Hitchin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hitchin
View from Market Square in Hitchin, with St Mary's Church in the background
Hitchin
Population	35,220 (Built up area, 2021)
OS grid reference	TL181292
District	North Hertfordshire
Shire county	Hertfordshire
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	HITCHIN
Postcode district	SG4, SG5
Dialling code	01462
Police	Hertfordshire
Fire	Hertfordshire
Ambulance	East of England
EU Parliament	East of England
UK Parliament	Hitchin
List of places UK England Hertfordshire 51°56′49″N 0°16′59″W / 51.947°N 0.283°W / 51.947; -0.283

Hitchin is a lively market town in Hertfordshire, England. It has been around since at least the 7th century. The town sits in the valley of the River Hiz, near the Chiltern Hills. It is about 16 miles (26 km) north-west of Hertford and 35 miles (56 km) north of London. In 2021, about 35,220 people lived here.

Hitchin grew up around its market and the beautiful St Mary's Church. This church is on the west side of the River Hiz. South of the town centre, you'll find Hitchin Priory. This used to be a monastery from 1317. It was later turned into a large country house with big gardens.

Historically, Hitchin was a market town for local farms. Farmers grew crops and raised sheep. Lavender has also been grown in the fields around Hitchin for a long time. Early businesses in the town made products from lavender.

The Great Northern Railway built its main line through Hitchin in 1850. This line connected London King's Cross to York. Soon after, the Cambridge line opened, branching off just north of Hitchin. This made Hitchin an important railway hub. The A1 motorway also passes close by. Hitchin is popular with people who travel to work in other cities because it's easy to get to.

A Look at Hitchin's Past

Hitchin is first mentioned in a 7th-century document called the Tribal Hidage. It was the main place for the Hicce people. The name Hicce might mean "people of the horse." The old Icknield Way walking path runs just north of Hitchin. Some historians think Hitchin was where important early Christian meetings happened in 673.

By 1086, the Domesday Book described Hitchin as a Royal Manor. This means it was owned by the King. There is also evidence that the town once had an earth bank and ditch for protection. This was probably built in the early 900s. The way we spell "Hitchin" today first appeared in 1618.

Panel representing the foundational history of Hitchin mentioning: King Offa, the River Hiz and the Hicce tribe. Now on the front of Hitchin Library.

The town's name is also linked to the small River Hiz that flows through it. The river looks very pretty in front of St. Mary's Church. In old maps, the river is called the River Hiz. But the 'z' in old documents often stood for a 'tch' sound. So, it was probably pronounced "River Hitch." There's an 8-mile (13 km) walking path called The Hicca Way. People believe it was used for trade a long time ago.

St Mary's, the Hitchin parish church

St Mary's Church is very big for a town of Hitchin's size. It used to be a special church called a minster. Its size shows how well Hitchin did from the wool trade. It is the largest parish church in Hertfordshire. Most of the church was built in the 1400s. Its tower dates back to around 1190. In 1911, during floor repairs, older church foundations were found. These foundations suggest a church from the 600s was there first.

In 1697, Hitchin had one of the worst hailstorms ever recorded in Britain. Hailstones were reported to be over 4 inches (10 cm) wide.

Lavender fields near Hitchin

In the Middle Ages, open fields surrounded the town. Hitchin became rich from the wool trade, with sheep grazing on the nearby hills. By the 1600s, it was a stop for coaches traveling from London. When the railway arrived in the mid-1800s, Hitchin changed a lot. It became a major centre for grain trading after the Corn Exchange was built in 1853. Hitchin was also known for making products from lavender.

The late 1900s brought more changes to Hitchin. Motorways made travel faster, connecting Hitchin to cities like Luton and Cambridge. By the end of the 20th century, many people chose to live in Hitchin and travel to work.

During the medieval period, two religious houses were built: a priory (now The Biggin) and a friary (now Hitchin Priory). Both closed during Henry VIII's time. The Biggin was used as almshouses for many years.

The British Schools Museum in Hitchin has the only complete Lancasterian Schoolroom left in the world. It was built in 1837 to teach boys using a special method where older students taught younger ones. This museum shows how education for everyone began.

Girton College, a famous college for women, started in Hitchin in 1869. It was called the College for Women at Benslow House. It was placed away from Cambridge at first to avoid controversy. The college later moved to Cambridge and became Girton College.

How Hitchin is Governed

Hitchin is part of the North Hertfordshire district. It doesn't have its own town council. Instead, North Hertfordshire District Council directly manages the area. Hertfordshire County Council handles bigger services. Residents in Hitchin elect 13 members to the district council. These councillors meet as the Hitchin Committee.

Hitchin is represented in the UK Parliament by the Hitchin constituency. The current Member of Parliament (MP) is Alistair Strathern from the Labour Party.

Local Government History

For a long time, Hitchin was governed by its local church group, called a vestry. In 1850, a local board was set up to improve public health. This board built waterworks and new sewers. However, it faced problems and eventually stopped working.

Later, in 1873, a new board was formed to help the town govern itself. In 1894, this board became the Hitchin Urban District Council. This council took over the old Town Hall and built a new one in 1900. In 1921, the nearby area of Walsworth became part of Hitchin Urban District.

Hitchin Urban District Council was given its own coat of arms in 1936. In 1974, the Hitchin Urban District was ended. Hitchin then became part of the larger North Hertfordshire district.

Getting Around Hitchin

Trains

Hitchin railway station is on the East Coast Main Line. It's also where the Cambridge Line branches off. Trains from Hitchin go directly to Cambridge, Letchworth Garden City, Peterborough, and London Kings Cross. You can also get to St Pancras International, Gatwick Airport, and Brighton. A trip to London or Cambridge usually takes about 33 minutes.

Roads

The A505, A600, and A602 roads meet in Hitchin. The town is about 3 miles (5 km) from the A1(M) motorway and 10 miles (16 km) from the M1 motorway.

Air Travel

Hitchin is about 9 miles (14.5 km) from Luton Airport. There are direct bus services connecting the town to the airport.

Buses

Hitchin has many local bus services. These are run by companies like Arriva, Centrebus, and Stagecoach.

Learning in Hitchin

Hitchin has several primary schools. For secondary education, students can attend Hitchin Girls' School, Hitchin Boys' School, or The Priory School. There is also a campus of North Hertfordshire College in Hitchin. The Benslow Music Trust offers music education for adults. North Herts Music School, next to Hitchin Girls' School, provides music lessons for children.

The Emil Dale Academy, a drama school, used to be in Hitchin before moving to Letchworth. Students there can study for a degree in Musical Theatre.

The North Hertfordshire Museum has many items that tell the story of Hitchin and the surrounding area. The British Schools Museum is located in old school buildings from the Victorian era.

Fun and Community in Hitchin

The Queen Mother Theatre in the town

In 2013, The Times newspaper named Hitchin the 9th best town to live in the UK.

Hitchin holds an annual Arts and Music Festival with over 100 events. These include concerts, theatre shows, art exhibitions, and comedy. Since 2014, Hitchin has also hosted a yarn festival.

Music is a big part of Hitchin all year. Many places host live music. The Hitchin Folk Club is very old and respected. Hitchin Light Orchestra and Hitchin Symphony Orchestra often perform at St Mary's Church. Hitchin Band competes in brass band championships.

Club 85 is an independent music venue in town. It hosts many different bands and DJs.

Hitchin has three theatres. The Factory Playhouse is part of the Emil Dale Academy. They put on several musicals each year. The Market Theatre, Hitchin, is a professional theatre. It has comedy plays, thrillers, and jazz nights. The Queen Mother Theatre is home to local theatre groups like the Bancroft Players.

Hitchin Market is one of the biggest in the area. It has general markets on Tuesdays and Saturdays. There's a collectibles market on Fridays and a car boot sale on Sundays. Special markets for local produce and crafts are held monthly.

The town centre has many unique shops for food, drinks, and fashion. Hitchin has won awards for its town centre management. In 2019, it was a finalist for England in the Great British High Street Awards.

There are many groups for young people in Hitchin. These include the Air Cadets, Army Cadets, and Sea Cadets. There are also various scouting groups.

Hitchin is connected to two towns in other countries:

• Nuits-St-Georges, France
• Bingen am Rhein, Germany

Sports in Hitchin

Top Field, the home ground of Hitchin Town F.C.

Rugby

Hitchin Rugby Club started in 1954. It has rugby union teams for all ages, from 7-year-olds to adults. The club has over 500 members. A highlight was playing at Twickenham in a national cup final in 1993.

Football

Hitchin Town F.C. was formed in 1865 and restarted in 1928. It is one of only three clubs that played in the very first FA Cup. They are one of the oldest football clubs in England.

The team currently plays in the Southern League Premier Division Central. Their home ground is Top Field, which can hold 4,554 fans. They are known for sometimes beating higher-ranked teams, like Hereford United in 1994.

Jack Wilshere, a famous England footballer born in Hitchin, supports the club. He also runs a youth soccer school in the town.

Other Sports

Hitchin is home to Blueharts Hockey Club, which has many men's and women's teams. Hitchin Cricket Club has been important in the area since 1866.

Hitchin Swimming Club competes at local and regional levels. The Hitchin Nomads Cycling Club started in 1931. It has members who enjoy many types of cycling. Famous former members include Harold Briercliffe and Max Pendleton, whose daughter Victoria Pendleton won Olympic gold in cycling.

Team Trisports is a Hitchin-based triathlon club. It started in 2003. Hitchin Running Club was formed in 2008. It is a popular club for people of all running abilities.

Areas of Hitchin

• Bearton
• Benslow
• Poets Estate
• Purwell
• Sunnyside
• Walsworth
• West Hitchin
• Westmill

Nearby Places

Ickleford is a village just north of Hitchin. To the south are St Ippolyts, Charlton, and Gosmore. The closest towns are Letchworth, Baldock, Stevenage, and Luton.

Famous People from Hitchin

Hitchin on Screen

Mike Leigh's 1982 film Home Sweet Home for BBC Television was set in Hitchin.

Various scenes in Doctor Foster were filmed at the Market Square in Hitchin

Part of the 2010 BBC TV series Just William was filmed at the British Schools Museum.

Scenes from the BBC drama series Doctor Foster were filmed in Hitchin.

The Channel 4 science fiction TV series Humans was also filmed in the town.

Some BBC One "Lens" idents (short clips shown between programmes) have been filmed at Windmill Hill in Hitchin.

Scenes from the 2022 film My Policeman were filmed at Hitchin Swimming Centre.

In September 2023, scenes from series 2 of the ITV drama Tell Me Everything were filmed in Hitchin. Locations included Windmill Hill and outside St Mary's Church.

Media in Hitchin

Local news and TV shows come from BBC East and ITV Anglia. You can listen to local radio stations like BBC Three Counties Radio (95.5 FM) and Heart Hertfordshire (106.9 FM). The local newspapers are The Comet and Hertfordshire Mercury.

Images for kids

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  Town Hall, Brand Street, Hitchin

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  Coat of arms of Hitchin Urban District Council

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