As mortgage rate rises make the cost of living and property for sale in Hertford hard to afford…
… the good news is that the best things in Hertford are still FREE!
Those of us with property for sale Hertford and those staying put to weather the mortgage rate storm are all in the same boat. Absolutely everything is much, much more expensive than it was a year ago… Or a month ago, come to that! And if you’re anything like us, you’re getting tired of being advised to ‘tighten your belt’ and cut down on luxuries. So here’s some good news for a change. One of the many great things about living in the Hertford area is that it’s so beautiful – you can enjoy yourself for free simply by looking around! And better still, the county town is steeped in history. So you have a massive historical treasure trove and a wealth of natural beauty right on your doorstep – and yours to enjoy to your heart’s content and all for free.
In Hertford itself, there’s Hertford Castle, home to Hertford Town Council, originally built around 1066 by the Normans and later enlarged in the 1170s as part of the defences of London by Henry II who built the great stone walls you can still see today (but presumably not in person). In 1304, the castle became a royal palace and much later, in the time of the great plague – years 1564, 1582 and 1592 – it was home to parliament and the law courts. Equally fascinating and steeped in history is St Leonards Church, another Norman building, dating back some 800 years and still with its 14th century oak door. Like Hertford Castle, the church welcomes visitors!
To find out more about Hertford’s fascinating historical attractions, Hertford Museum is well worth a visit. But of course, the area’s appeal isn’t just historic… Hertford Castle’s grounds are an idyllic spot for a picnic or to pass a pleasant afternoon, as is Hartham Common, both of which have children’s play areas. The vast open spaces of Hartham common follow the Rivers Bean and Lea towards Ware, and in the broad flood plain are ‘The Meads’ – more tracts of common land with a towpath/cycle path following the Lea, which bustles with narrowboats. Here wild swimming fans can find a couple of spots noted for excellent swimming – and at one of them, at the confluence of the Bean and the Lea, some friendly fellow swimmers have installed a ladder to help you down the bank and into the water.
A couple of other Hertford beauty spots, ironically, owe their existence to gravel extraction, and Panshanger Park and Waterford Heath are both great places for long country walks in beautiful undulating landscapes with pools and lakes and an abundance of wildlife.
For a small, historic market town, Hertford punches way above its weight when it comes to historic interest and natural beauty. In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised if many of the own’s long-standing residents were unaware of some of its secret treasures. As suggested above, why not drop into Hertford Museum or indeed the Town and Tourist Information Centre to find out more about free things to do in the town we love to live in!