Mary and St Hugh, seen from Churchgate Street Village street and church, Churchgate Street - geograph.org.uk - 1216791.jpg
Tower of the Church of St Mary and St Hugh, seen from Churchgate Street

No church or priest is explicitly mentioned at Harlow in Domesday Book, but a church is known to have been built on the site of the current parish church around 1044, probably replacing an earlier church on the site. [15] The current church was built in the mid-12th century. It was initially dedicated to St Mary, but is now jointly dedicated to St Mary and St Hugh. [8] The building has been significantly remodelled and extended on numerous occasions, leaving little older fabric visible. [16]

In 1218 the Abbots of Bury St Edmunds secured a market charter, allowing for a weekly market and annual fairs to be held at Harlow. [8] Whereas the church is on Churchgate Street, possibly indicating the earliest centre of the settlement, [15] the market was established 0.7 miles (1.1 km) to the west, in a new market place between Market Street and Fore Street. The annual fair was held in the large open space of Mulberry Green, in between Churchgate Street and the market place. [17]

In Old Harlow is a field named Harlowbury, a de-settled monastic area which has the remains of a chapel, a scheduled ancient monument. [18]

A mill is mentioned in the Domesday Book. The current Harlow Mill, now a restaurant, is a 300-year-old listed building. [19]

Kingsmoor House on Paringdon Road is a Grade II* listed building and dates from the 18th century. It was built as a gentleman's residence and owned by local families including the Risden, Houblon and Todhunter families. It was later used as a private school and council offices before falling derelict. [20] It has since been restored and converted into residential apartments.

Harlow's original market did not endure. It seems to have ceased operating sometime between 1592 and 1600, possibly as a result of the decline in the wool trade. The market was re-established in the early 19th century, but ceased operating again in 1850. [8] [17]

The main road from London to Bishop's Stortford historically came into the old town from the south via London Road, turned sharply east at the market place to run along High Street, then turned north again at Mulberry Green to follow the road now called Old Road to reach the bridge over the River Stort by Harlow Mill. A shorter road from the market place to the bridge was built around 1830, later known as Station Road. As thus shortened, this north-south route became the A11 from London to Norwich. [17]

Harlow railway station opened in 1841 on the Northern and Eastern Railway from London to Bishop's Stortford, which was later extended to Cambridge. [21] Another station to the west called Burnt Mill also opened with the line, serving a small hamlet of that name. [22]

Prior to the designation of the new town in 1947, Harlow was usually described as a small town, although it was sometimes referred to as a large village. [23] [24] [25]

The New Town

Harlow was one of several new towns to be built around a pre-existing settlement; it was designated a new town on 25 March 1947. [26] It was one of several new towns built under the New Towns Act of 1946, passed after World War II to ease overcrowding in London and the surrounding areas due to the devastation caused by the bombing during the Blitz. Other post-war new towns included Basildon, Stevenage and Hemel Hempstead. The master plan for Harlow was drawn up in 1947 by Sir Frederick Gibberd. [27] [28] The town was planned from the outset and was designed to respect the existing landscape. Sylvia Crowe, the landscape architect, worked on Harlow New Town between 1948 and 1958. A number of landscape wedges - which later became known as Green Wedges - were designed to cut through the town and separate the neighbourhoods of the town. The development incorporated the market town of Harlow, now a neighbourhood known as Old Harlow, and the villages of Great Parndon, Latton, Tye Green, Potter Street, Churchgate Street, Little Parndon, and Netteswell. Each of the town's neighbourhoods is self-supporting with its own shopping precincts, community facilities and pubs. Gibberd invited many of the country's leading post-war architects to design buildings in the town, including Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya, Leonard Manasseh, Michael Neylan, E C P Monson, William Crabtree, Maxwell Fry, Jane Drew, Graham Dawbarn, H. T. Cadbury-Brown and Gerard Goalen. Goalen designed his first church in the town, Our Lady of Fatima, which is a Grade II* listed building. [29]

Harlow shopping centre in June 1963 Harlow shopping centre June 1963 01.jpg
Harlow shopping centre in June 1963

The site for the new town centre was closer to the small Burnt Mill station than Harlow station. Burnt Mill station was rebuilt at a much larger scale, and was renamed Harlow Town on completion of the new station in 1960. The old Harlow station was renamed Harlow Mill at the same time. [30] [31]

Harlow has one of the most extensive cycle track networks in the country, connecting all areas of the town to the town centre and industrial areas. [32] The cycle network is composed mostly of the original old town roads. The town's authorities built Britain's first pedestrian precinct, [33] and first modern-style residential tower block, The Lawn, [34] [35] constructed in 1951; it is now a Grade II listed building. Gibberd's tromp-l'oeil terrace in Orchard Croft and Dawbarn's maisonette blocks at Pennymead are also notable, as is Michael Neylan's pioneering development at Bishopsfield. The first neighbourhood, Mark Hall, is a conservation area. From 1894 to 1955 the Harlow parish formed part of the Epping Rural District of Essex. [36] From 1955 to 1974, Harlow was an urban district. [37] On 1 April 1974 the parish and urban district was abolished and it became an unparished area. [38]

Mosaic by John Piper in St Paul's Church Piper mosaic, St Paul's Church, Harlow.jpg
Mosaic by John Piper in St Paul's Church

The town centre, and many of its neighbourhood shopping facilities have undergone major redevelopment, along with many of the town's original buildings. Subsequently, many of the original town buildings, including most of its health centres, the Staple Tye shopping centre and many industrial units have been rebuilt. Gibberd's original town hall, a landmark in the town built in 1958, was demolished and replaced by Harlow Civic Centre and The Water Gardens shopping area in the 2000s. [39] One significant survivor from the initial development of Harlow New Town is the Church of England Church of St Paul situated in the town centre. Built between 1957 and 1959 by Derrick Humphrys and Reginald Hurst in a modernist style, it is now a Grade II listed building. [40] Inside it preserves a large mosaic made by John Piper in 1960-61 depicting Jesus at Emmaus. [41] [42]

Redevelopment

The Newhall housing development built circa 2007 between Old Harlow and Church Langley The Chase - geograph.org.uk - 400869.jpg
The Newhall housing development built circa 2007 between Old Harlow and Church Langley

Since becoming a new town, Harlow has undergone several stages of expansion, the first of which was the "mini expansion" that was created by the building of the Sumners and Katherines estates in the mid-to-late seventies to the west of the existing town. Since then Harlow has further expanded with the Church Langley estate completed in 2005, and its newest neighbourhood Newhall has completed the first stage of its development, with the second stage underway in 2013. The Harlow Gateway Scheme, also completed, first involved the relocation of the Harlow Football Stadium and the building of a new hotel, apartments and a restaurant adjacent to Harlow Town railway station. Phase 2 of this scheme involved the construction of 530 eco-homes on the former sports centre site and the building of the Harlow Leizurezone adjacent to the town's college in the early 2010s.

Other major developments under consideration include both a northern and southern bypass of the town, and significant expansion to the north, following the completed expansion to the east. The Harlow North [43] plans, currently awaiting permission, involve an extension of the town across the floodplains on the town's northern border, into neighbouring Hertfordshire. The plan was supported by former MP Bill Rammell, all three political groups on Harlow Council, and the East of England Regional Assembly. It is opposed by Hertfordshire County Council, East Herts Council, Mark Prisk, MP for Hertford and Stortford in whose constituency the development would be, and all the parishes concerned. The opposition is coordinated by a local group based in neighbouring East Hertfordshire. [44] An attempt to have Harlow North designated an "Eco Town" was rejected by the Minister for Housing, Caroline Flint MP, in April 2008.

The south of the town centre also underwent major regeneration, with the new Civic Centre being built and the town's famous Water Gardens being redeveloped in the 2000s, a landscape listed by English Heritage. Despite this development, the main shopping area of the town has been stagnating for some time, not helped by the closure of two of the Harvey Centre's anchor tenants – BHS and M&S.

In 2004, Harlow businessman Mo Ghadami won his High Court case to block a multimillion-pound extension of the town's Harvey Centre. The Iranian-born entrepreneur, who presented his case in person, persuaded Mr Justice Richards to quash Harlow DC's grant of planning permission for the development. In his judgment he backed Mr Ghadami's claim of 'apparent bias or predetermination' in the decision, as a result of the continued participation of Michael Garnett, the chairman of the planning committee, in the planning process after he had attempted in telephone calls to persuade Mr Ghadami to consent to the scheme. [45]

In 2011, the government announced the creation of an enterprise zone in the town. [46] Harlow Enterprise Zone consists of two separate sites under development, at Templefields and London Road, with the London Road site divided into north and south business parks. [47]

In 2022, Harlow Council was awarded £23.7 million from the government's Towns Fund to be used for several large investments in the town. These include the development of a new bus station and transport hub, regeneration of Broad Walk in the town and a new sustainable transport corridor between the town centre and Harlow Town station. The majority of these works are underway as of mid 2024, with completion of the programme expected by March 2026. [48]

Permitted development (office to residential) flats

A government policy to allow developers to convert office space to residential has led to a proliferation of new 'rabbit hutch'-sized flats, [49] [50] which are then let to London-borough waiting-list families. These are erected under permitted development rights which mean the local authority cannot refuse planning permission. [51]

Environment

A major feature of Harlow New Town is its green spaces; over one third of the district is parkland or fields containing public footpaths. One of the original design features of Gibberd's masterplan is the Green Wedges in the town, designed to provide open space for wildlife and recreation and to separate neighbourhoods. 23% of the district is designated as Green Wedge. The Green Wedges are protected from inappropriate development, through the Local Plan. [52]

The town is entirely surrounded by Green Belt land, a land designation which originated in London to prevent the city sprawling, and 21% of the district is allocated as Green Belt. [52] The National Planning Policy Framework states that one of the purposes of Green Belt land is to protect unrestricted sprawl from large built-up areas. [53]

Harlow Town Park, at a size of 71.6-hectares (just under 1 km2), is one of the largest urban parks in the country. The multi-functional park has been used for recreation and enjoyment for over 50 years. This park is in the centre Netteswell ward and is between the town centre and the railway station, both of which are within walking distance of the park, which is a natural thoroughfare from the station to the town centre.

There are only 12 parks with significant post-war element on the English Heritage 'Register of Parks'. With these Harlow is seen as one of the first examples of a civic scheme to marry the modern science of town and country planning.[ citation needed ]

Economy

Harlow was originally expected to provide a majority of employment opportunities in manufacturing,[ citation needed ] with two major developments of The Pinnacles and Templefields providing the biggest employers in the region; as with the rest of the country, this manufacturing base has declined and Harlow has had to adjust.

The original manufacturing took the form of a biscuit factory, on the Pinnacles. Owned and run as a co-op, it provided employment to the town for over 50 years, before closing in 2002. It has since been demolished and the site now has small industrial units. At its peak, the factory employed over 500 people.[ citation needed ]

Raytheon and GlaxoSmithKline both have large premises within the town. In July 2017 Public Health England had bought the vacant site from GSK (GlaxoSmithKline) hoping to move altogether 2,745 jobs there, of which about 500 are from Porton Down. [54]

Nortel had a large site on the eastern edge of the town, acquired when STC was bought in 1991, and it was here that Charles K. Kao developed optical fibre data transmission. Nortel had a much reduced presence prior to the firm's closure in 2013. The site now is host to electronics, education and housing companies.

One of Europe's leading online golf stores, Onlinegolf, is based in Harlow.

Unemployment is frequently around 10%,[ citation needed ] higher than the national average in the UK. Harlow also has a large number of people in social housing, almost 30% [55] of dwellings being housing association and local authority owned, and many more privately rented.

Governance

Harlow Civic Centre, The Water Gardens The Water Gardens, Harlow (geograph 5164305).jpg
Harlow Civic Centre, The Water Gardens

There are two tiers of local government covering Harlow, at district and county level: Harlow Council and Essex County Council. The district council has been controlled by the Conservative Party since 2021. It is based at Harlow Civic Centre at the Water Gardens in the town centre. [56]

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Harlow since the 2024 general election is Labour Chris Vince. He defeated Conservative candidate Hannah Ellis with a majority of 2,504 (5.8%).

In 2015 Harlow was the first town in Britain to take out a district wide injunction against unauthorised encampments by Travellers. [57] However following a court hearing in July 2020 Harlow Council withdrew the injunction. [58]

Transport

Railway

Harlow is served by two railway stations: Harlow Town and Harlow Mill; both are served by trains between London Liverpool Street and Cambridge. Harlow Town is also a stop on the Stansted Express, providing frequent services between London and Stansted Airport. All trains serving both stations are operated by Greater Anglia.

There are also frequent bus services from the town centre to Epping tube station, which is on London Underground's Central line.

In 2021, Harlow District Council proposed extending the Central line from its eastern terminus at Epping to Harlow. It argued this would reduce travel times to Epping and London, and help with efforts add 19,000 new homes to the town and expand the population to 130,000. However, no funding has been allocated for this proposed extension. [59]

Road

Harlow can be accessed from junctions 7 and 7a of the M11 motorway, which runs from London to Cambridge. Junction 7 provides links to the southern areas of town, such as Church Langley and Potter Street. Junction 7a, located close to Old Harlow, began construction in 2020 and opened in 2022. [60] The M11 motorway was planned originally to run to the west of Harlow, not to the east as it does today. Having planned for one of the two big industrial estates to be built to the west of the town for easy motorway access, Sir Fredrick Gibberd was appalled when the motorway was eventually built to the east of the town instead, describing it as "just about the most monstrous thing to ever happen to me as a planner" during a 1982 interview. [61]

The M11 motorway places the town within a short distance of Stansted Airport, the A120 to Braintree via Great Dunmow, and the orbital M25 motorway.

Running through the town is the A414, a major road between Hemel Hempstead and Maldon; it links the town with the A10 to the west, which runs between London and King's Lynn. Another major road running from Harlow is the A1184, which leads to the nearby town of Bishop's Stortford via Sawbridgeworth.

Air

Bishop's Stortford is the closest large town to Stansted Airport, though Harlow is only 10 miles (16 kilometres) from this major transport hub and therefore provides several hundred airport employees. The airport operator withdrew a planning application for a second runway after the General Election of 2010, when all major political parties opposed it. Further plans to expand the airport to boost capacity were proposed in 2020, but were rejected by Uttlesford District Council. [62]

Bus

Harlow bus station Harlow bus station (geograph 3445799).jpg
Harlow bus station

Harlow bus station provides a focal point for the town's extensive bus network and serves as a regional hub for the local area. The current site was constructed between 2001 and 2003, containing 15 stands and a small visitor information centre. [63]

In July 2022, Harlow Council unveiled plans to completely rebuild the bus station at a cost of £15M, along with the construction of a brand new integrated transport and cycle hub. [64] Planning permission for the project was granted in January 2023, with construction beginning in May 2024. [65] [66]

Arriva Herts & Essex operate a large number of local routes within the town. key destinations outside of Harlow include Bishop's Stortford, Stansted Airport and Chelmsford. Arriva also operate the Greenline 724 route, providing a service between Harlow and Heathrow Airport via Hertford and Watford. [67]

Central Connect also operate several local services within Harlow, as well as connections to other nearby towns, such as Epping, Ongar, Cheshunt and Waltham Abbey. [68] First Essex operate a small number of routes. There is also a National Express coach service between Stansted Airport and Oxford via Luton and Milton Keynes. [69]

Harlow First Avenue Multi-Modal Corridor

Harlow First Avenue Multi-Modal Corridor
Harlow developments.png
Developments in and around Harlow.
LocationEssex
ProposerEssex County Council
Cost estimate£4.4 million (2008)
Completion dateFebruary 2010
Geometry KML

Essex County Council was involved in development to Harlow's First Avenue, which was intended to reduce congestion and create better transport connections between the Newhall housing developments. The scheme was implemented in two phases, each phase focusing on developing First Avenue on either side of Howard Way. Phase two had an estimated cost of £4.4 million and was due to be completed in early 2010, phase one is already complete and is listed as having had £3.6 million of funding from the Community Infrastructure Fund (CIF). [70] The scheme includes construction of a shared use cycleway and development to the bus service along First Avenue and into the Newhall development site where 'high quality bus' services between Harlow town centre and Harlow Town railway station are listed as part of the intentions of the development.

Healthcare

Harlow is served by the NHS Princess Alexandra Hospital, situated on the edge of The High, which is the main Town Centre area of Harlow. This hospital has a 24-hour Accident & Emergency and Urgent Care Centre.

Plans for the hospital to be rebuilt were first put in place in 2019. In May 2023, it was announced that the facility would be rebuilt by 2030 as part of a £20bn pledge by the government. [71] Following Labour's victory at the 2024 United Kingdom general election, these plans have currently been placed under review. [72]

Education

Harlow contains seven state-funded secondary schools:

St. Nicholas School is a private school in the town while Harlow College [80] provides sixth form and further education. St Mark's West Essex Catholic School and BMAT STEM Academy also provide sixth form education.

Brays Grove Community School and Specialist Arts College closed down in June 2008 due to decreasing pupil numbers over a number of years. Following the schools closure, the site was demolished and redeveloped into a £23 million state of the art Academy which Passmores School and Technology College relocated to in September 2011 opening as Passmores Academy. [81]

In the 1980s, a further two secondary schools were closed, Latton Bush (now a commercial centre and recreational centre) and Netteswell (now forms part of the Harlow College Campus) [82] is a major further educational centre, covering GCSEs, A-Levels, and many vocational subjects including Hair and Beauty Therapy, Construction, Mechanics, ICT, and a new centre for engineering recently opened. The college is currently under major regeneration and is due to open a new university centre in partnership with Anglia Ruskin University, covering mostly Foundation degrees in a variety of subjects relevant to local employers' needs.

An international campus of Memorial University of Newfoundland is located in Old Harlow.

Passmores Academy was where the first school TV series, Educating Essex, was filmed. The episodes were broadcast from September to November 2011; they were produced in the 2010–2011 academic year.

Sir Frederick Gibberd College

Named after the prominent architect associated with Harlow, Sir Frederick Gibberd College opened in 2019. [83] Built (to a design by HLM Architects) [84] by Caledonian Modular from 198 prefabricated modules, the school was forced to close in August 2023 due to concerns about structural irregularities. [85] [86] The DfE blamed poor workmanship for the structural issues; the school had not been built in accordance with its original architectural design. [84] HLM said the firm had raised concerns with Caledonian's approach to the technical delivery of the designs, both for Sir Frederick Gibberd College and for Haygrove School in Bridgwater; "Unable to resolve our differences, we parted company with Caledonian and the projects were delivered by others." [87] In December 2023, the DfE confirmed that the college would be demolished and rebuilt. [88]

Sport and leisure

Cricket

Harlow Town Cricket Club was formed in 1960 as Stort Cricket Club and plays at Ash Tree Field. The club plays in division 2 of the Shepherd Neame Essex League, runs a junior section that play in the West Essex District Cricket Board League and has a girls team which play other girls teams in the county.

Harlow Town Cricket Club's Pavilion recently underwent a six figure refurbishment to promote women's and disabled cricket in Harlow and the whole of Essex. Essex County Cricket Club Ladies and disability sections use the club as well as the England disability teams.

Harlow has four cricket clubs. Harlow Cricket Club play in Division 3 of the Shepherd Neame Essex League and is based in Old Harlow. The club runs a junior section that play in the West Essex District Cricket Board League. Netteswell and Burnt Mill Cricket Club are based at Harlow Cricket Club, they are a social team that was founded around 1889. Near neighbours Potter Street and Church Langley Cricket Club play in the Herts and Essex League.

Football

The town's football club Harlow Town F.C. play in the Isthmian League South Central Division, having been relegated from the Premier Division in the 2018–19 season.

The club is best known for its extended run in the 1979-80 FA Cup, where they reached the Fourth Round of the competition. This included wins against established Football League sides Southend United and most famously a 1–0 win over Leicester City in a replay, having drawn 1–1 at Filbert Street. Harlow were eventually eliminated by Watford, narrowly losing 4–3.

The club built a new stadium in 2006 at Barrows Farm, now named The Harlow Arena, with the old Harlow Sports Centre being converted into housing.

Les Smith, a Harlow resident, represented Great Britain at the 1992 Barcelona Paralympic Games. Les became one of the first disabled people to become a qualified football coach in 1993.

Greyhound racing

The Harlow Greyhound Stadium has been at its present site for over 20 years and has regular race meetings each week as well as hosting other sporting events. [89]

Rugby Union

Harlow Rugby Football Club moved from Ram Gorse near The Pinnacles to a new location in mid 2017 located on Howard Way, Latton Bush, Harlow. The former site of the club has been turned into a housing estate affectionately called Ram Gorse Park. The first team plays in the London and South East Division IIl North East league. Currently, the training grounds are located near Pennymead.

Other sports facilities

The town has a leisure facility named the Harlow Leisurezone, built in the late 2000s next to Harlow College as part of the Gateway Project, which replaced the old Harlow Sports Centre, opened in 1960. [90]

In the 2010s, investments have included its skate-park next to Burnt Mill Academy. The project has been funded by the investment of over £300,000, largely from Harlow Council with £57,500 from Sport England. The park is floodlit. The 650sq metre park is made from concrete, and has a bowl as well as a street course which contains quarter pipes, flat banks, rails and steps.

Art and culture

Trigon by Lynn Chadwick, in Harlow Town Centre Trigon, Harlow (25996639083).jpg
Trigon by Lynn Chadwick, in Harlow Town Centre

Harlow is the home to a major collection of public sculptures (over 100 in total) by artists such as Auguste Rodin, Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Gerda Rubinstein and Ralph Brown. Many of these are owned by the Harlow Art Trust, an organisation set up in 1953 by the lead architect of Harlow Frederick Gibberd. Gibberd had idealistic notions of the New Town as a place where people who might not normally have access to art could enjoy great sculptures by great artists on every street corner. Consequently, almost all of Harlow's sculpture collection is in the open air, in shopping centres, housing estates and parks around the town. [91]

In 2009, Harlow Council voted to celebrate Harlow's collection of sculpture by branding Harlow as 'Harlow Sculpture Town – The World's First Sculpture Town'. Harlow Sculpture Town began as an initiative from Harlow Art Trust, presenting itself as 'Sculpture Town', in a similar way to Hay-on-Wye's presentation of itself as Booktown. [92] [93]

As part of the 'Sculpture Town' branding, Harlow is also home to the Gibberd Garden, the former home of Frederick and Patricia Gibberd, which is a managed twentieth-century garden, and home to some of the Gibberd's private sculpture collection. [94] The Gibberd Gallery, in the Civic Centre, contains a collection of twentieth-century watercolours and temporary exhibitions.

The Playhouse Theatre, shown in 2006 The Playhouse, Harlow - geograph.org.uk - 140524.jpg
The Playhouse Theatre, shown in 2006

Harlow's Playhouse Theatre is in the town, which hosts shows and live comedy throughout the year and is the home to local community Arts group "Livewire Theatre" which has provided free arts access to young people since 2001.

Harlow has a local museum, which hold exhibitions and which contains artefacts on Harlow's historic past, charting the story of the town through the ages. Harlow Museum is in Muskham Road, and is set within the grounds of a sixteenth-century manor building with walled gardens. The museum is run in conjunction with the Essex Records Office (ERO) which holds family history archives in the search room. Admission to the museum is currently free, but visitors are encouraged to make a donation to ensure future maintenance of services.

The Town of Harlow and Harlow New Town are cited in the song "Get 'Em Out by Friday", by progressive rock group Genesis, on their 1972 album Foxtrot .

The album Pram Town , described as a "folk opera", is a concept album about Harlow by Darren Hayman and the Secondary Modern. [95]

Harlow was home to The Square, named one of the Top 10 Small Venues in the UK by NME, [96] but the venue was closed due to re-development of the site, and was demolished in 2018.

Media

Harlow is within the BBC London and ITV London region. Television signals are received from Crystal Palace TV transmitter, [97] BBC East and ITV Anglia can also be received from the Sandy Heath TV transmitter. [98]

Local radio stations are BBC Essex on 95.3 FM, Heart East (formerly Ten-17) on 101.7 FM, and Harlow Hospital Radio which broadcast to hospital patients at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in the town. [99]

Local newspapers are Harlow Guardian in print and Your Harlow that publishes online. [100] [101]

Channel 4's TV show of Educating Essex (2011) was filmed at Passmores Academy during the 2010/11 academic year.

People from Harlow

Twin towns

Harlow is twinned with:

Arms

Coat of arms of Harlow
Notes
Originally granted to Harlow Urban District Council on 27 September 1957.
Crest
On a wreath of the colours in front of a dexter cubit arm vested in a white shirtsleeve the cuff rolled back the hand grasping an axe a demi cogwheel all Proper.
Escutcheon
Vert between three lozenges Argent a pair of dividers Or enfiled by a mural crown also Argent two flaunches of the last each charged with a mascle Gules.
Motto
In Common Endeavour [102]

References

  1. ↑ "Population and household estimates, England and Wales: Census 2021". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  2. ↑ "Towns and cities, characteristics of built-up areas, England and Wales: Census 2021". Census 2021. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  3. 1 2 UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Harlow Local Authority (E07000073)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics . Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  4. ↑ "Harlow". Key to English Place-Names. University of Nottingham. Retrieved 26 December 2025.
  5. ↑ Historic England. "Bowl barrow, 240m N of The Kennels (1017474)". National Heritage List for England .
  6. ↑ Moss, John (2020). A History of English Placenames and where they come from. Pen and Sword Books. p. 195. ISBN   9781526722874 . Retrieved 26 December 2025.
  7. ↑ Historic England. "Harlow Roman temple (Grade 1002182) ({{{num}}})". National Heritage List for England .
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Powell, W. R., ed. (1983). A History of the County of Essex: Volume 8. London: Victoria County History. pp. 131–149. Retrieved 26 December 2025.
  9. ↑ Bartlett, Richard (1989). The Temple of Minerva, Harlow: 1989 Interim Report (PDF). Harlow Museum. p. 1. Retrieved 26 December 2025.
  10. ↑ Medlycott, Maria (2016), Harlow Temple: Bartlett excavation archive, Essex Heritage Trust, Essex Society For Archaeology And History, Harlow Museum, Archaeology Data Service, doi:10.5284/1040799
  11. ↑ Burnham, Barry C.; Wacher, J. S. (1990). The Small Towns of Roman Britain. Los Angeles: Berkeley. pp. 186–187.
  12. ↑ Historic England. "Roman villa 500m north east of Harlowbury (1014738)". National Heritage List for England .
  13. ↑ Powell-Smith, Anna. "Harlow". Open Domesday. Retrieved 26 December 2025.
  14. ↑ "Essex D–K". The Domesday Book Online. Retrieved 26 December 2025.
  15. 1 2 Churchgate Street Conservation Area (PDF). Harlow Council. 2025. pp. 6–7. Retrieved 26 December 2025.
  16. ↑ Historic England. "Parish Church of St Mary and St Hugh (Grade II) (1111740)". National Heritage List for England .
  17. 1 2 3 Old Harlow Conservation Area Character Appraisal (PDF). Harlow Council. 2013. pp. 10–18. Retrieved 26 December 2025.
  18. ↑ Historic England. "Chapel south-west of Harlowbury in grounds (Grade I) (1111694)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  19. ↑ Historic England. "Harlow Mill Restaurant (Grade II) (1111737)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  20. ↑ "Kingsmoor House - Harlow - May 2011". Derelict Places. 25 May 2011.
  21. ↑ Moore's Monthly Magazine: Volume 31. 1925. p. 19. Retrieved 26 December 2025.
  22. ↑ Powell, W. R., ed. (1983). "Parishes: Netteswell". A History of the County of Essex: Volume 8. London: Victoria County History. pp. 206–213. Retrieved 26 December 2025.
  23. ↑ White, William (1848). History, Gazetteer, and Directory of the County of Essex. p. 286. Retrieved 26 December 2025.
  24. ↑ Smith, Edward (1871). County Gazetteers of England: Essex. London: Samuel Palmer. p. 37. Retrieved 26 December 2025.
  25. ↑ Kelly's Directory of Essex. 1914. p. 291. Retrieved 26 December 2025.
  26. ↑ "No. 37918". The London Gazette . 28 March 1947. p. 1451.
  27. ↑ Gardens Guide Archived 20 October 2004 at the Wayback Machine – Frederick Gibberd
  28. ↑ New town, a name change and all the jazz BBC News web site
  29. ↑ Historic England. "Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of Fatima (Grade II*) (1246733)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  30. ↑ Historic England. "Harlow Town Station including platform structures (Grade II) (1117351)". National Heritage List for England .
  31. ↑ Gordon, D. I. (1968). A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: The Eastern Counties. p. 116. Retrieved 26 December 2025.
  32. ↑ "Harlow Cycle Map" (PDF). Harlow Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  33. ↑ Memorial University – Department of Geography Archived 21 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine – Harlow's History and Geography
  34. ↑ English Heritage – The Lawn
  35. ↑ BBC News Archived 7 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine – Redeveloping Essex's fallen utopia
  36. ↑ Vision of Britain Archived 9 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine – Harlow parish
  37. ↑ Vision of Britain Archived 9 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine – Harlow UD
  38. ↑ "Harlow Registration District". UKBMD. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  39. ↑ "Harlow Water Gardens". 20th Century Society. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  40. ↑ "Church of St Paul, including attached bell tower, church hall, flat, raised pavement and steps, Harlow". British Listed Buildings. Historic England. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  41. ↑ "St Paul, Harlow". Twentieth Century Society. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  42. ↑ "John Piper, Road to Emmaus". Art and Christianity. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  43. ↑ Ropemaker Properties Limited Archived 5 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine – Harlow North
  44. ↑ "Page Redirection". www.stopharlownorth.com. Archived from the original on 5 January 2007. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  45. ↑ "HARLOW PLANNING COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN'S CALLS TO OBJECTOR UNDER SCRUTINY". lgcplus.com. 3 August 2004. Archived from the original on 27 March 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  46. ↑ "New 'enterprise zones' announced around England". BBC News Online. 17 August 2011. Archived from the original on 22 September 2014. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  47. ↑ "Essex County Council get first hand experience of Harlow Enterprise Zone". Harlow Star. 17 January 2015. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  48. ↑ "Towns Fund | Harlow Council". www.harlow.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  49. ↑ Jones, Rupert (11 February 2017). "Welcome to rabbit-hutch Britain, land of the ever-shrinking home". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  50. ↑ Jones, Rupert (25 August 2018). "As small as 13 sq metres: are these the worst new flats in Britain?". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  51. ↑ Jones, Rupert (16 March 2019). "Is Harlow being used to 'socially cleanse' London?". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  52. 1 2 Harlow Council. "Green Wedge Review" Archived 7 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine , April 2014.
  53. ↑ DCLG. "National Planning Policy Framework" Archived 10 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine , March 2012.
  54. ↑ Harlow site to be home to government's public health arm Archived 16 February 2018 at the Wayback Machine BBC News,9 July 2017
  55. ↑ Harlow District Council Archived 23 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine – Harlow: A Comparison with Essex 2001 Census
  56. ↑ "Contact us". Harlow Council. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  57. ↑ Le Bas, Damian (2018). The Stopping Places: A journey through Gypsy Britain. Chatto & Windus. p. 158. ISBN   9781784741037.
  58. ↑ Lewis Berrill (18 July 2020). "Traveller campaigners welcome withdrawal Harlow's injunction". Epping Forest Guardian . Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  59. ↑ "Harlow's addition to London Underground proposed by council". BBC News. 11 August 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  60. ↑ "M11 Junction 7a | Essex County Council". www.essexhighways.org. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  61. ↑ Gibberd, Fredrick. "Sir Fredrick Gibberd's - Harlow New Town 1982". Youtube. Archived from the original on 29 April 2018.
  62. ↑ "Stansted Airport: Council criticised for rejecting expansion plan". BBC News. 15 July 2022. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  63. ↑ "Bus station | Harlow Council". www.harlow.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  64. ↑ Staff Reporter (4 July 2022). "Plans for redevelopment of Harlow bus station unveiled". Your Harlow. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  65. ↑ "Harlow £15m bus station redevelopment plans approved". BBC News. 13 January 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  66. ↑ Staff Reporter (8 May 2024). "Works start on rebuild of Harlow Bus Station and Terminus Street". Your Harlow. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  67. ↑ mbH, HaCon Ingenieurges. "Harlow to London Heathrow Airport". Arriva Shires & Essex . Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  68. ↑ "Vectare - Local and School Bus Services". localbus.vectare.co.uk. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  69. ↑ "National Express Route 737, Oxford to Stansted Airport — National Express Timetables". timetables.nationalexpress.com. 6 August 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  70. ↑ "Harlow, First Avenue, Multi-Modal Corridor, Phase 2" (PDF). November 2008. Retrieved 14 October 2009.[ permanent dead link ]
  71. ↑ "'Ageing' Harlow hospital to be rebuilt by 2030". BBC News. 25 May 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  72. ↑ "MSN". www.msn.com. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  73. ↑ "200 invalid-request". www.stewardsschool.co.uk. Archived from the original on 13 December 2006. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  74. ↑ Mark Hall Academy Archived 8 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  75. ↑ "Welcome to St Mark's - St Mark's West Essex Catholic School". www.st-marks.essex.sch.uk. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  76. ↑ "Home - Burnt Mill Academy". www.burntmill.essex.sch.uk. Archived from the original on 18 January 2007. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  77. ↑ "Welcome - Passmores Academy". www.passmoresacademy.com. Archived from the original on 10 October 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  78. ↑ "Welcome to Sir Frederick Gibberd College". www.sirfrederickgibberdcollege.org. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  79. ↑ "Burnt Mill Co-operative Academy Trust". www.sircharleskaoutc.com. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  80. ↑ "Harlow College - Home". www.harlow-college.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 2 January 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  81. ↑ "Passmores School and Technology College - New school". Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2010. – Information on new school on the Passmores School and Technology College website. 25 October 2010
  82. ↑ "Harlow College - Home". harlow-college.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 21 August 2006. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  83. ↑ "Sir Frederick Gibberd College". BMAT. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  84. 1 2 Lowe, Tom (24 August 2023). "Government launches wider probe into Caledonian Modular after school closures". Building. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  85. ↑ Morby, Aaron (22 August 2023). "£29m modular-built secondary school shuts over structural fears". Construction Enquirer. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  86. ↑ Aaron, Morby (24 August 2023). "Risk of collapse in 'high winds' shuts Caledonian Modular schools". Construction Enquirer. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  87. ↑ Weinfass, Iain (29 August 2023). "HLM walked off school projects being built by unsafe contractor". Architects' Journal. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  88. ↑ Morby, Aaron (5 December 2023). "Three Caledonian Modular-built schools to be demolished". Construction Enquirer. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  89. ↑ Stadium, Harlow Greyhound Racing. "Harlow Greyhound Stadium - London Greyhound Racing - Greyhound Race Nights". www.harlowgreyhounds.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  90. ↑ "Harlow Penguins". Harlow Penguins. Archived from the original on 20 February 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  91. ↑ Whiteley, Gillian: Sculpture in Harlow, Harlow Art Trust, 2005
  92. ↑ Harlow Herald, 31 March 2009[ page needed ]
  93. ↑ http://www.harlowarttrust.org.uk Archived 8 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine Harlow Art Trust
  94. ↑ http://www.thegibberdgarden.co.uk Archived 9 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine see Gibberd Garden
  95. ↑ "Pram Town". Hefnet. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
  96. ↑ "Finalists revealed in NME's search for Britain's Best Small Venue with Jack Daniel's 2015". NME. 10 November 2015. Archived from the original on 7 October 2016.
  97. ↑ "Full Freeview on the Crystal Palace (Greater London, England) transmitter". UK Free TV. 1 May 2004. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  98. ↑ "Full Freeview on the Sandy Heath (Central Bedfordshire, England) transmitter". UK Free TV. 1 May 2004. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  99. ↑ "Harlow Hospital Radio" . Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  100. ↑ "Harlow Star". British Papers. 8 May 2014. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  101. ↑ "Your Harlow" . Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  102. ↑ "East of England Region". Civic Heraldry of England. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.