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HERTFORDSHIRE, often shortened into Herts, is an Alfred and the Danes. In the wars of the Roses three inland shire, in the south-east of , and is bounded great battles were fought here: in 1455 at St. Albans, on the north by Cambridgeshire, south by Middlesex, when the Lancastrians were vanquished; in 1461 at St. east by Essex, north-west by Bedfordshire, and south-east Albans, when the Yorkists were overthrown; and in by : it is of irregular form, of no peculiar 1468 at Barnet, when the Lancastrians were defeated. natural features, and lies between 51036' and ':20 5' of north The district is undulating, but can hardly be said to latitude, and O' IS' east and O' 45' west longitude: it is partake of a hilly character, the greatest rise being in One of the smallest shires in England, both for size and the chalk downs, about 908 feet high: these chalk population, though by no means inconsiderable: it downs are the continuation of the , and measures 37~ miles from east to west, and 31 from north bound the shire to the extreme north. The climate is to south, and the greatest length, which is from Royston mild, and the country, being well wooded and tilled, is to Rickmansworth, from north-east to south-west, is 39 picturesque. ll'he mineral characteristics of the dis­ miles. In consequeuce of a change of parishes, by which trict are neither varied nor important, and the medicinal the parish of Nettleden was transferred by the Local springs are few; they are at Barnet, Cuffley, near Governmenrt Board's Order, II June, 1895, from the Northaw, and . Chalk ia county of Bucks to t·his county, and part of Royston burnt for lime, and bricks are made. from Cambridgeshire, and the parish of Kensworth and The county is well watered by numerous and navi­ parts of Coddington and Studham were transferred, 1897, gable streams, on which are many mills. The rivers to Bedfordshire, and Holwell from Bedfordshire, the are principally small feeders of the Tham~s, except area of this county is n(}w 406,161 acres. The popu- those in the north, which flow towards the Ouse. The lation in 1881 was 203,069; in 1891 was was 220,162, viz., St{)rt forms the south-east boundary for a considerable 106,471 males, a,d II3,691 females: the number of distance, being navigable through that length, and houses were inhabitated, 45,285; uninhabited, .2,810; passes by Bishop's Stortford and to building, 393· In 1901 the population was 25°,35°, and join the Lee, whi~h river traverses the county from 53,272 inhabited houses. .Although the county town is west to east, rising ab Leagrave, in Bedfordshire, and within 20 miles bf London, yet the shire ha,rdly pllil'takes pursuing a total course, till its junction with the of the metropolitan character, but is almost exclusively Thames, of 50 miles; it is navigable at ; en­ agricultural. • tering the shire near , it passes near Hatfield Th~ history of presents few features of to below , where it receives the Maran importance. After the Euskardians had been driven out, or Mimram, a mill stream: at Hertford it receives the it was held by the Welsh and Belgians. At the time Beane, a mill stream, flowing from north to south, and of Cresar's inroad, it seems to have belonged to the Bel- soon after the Rib, also flowing from north to south, • gian tribe of the Cateuchlani, and perhaps the Trino- turning many mills, l'eceiving the Quin, and passing bantes held part. The Romans having taken the country, ; the Lee next receives the Ash, and ulti­ had a capital municipium at Verulamium, being one of mately the Stort, and pursues its navigable course along their chief towns in Britain; Watling Street passed the eastern border of the county, by to

through it, and roads branched out all round. In the year I' Waltham Abbey. The management of the navigable 61, Boadlcea, at the head of a number of British savages, river Lee is vested in trustees under several Acts of captured this town and slaughtered the population. By IParliament; the funds, which are considerable, arising the Ro'uans, Herts was included in the pr().vince of, from tolls, are wholly laid out in the improvement and Flavia. ' .ariensis: they had stations at Ad Fines, or maintenance o.f the navigation; in 1850 a Bill was passed Ermine ::ltreet (probably at ), and at Bishop for improving this navigation. The Colne, the other chief St(}rtford, Royston and C'heshunt; on lcknield Street, rivel' of the south, rises near Hatfield, and proceeds to at Wilbury Hill, they had a camp. Colney Street, where it receives a small brook; and a On the English taking the country, it seems to have little lower down takes in the Verlam, which passes by St. first formed a Commonwealth under the name of the Albans, turning some mills: it then passes , North Saxons, and was afterwards shared between the and receives the Gade, which is fed by the Bulboul'ne kingdoms of Essex, or the East Saxons and Mercia or from , and passing Rickmansworth receives the Mid-English; and it is thought the late boundary the Chess, thence flowing into Middlesex. The Gade between the dioceses of London and Lincoln formed the and the Lower Colne are nearly absorbed by the Grand boundary of the kingdom. The English settlers were Junction Canal. Some of the head springs of the mostly of the same clans as those in Middlesex and Thame rise near . 'I'he lvel rises at , and Essex. The great kings of the ~1iddle English dwelt a feeder of it near . The Hiz, passing near in the shire: it is remarkable for the number of" buries," , the Oughton and the Pirral, are feeders of the showing it was thickly settled by the English. There Ouse, flowing north into Bedfordshire, and are incon­ is a " bury" in each township, commonly a mile away from siderable streams. The Rhe~ or Rhee, rises near Ash­ the old homestead, now the town or . In 896 a well, and is a feeder of the Cam. severe contest took place in the county between King The New River is an artificial cut, made to convey HERTS. 1-