Welwyn Garden City facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Welwyn Garden City |
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 View to the northwest from the Parkway Fountain |
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 Welwyn Garden City
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| Population | 51,505 (2021 Census) |
| OS grid reference | TL245135 |
| • London | 20 mi (32 km) |
| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Welwyn Garden City |
| Postcode district | AL7, AL8 |
| Dialling code | 01707 |
| Police | Hertfordshire |
| Fire | Hertfordshire |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament |
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Welwyn Garden City (
i/ˈwɛlɪn/ WEL-in) is a town in Hertfordshire, England. It's about 20 miles (32 km) north of London. It was the second "garden city" in England, started in 1920. It also became one of the first "new towns" in 1948. This makes it special, showing how towns were planned in the past.
Contents
History of Welwyn Garden City
Welwyn Garden City was created by Sir Ebenezer Howard in 1920. He had already tried out his ideas in Letchworth Garden City. Howard wanted to build towns that combined the best parts of cities and the countryside. He aimed to avoid the problems of both. His goal was to create 'The Perfect Town'.
The Garden Cities and Town Planning Association described a garden city as:
- A town designed for healthy living and work.
- It should be big enough for a good social life, but not too large.
- It must be surrounded by a rural area, like a green belt.
- All the land should be owned by the public or held for the community.
In 1919, Howard found suitable land in Hertfordshire. A company called Second Garden City Limited was formed to buy the land. They started developing the town in October 1919. At first, they thought of naming it Digswell, after a nearby village. But they soon changed their minds. On April 29, 1920, the company became Welwyn Garden City Limited. The first house was ready just before Christmas 1920.
The town has wide, tree-lined streets. Its centre has a neo-Georgian style. Welwyn Garden City even has special laws to protect its environment. Every road has a wide grass area. The main street is Parkway, a long central parkway almost a mile long. People once said the view along Parkway was one of the world's best urban sights. Older homes are on the west side of Parkway, and newer ones are on the east.
The first planners wanted everyone to shop at one store, called Welwyn Stores. This was a monopoly, meaning it was the only option. Over time, more shops opened, bringing more choice. In 1984, John Lewis Partnership took over Welwyn Stores.
In 1948, Welwyn Garden City was named a "new town." This meant the government helped plan its growth. The town was seen as a successful example of community planning.
The New QEII Hospital opened in 2015. It offers services like check-ups and care for new parents.
The Howard Centre, a shopping mall, was built in the 1980s. It includes a new railway station.
People are still interested in the idea of garden cities today. They see them as a way to create sustainable communities.
On the edge of Old Welwyn village, you can visit the Welwyn Roman baths. They are preserved under a motorway junction.
The Welwyn Garden City Society works to keep the town's original garden city feel.
The international Focolare movement has its main British office here.
In 2008, there was an incident at a construction site. It caused damage and led to health and safety investigations.
In 2020, Welwyn Garden City celebrated its 100th birthday. Some celebrations were affected by the Coronavirus pandemic.
How Welwyn Garden City is Governed
Welwyn Garden City is part of the Welwyn Hatfield Borough. It has seven local areas, called wards. It is in Hertfordshire county. The town is also part of the Welwyn Hatfield area for national elections. The Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council has its offices in Welwyn Garden City. The current Member of Parliament (MP) for Welwyn Hatfield is Andrew Lewin from the Labour Party.
Town's Past Administration
| Welwyn Garden City | |
| Geography | |
| HQ | Welwyn Garden City |
| History | |
| Created | 1 April 1927 |
| Abolished | 31 March 1974 |
| Succeeded by | Welwyn Hatfield |
| Demography | |
|---|---|
| 1931 population | 8,586 |
| 1971 population | 39,630 |
When the town was planned in 1920, the land was part of several different parishes. A new civil parish called Welwyn Garden City was created in 1921. This new parish was part of the Welwyn Rural District.
Welwyn Garden City Urban District
On April 1, 1927, Welwyn Garden City became an "urban district." This meant it had its own local government. New offices were built for the council in 1937. These offices were used until 1974.
In 1974, the Welwyn Garden City Urban District joined with other areas. They formed the new district of Welwyn Hatfield. Today, Welwyn Garden City is directly governed by the Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council. The old council offices are still used by the current council.
Welwyn Garden City's Climate
Welwyn Garden City has a mild climate, like the rest of the United Kingdom. It has warm summers and cool winters.
| Climate data for Welwyn Garden City | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 8 (46) |
9 (48) |
12 (54) |
14 (57) |
18 (64) |
21 (70) |
23 (73) |
20 (68) |
20 (68) |
16 (61) |
11 (52) |
8 (46) |
15 (59) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 5 (41) |
5 (41) |
6 (43) |
8 (46) |
10 (50) |
13 (55) |
15 (59) |
16 (61) |
13 (55) |
11 (52) |
8 (46) |
5 (41) |
10 (50) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 50.7 (2.00) |
39.9 (1.57) |
31.7 (1.25) |
46.2 (1.82) |
38.9 (1.53) |
46.4 (1.83) |
33.1 (1.30) |
43.6 (1.72) |
49.7 (1.96) |
70.7 (2.78) |
58.1 (2.29) |
56.9 (2.24) |
565.9 (22.28) |
Economy and Businesses
Welwyn Garden City has always been a place for businesses. Many companies have their offices or factories here. Some of them include:
- Henleys Medical Supplies Ltd
- Baxters
- British Lead Mills
- The Danish Bacon Company (DBC foodservice)
- HSBC's data centre
- Ocado
- PayPoint
- Roche
- Tesco has its head office at Shire Park. This is a large business park in the town.
- VEGA Group
- Welwyn Tool Group
Welwyn Garden City was once famous for making Shredded Wheat cereal. The old factory, with its tall white silos, is a well-known landmark. It was designed in 1924 and is a Grade II listed building. Production moved away in 2007. There are plans to redevelop the "Wheat Quarter" area. This will include new homes, offices, and shops.
The town is also a convenient place for people who work in London. They can live here and travel to the city.
Transport in Welwyn Garden City
Welwyn Garden City railway station is in the town centre. You can catch trains to London Moorgate and London King's Cross. Northbound trains go to Stevenage, Letchworth, and Cambridge. During busy times, there are also trains to Sevenoaks.
Buses are available from several companies. Key routes connect to:
Welwyn Garden City is also well-connected by major roads. The A1(M) motorway and the A414 road pass nearby. The historic Great North Road is also close.
Education in Welwyn Garden City
Welwyn Garden City has five secondary schools:
- Sherrardswood School
- Ridgeway Academy (a Sports College)
- Monks Walk School (a Science Academy)
- Knightsfield School for the Deaf
- Stanborough School (a Maths and Computing College)
There is also a campus of Oaklands College near the town centre.
Culture and Arts
The Welwyn Garden City Music Society started in 1921. Its choir and orchestra perform concerts regularly. The town also has a Concert Club for chamber music and a Male Voice Choir. The Welwyn Garden City Band was founded in 1934.
The Barn Theatre is a historic building. Welwyn Thalians, a local drama group, has been performing since 1929.
Media and News
Local news and TV shows come from BBC London and ITV London. You can also get BBC East and ITV Anglia.
Local radio stations include BBC Three Counties Radio and Heart Hertfordshire.
The Welwyn Hatfield Times is the town's local weekly newspaper.
Sport and Leisure
The Gosling Sports Centre offers many activities. It has a dry ski slope, golf range, tennis courts, football pitches, and a gym. There's also an athletics track and a velodrome.
The Welwyn Garden City football team, known as the Citizens, was founded in 1921.
Hatfield Hyde Cricket Club has been at King George V playing field since 1889. This field was even used by the England football team for training. During the 1966 World Cup, teams from France, West Germany, and Argentina stayed nearby.
There are three golf courses in the area: Panshanger, Mill Green, and Welwyn Garden City Golf Club. Famous golfer Nick Faldo was once a member of the Welwyn Garden City Golf Club.
The Digswell Park Sports Association includes the Welwyn Garden City Cricket Club and Bowls Club. The cricket club was founded in 1921.
The town also has a rugby club called Welwyn RFC.
Stanborough Park has a lake. It is home to the Welwyn Garden City Sailing Club and the WGC Angling Club.
Notable People
To learn about famous people from Welwyn Garden City, see List of people from Welwyn Garden City.
Images for kids
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View to the northwest from the Parkway Fountain
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View along the Parkway to the south from the memorial garden to Louis de Soissons in May 2017
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Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council Offices
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Welwyn Garden City Urban District Council coat of arms
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The Shredded Wheat factory as it was in 2007 while still in operation. The landmark Shredded Wheat sign, visible from trains arriving in Welwyn Garden City, has now been removed.
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Ths railway station with the Howard Centre behind it, May 2017
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Welwyn Garden City cinema and library in May 2017
See also
In Spanish: Welwyn Garden City para niños
