Hertford sits where four rivers meet and has plenty of character and charm.
The four rivers, the Lea, Mimram, Beane and Rib all merge at this popular town and are the perfect location for peaceful river walks and cycling.
It is known for its picturesque town square and, in recent years, as the birthplace of popstar George Ezra.
In fact, fans of the singer can visit the Old Barge where he worked for many years from the age of 16.
Originally the Saxon town was built by King Edward the Elder, son of Alfred the Great, in 912.
The castle was designed to resist the Danes and it grew after the Norman Conquest to become a royal fortress and royal residence, under a governor appointed by the King, according to hertford.gov.uk.
Nowadays only the red-brick, Georgian gate house remains of the castle, and it is the Town Council offices and a unique setting for many weddings and functions throughout the year.
In the centre of the town there remains period architecture and the War Memorial in the town square.
The commuter town has plenty of green spaces such as Panshanger Park and Hartham Common which provide a lovely spot for nature lovers, as is a day near the river at Folly Island.
There is a buoyant property market where the average price of property is £508,481 over the last year according to Rightmove.
The majority of sales in Hertford during the last year were terraced properties, selling for an average price of £482,946. Flats sold for an average of £296,576, with semi-detached properties fetching £617,384.
Formerly a major market for corn and other agricultural produce, Hertford was a lucrative trading location. Now Hertford continues to be a lively rural county and market town brimming with independent shops and community spirit.
Interestingly, Hertford Museum has a vast collection of 5,000 toothbrushes, the largest collection in the UK, forming part of the Addis Collection.
The town is the place to go for food lovers. The culinary hub is studded with lots of independently run eateries with various gastro delights
Exploring the town
Whether it is live entertainment, the arts or exploring nature, Hertford has plenty going on for residents and visitors to enjoy.
The Corn Exchange in Fore Street has regular live music, dance, comedy and events within the Victorian hall where there is a large dance floor and a bar.
Hertford Theatre is currently undergoing a huge redevelopment project, part of the £24 million Growth and Legacy Redevelopment Project, which will transform it into a thriving hub for arts and culture.
Over at Courtyard Arts is an art hub and community centre with a gallery, three teaching studios, one artist studio, a shop with work from local artists and makers and cafe. It has been running for around 25 years having been set up by artists with the mission to make a unique space for everyone to enjoy being creative.
For a breath of fresh air, head to Hartham Common, a pretty area of parkland is situated adjacent to Hartham Leisure Centre.
Shoppers can make the most of the monthly farmers market that takes place on the second Saturday of every month.
Another interesting place to visit is Hertford Museum, which cares for 100,000 objects. These include archaeology, paper ephemera, ethnography, fine art, geology, natural history, photographs, social history and the Hertfordshire Regiment collection.
Get creative at Manic Ceramics in Port Vale, a pottery studio which has been established in the area for 19 years. Visitors can choose from more than 150 different pieces to decorate.
Bayfordbury Observatory is an astronomical and atmospheric physics remote sensing observatory. It is primarily a university teaching observatory for undergraduate students, and not generally open to the public during the year. However, they hold a number of events for the public throughout the year to give people a glimpse into the wonders of the night sky.
Eating and drinking
Hertford is really spoilt for choice when it comes to eating out. There’s a different culinary option for every day of the week and more.
For a sweet treat there is the Hertford Cake Co. It started out as a small, home kitchen in Hertford and grew due to public demand for their tasty baked goods.
For Japanese fusion dishes Mr Tanaka's, located on Post Office Walk, is the place to go.
Traditional Spanish plates with a modern edge can be found at Anexo. The team focus on wood fire cooking for that tasty, authentic edge.
Thai cuisine at Old Siam situated on Parliament Square is a popular choice.
Owner Lamun Burasit wanted to recreate a traditional Thai atmosphere within the restaurant and so all of the fittings inside the restaurant came from Thailand.
For a cosy pub on the river, the Woolpack is a great option. It has been a McMullen pub since 1856 – and brewing has taken place here since 1743.
Top notch pizza can be savoured at Parliament Square at Proove Pizza. Known for their Neapolitan Pizza, it's worth a trip out to try it.
Elle's Kitchen delivers Asian food which is a mix of all Asian fusion styles evident on the array of dishes on the menu.
While Turkish Kitchen invites you to taste and experience authentic Turkish cuisine.
Lussmans is an award winning restaurant with strong ideals on sustainability, using local produce, all of which make it a popular staple in the town.
Shopping in the town
The Women's Society Boutique opened in 2006. They pride themselves on expert customer service and stock brands such as Ash, Barbour and Bibi Lou.
The charming Love Flowers florist on Market Street is the place to go for beautiful hand-tied bouquets, wedding flowers and funeral flowers. It is also a gift shop with lots of nice items to peruse.
For a more sustainable way of life head to Replenish Refil, Hertford's zero waste shop.
Pretty Lavish on Fore Street started in 2013 by sisters Stephanie and Samantha Frost. Originally delivered from their living room the brand now offers luxury clothing at affordable prices.
Another boutique to visit is Retail Therapy on St Andrews Street which sells brands such as Cream, Naya clothing, Soya Concept and Marble.
For menswear there is Azir Menswear, a designer boutique in Hertford and stockist of Belstaff, Transit, John Varvatos and Descente.
Magpie Amore is a lovely place to pick up treasured gifts. They have been selling trendy, quirky one off vintage items from around the globe since 2015.
They hand pick, clean and press each of the garments to bring the best vintage possible to customers. New items are constantly added in store and change seasonally. From bold, fun statement pieces, high glamour, cosy knitwear, trendy t-shirts as well as gifts, jewellery, home ware items and much more.
