Hertfordshire

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Hertfordshire is a county in England. It is one of the so-called Home Counties, those counties that border or surround Greater London. The county is also surrounded by Essex, Cambridgeshire, Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire. The county town is Hertford; the oldest city is St Albans.

Leading towns (2001 census)[change | change source]

Settlement Population
Hemel Hempstead 82,074
Stevenage 80,973
Watford 79,726
St Albans 64,038
Welwyn Garden City 43,252
Cheshunt 38,726
Bishop's Stortford 34,929
Letchworth 32,746
Borehamwood 31,616
Hitchin 30,769
Harpenden 27,959
Hatfield 27,883
Hertford 24,180
Potters Bar 21,639

Education[change | change source]

Hertfordshire has 26 independent schools and 73 state secondary schools. The state secondary schools are entirely comprehensive, although seven schools in the south and southwest of the county are partially selective.

The University of Hertfordshire, formerly the Hatfield Polytechnic, is a modern university. It is mostly in Hatfield, and has more than 23,000 students.

Independent schools[change | change source]

Some of the most notable secondary schools are:

Fame & fortune[change | change source]

Hertfordshire has been home to many famous people, including George Michael and Geri Halliwell. Victoria Beckham, born in Essex, was raised near Broxbourne in Hertfordshire. The Beckhams bought a £2.5 million house in Sawbridgeworth when they married in 1999. They sold it last year to insurance entrepreneur Neil Uttley for £11.4 million.[1]

The richest person in Hertfordshire is Mike Ashley, a retailing tycoon. His fortune is estimated as £3,650 million.[1] He owns Newcastle United F.C. and has an 8.9% share in owning Glasgow Rangers F.C.

References[change | change source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Rich List, Hertfordshire Life, March 2015. p71