Walsworth

Last updated

Walsworth
Walsworth Community Centre - geograph.org.uk - 1919237.jpg
Walsworth Community Centre
Hertfordshire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Walsworth
Location within Hertfordshire
Population7,877 (2011 Census. Hitchin Walsworth Ward) [1]
OS grid reference TL199301
District
Shire county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town Hitchin
Postcode district SG4
List of places
UK
England
Hertfordshire
51°57′23″N0°15′24″W / 51.95647°N 0.25656°W / 51.95647; -0.25656

Walsworth is a part of the town of Hitchin in Hertfordshire, England. It was originally a village about a mile north east of the town, and later became incorporated into it, although it is still referred to as a village by some locals. Hitchin Walsworth is one of five wards for the purposes of electing councillors to North Hertfordshire District Council. The ward includes the Purwell neighbourhood, south of Walsworth, which is named after the River Purwell.

Contents

Walsworth comes under the control of North Hertfordshire District Council with three elected Labour councillors, Kay Tart, Mike Hughson and Elizabeth Dennis.

Amenities

Walsworth has a primary school, Highover Primary School, and a community centre. Another primary school, Purwell JMI is within the ward, in the Purwell neighbourhood.

Walsworth has two pubs: The Millstream (formerly known as the Ship) on Cambridge Road next to the River Purwell, and the Anchor also on Cambridge Road, about 100 m to the East of the Millstream. Both pubs have been renovated in recent years. A third pub, The Sailor (formerly the Sailor Boy) on Woolgrove Road, opposite a playing field (Walsworth Common) was closed in 2013. On 29 May 2015, it caught fire, [2] shortly after which the local council approved plans to change the site into flats and a convenience store.

St Faith's Church lies at the centre of the ward at the crossroads on the A505 with Willian Road and Woolgrove Road, built in the 1890s by the Rev'd Gainsford as a Mission Church.

Governance

Walsworth was part of the ancient parish of Hitchin. It became a separate civil parish under the Local Government Act 1894, which stipulated that parishes could not straddle urban and rural districts. The parts of Hitchin parish outside the Hitchin Urban District therefore became the parishes of Langley, Preston, and Walsworth, with effect from the first parish meetings on 4 December 1894. The three rural parishes were included in the Hitchin Rural District. Walsworth ceased to be a separate civil parish in 1921, with the area being absorbed into Hitchin Urban District on 1 April 1921. [3] In 1911 the parish had a population of 592. [4] Walsworth has since then been administered as part of the town of Hitchin, although gives its name to one of the town's five electoral wards on North Hertfordshire District Council.

Culture

The Walsworth community festival takes place each May on Walsworth Common. Run by volunteers, it is held on a Sunday in the middle of the month. The Festival has been running since 1974, and has charity stalls, funfair rides and refreshments as well as live entertainment in the form of arena events and a music tent.

Nature

There is a nature reserve and recreational area at Purwell Meadows. [5] The areas alongside the River Purwell were once notorious for regular flooding although in recent years, drainage improvements associated with house building appear to have alleviated the problem. However, heavy rain has caused flooding at the Walsworth cross roads as recently as September 2011, causing the road to be closed by the college. Flooding to a depth of approximately 8 cm affects the entrance of Chaucer Way with the meadows adjoining Chaucer Way and Purwell Lane regularly becoming flooded to a depth of 20 cm (7.9 in).[ citation needed ] Since the construction of housing along the flood plain, the river can completely dry up during periods of drought.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hitchin</span> Market town in Hertfordshire, England

Hitchin is a market town in the North Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England. The town dates from the 7th century and is notable in the present day as being a commuter town for London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baldock</span> Town in Hertfordshire, England

Baldock is a historic market town in the North Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England. The River Ivel rises from springs in the town. It lies 33 miles (53 km) north of London and 14 miles (23 km) north northwest of the county town of Hertford. Nearby towns include Royston to the northeast, Letchworth and Hitchin to the southwest and Stevenage to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Hertfordshire</span> Non-metropolitan district in England

North Hertfordshire is one of ten local government districts in the county of Hertfordshire, England. Its council is based in Letchworth Garden City and the largest town is Hitchin. The district also includes the towns of Baldock and Royston and numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. Part of the district lies within the Chiltern Hills, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chigwell</span> Human settlement in England

Chigwell is a town and civil parish in the Epping Forest District of Essex, England. It is part of the urban and metropolitan area of London, and is adjacent to the northern boundary of Greater London. It is on the Central line of the London Underground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epping Forest District</span> Non-metropolitan district in England

Epping Forest District is a local government district in Essex, England. It is named after the ancient woodland of Epping Forest, a large part of which lies within the district. The district covers northeastern parts of the London urban area, including the towns of Epping, Loughton, Waltham Abbey, Chigwell, and Buckhurst Hill, as well as rural areas beyond it. The district is situated in the west of the county, bordering north-eastern Greater London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinxworth</span> Human settlement in England

Hinxworth is a village and civil parish in North Hertfordshire, England. It sits just off the Great North Road between Baldock and Biggleswade. It has a village hall, a park, a pub, a small church, a bus stop and a post box. The population at the 2011 Census was 313.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Ippolyts</span> Human settlement in England

St Ippolyts is a village and civil parish on the southern edge of Hitchin in Hertfordshire, England. It has a population of approximately 2,000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kimpton, Hertfordshire</span> Human settlement in England

Kimpton is a village in Hertfordshire, England, six miles south of Hitchin, seven miles north of St Albans and four miles from Harpenden and Luton. The population at the 2011 Census was 2,167.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graveley, Hertfordshire</span> Human settlement in England

Graveley is a village and civil parish about four miles east of Hitchin and two miles north of Stevenage in Hertfordshire, England. The population of the parish in the 2011 census was 487. A milestone in the village states that it is 33 miles from London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shephall</span> Human settlement in England

Shephall is a neighbourhood of the new town of Stevenage in Hertfordshire. It was formerly a separate village and parish, being absorbed into Stevenage in 1953.

Watford Rural is a civil parish in the Three Rivers District of Hertfordshire, England. Located approximately 14 miles (23 km) northwest of central London and adjacent to the Greater London boundary, it is an urbanised parish characterised by suburban residential development. The local council is Watford Rural Parish Council. The parish covers South Oxhey and Carpenders Park, which although part of the Watford urban area, are outside the borough of Watford. The parish was created in 1894 when the ancient Watford parish was split into urban and rural parishes. At the 2011 census it had a population of 20,867.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barley, Hertfordshire</span> Human settlement in England

Barley is a village and civil parish in the district of North Hertfordshire, England. According to the 2001 census, it has a population of 659, increasing to 662 at the 2011 Census. The place-name refers to a lea or meadow and not to the grain-producing plant. Coincidentally to the southwest lies the village of Reed. The Prime Meridian passes to the west of Barley, which is located on the Royston to Saffron Walden road, as well as the medieval London to Cambridge road.

Nuthampstead is a small village and civil parish in North East Hertfordshire located a few miles south of the town of Royston. In the 2001 census the parish had 139 residents, increasing to 142 at the 2011 Census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hitchin (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885–1983

Hitchin was a parliamentary constituency in Hertfordshire which returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reed, Hertfordshire</span> Human settlement in England

Reed is a small village and civil parish in North Hertfordshire. It is situated on a chalk ridge, approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) south of the market town of Royston. The Prime Meridian passes just to the east of the village, between Reed and Barkway. The modern A10 road passes just to the west of the village. The population of the parish was 310 at the time of the 2011 census.

Hitchin Rural District was a rural district in Hertfordshire, England from 1894 to 1974, covering an area in the north of the county.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wymondley</span> Human settlement in England

Wymondley is a civil parish in Hertfordshire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wareside</span> Civil parish in Hertfordshire, England

Wareside is a small village and civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district, in the county of Hertfordshire, England. The population of the civil parish in the 2011 census was 735. It is approximately 3 miles (5 km) away from the town of Ware and the larger town of Hertford, the county town. Nearby villages include Widford, Hunsdon, Babbs Green and Bakers End. Nearby hamlets include Cold Christmas and Helham Green. The B1004 road linking Ware to Bishop's Stortford goes through the village and the main A10 road can be joined up at Thundridge. Fanhams Hall Road links Wareside back to Ware. Ware railway station on the Hertford East Branch Line is located two and a half miles (4 km) away.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Langley, Hertfordshire</span> Human settlement in England

Langley is a hamlet and civil parish in the non-metropolitan district of North Hertfordshire and county of Hertfordshire. The population was 175 in the 2011 census. It is located four miles south of Hitchin, on the B656 road near the large town of Stevenage. Minsden Chapel lies within the parish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Purwell Meadows</span>

Purwell Meadows is an 8.6-hectare (21-acre) nature reserve in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England. It was declared a Local Nature Reserve in 1994. It is owned and managed by North Hertfordshire District Council.

References

  1. ↑ "North Hertfordshire Ward population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  2. ↑ "Controversial plans to turn the fire-damaged Hitchin Sailor Boy pub into flats have been approved". 26 June 2015. Archived from the original on 2 July 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  3. ↑ "Walsworth Hamlet / Civil Parish". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  4. ↑ "Population statistics Walsworth Hmlt/CP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time . Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  5. ↑ "Purwell Meadows". North Hertfordshire District Council. Archived from the original on 7 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
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.