This time took my road warrior skills to go again to jolly England with the Le Shuttle train service (see post), and my Ford ; a trip of 2043 km or aprox 1269 miles, towing along my good boys and wonderful Rex! It was a very nice trip going into the countryside and seeing several towns of wonderul architecture and history, This one was our home base with a rental apartment/flat and was very spacious and an even better location, we enjoyed it fully, Therefore, let me tell you about curiosities of Hemel Hempstead, England !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The Jellicoe Water Gardens a pretty garden promenade along the Gade river with a serpentine walkway surrounded by a massive flower garden,A canal with delicate bridges carries visitors from the town car parks to the shopping centre.The canalside walk has balconies projecting over the water. Underlying the design is the form of a serpent with a howdah strapped to its back.
The Old Town Hall théatre at High Street from its very beginning in 1978 it has been creating a theatre experience for everyone. Proudly standing in the heart of Hemel Hempstead’s Old Town High Street since 1852 From hosting famous faces from the world of comedy, to showcasing the work of emerging and critically acclaimed performers, The Old Town Hall boasts a varied and high quality programme for local audiences of all ages.
A market place was established in the old town under a charter awarded by Henry VIII in 1539. By the early 19th century the market hall took the form of a long range of corn lofts, which stood on pillars, so that markets could be held underneath. A courtroom was established at the north end and a town hall was erected at the centre of the structure in 1825 the old structure were demolished in 1851. and the new building that is the central section of the current structure was designed in the Jacobean style, built with red brick and stone dressings and completed later that year The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with five bays facing onto the High Street; the middle bay featured a portico with Corinthian order columns supporting a balcony and a bay window on the first floor with a gable above ,The new building was extended to the north along the High Street, with arcading on the ground floor, to create a corn exchange in 1861 with a four-stage tower which included an octagonal upper stage, to create municipal offices in 1868 ,The town hall continued to serve as the headquarters of the local municipal borough council for much of the 20C, but ceased to be the local seat of government after a new civic centre, was completed in 1966.] Instead the town hall was used for theatre performances from 1978 and was refurbished for use as an arts centre in 1986
The official Old Town Hall Theatre : https://oldtownhall.co.uk/
The Old Town in Hemel Hempstead has buildings dating back to the 1500s, though it is believed there has been settlement here since Roman times. Henry VIII used to rampage his way through here, and had a hunting lodge nearby, plus there are rumours of secret tunnels and trysts with Anne Boleyn. He is reputed, as is Anne, to haunt at least one building in the Old Town. The neighborhood has a mix of architectural styles, from half-timbered Tudor buildings, to Georgian shops and apartments to the Victorian splendour of the rebuilt Corn Market, In the picture we were driving along Queensway in the Old Town,
The district Council on Hemel Hempstead history : https://thinkhemel.com/discovering-hemel/history/
The Herfordshire area tourist office on Dacorum (Hemel): https://www.visitherts.co.uk/see-and-do/destinations/dacorum/
There you go folks , do dare drive in jolly England, it’s an adventure of a lifetime, and you will be back !!! as we have lol! Until another round chasing Sherlock we will be saying elementary my dear Watson to you all. Again, hope you enjoy this post on curiosities of Hemel Hempstead, England !!! as I
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 