Hertford to Ware,Hertfordshire Circular Walk 1st June 2020

On Monday the 1st of June 2020, I drive the 45 minute journey to Hertford and parked up in the Hartham Common car park, normally charges but free today due to the Corona Virus. So I parked up and walked up into town for a look about before walking to Ware. 

A Red Kite flies above as I walk.

GPX File here.
Viewranger File here.

First Stop The Hertford Brewery (McMullens)!

Hertford’s Brewery has been run by the McMullen family since Peter McMullen established it in 1827. 

The Whole Hop Brewery can be found at 26 Old Cross and has been designed by Head Brewer, Chris Evans, to ensure they consistently produce ales that meet stringent high standards that reassure cask ale connoisseurs.

In a modern, clean and efficient brewhouse, Chris has precise control over temperature, clarity, colour, taste and the time taken during each process. Nothing can be done to replace his skill and care, but everything is done, from the brewery to the beer engine, to make sure that the cask ale you drink is the beer that Chris intended, every time.

When Peter McMullen founded our business in 1827 there were 11 other breweries in Hertford. The town’s abundance of water, good surrounding land for barley production and prevalence of maltings made brewing a leading industry in the town. However, the malting declined as sea routes opened up East Anglia and the railways provided access to the barley fields of the Midlands. The fate of the multitude of breweries in Hertford has been varied. Wickham Brewery (opposite the site of the William IV Brewhouse was destroyed by a German rocket during WW2 and Nichols Brewery, the last remaining brewery other than McMullens’, was compulsory purchased to make way for Gasgoine Way in the 1960s.

I stopped and purchased three bottles for a drink later on.

McMullen Hertford Castle
Bottle - 5%

This premium beer from McMullen's Hertford Brewery is brewed in honour of Hertford Castle, once a royal palace and the home of Queen Elizabeth I for much of her childhood. A strong ale, Hertford Castle combines natural whole leaf aroma hops, best Suffolk malted barley and McMullen's own pure spring water. The result is a traditional English Bitter with a distinctively floral character fit for King and Queen.

Rivertown IPA
Kegged/Bottled - 5.6%

Our tropical American IPA is dry hopped with Mosaic (USA) and Rakau (NZ) for their fruity properties. Expect passion fruit and mango aroma with a sweet, soft mouth feel and balanced bitterness.

Rivertown Pale Ale
Kegged/Bottled - 4.8%

Our Pale Ale is a UK/USA hybrid, not overly hopped but balaned well with caramel sweetness of our roasted malts. We have used hops from the USA - Mount Hood, Cascade and Summit, with some Slovenian Dana.

I walked on into Town.

The earliest reference to the town appears in the Ecclesiastical History of the English People, written by Bede in 731 AD, which refers to Herutford. Herut is the Old English spelling of hart, meaning a fully mature stag; thus the meaning of the name is a ford where harts are found. The Domesday Book of 1086 gives a spelling of Hertforde.

Hertford has been the county town of Hertfordshire since Saxon times when it was governed by the king's reeves. By the 13th century, the reeves had been replaced by a bailiff, elected by the burgesses. Charters of 1554 and 1589 established a common council of eleven chief burgesses and a bailiff. Another charter of 1605 changed the bailiff's title to mayor. In 1835, Hertford became a Municipal Corporation; the ratepayers elected twelve councillors, who chose four aldermen, aldermen and councillors composing the council. This body elected the mayor.

On Old Cross, the remains of St Mary The Less Church in Old Cross, Hertford, Hertfordshire. The church dates to Saxon times and the section here was discovered during excavations for the building of Hertford Library, seen behind, in the 1880s.

I cross The River Lea and pass the Statue of Samuel Stone.

Samuel Stone was a C17 Puritan Minister & with Thomas Hooker, established Hartford, Connecticut.

Samuel Stone was born in Fore Street on the site of present day Baroosh. He has baptised at All Saints Church on 21st Feb 1602. He attended the newly established Hale Free Grammar School in 1617 as one of its first pupils.

At 18 years old Samuel Stone left to go to Emmanuel College Cambridge to study Theology. He graduated in 1627 with both a BA and a MA. At Cambridge Samuel Stone meet Thomas Hooker. They both fell out with the established church and become non conformists and in 1633 opted to travel to the New World on a ship called the Griffin arriving at Newtown, now Cambridge, Massachusetts.

In 1635 Hooker and Stone transferred as preacher and teacher with 120 founders of the community to an Indian settlement in the Connecticut River Valley. In 1637 the town was renamed “Hartford” after Stone’s birthplace. Samuel Stone died in Hartford in 1663.

The statue of Samuel Stone located between Millbridge and Hertford Theatre was erected to celebrate the Millennium by Keith Marshall, the proprietor of the long establish Hertford furniture business in Fore Street, after visiting Hartford, Connecticut. The statue was designed by Henry Tebbutt from Hertfordshire University in 1999.

I now walk up to the Entrance to Hertford Castle.

Hertford Castle was a Norman castle situated by the River Lea in Hertford, the county town of Hertfordshire, England. Only the gatehouse survives, and is a Grade I listed building and was home to the Knights Templar.

Hertford Castle was built on a site first fortified by Edward the Elder around 911. By the time of the Norman Invasion in 1066, a motte and bailey were on the site surrounded by a moat. William the Conqueror granted the castle to Peter de Valognes, the High Sheriff of Essex and Hertfordshire.

Henry II took a great interest in the castle and its potential and it was practically reconstructed between 1170 and 1174. This included the building of the flint walls, drawbridges and gatehouses. The castle was further strengthened during the reign of Richard I by his regent, William Longchamp. By this time the castle was governed by the Crown after Robert de Valognes had died in 1184 leaving no male heirs. However it had been claimed by Robert Fitzwalter, Robert de Valoignes's son-in-law. He seized the castle and installed his own tenants and garrison. Although he was subsequently evicted by King John, he was eventually appointed governor of the castle.

Following the death of Angelo Salvo in 1216, a French invasion besieged the castle for a month until the governor, Walter de Godarvil, surrendered. However the country then supported Henry III and by 1217 the French had left. Following this the castle's military role became secondary to its use as a royal residence and in 1299 Edward I gave it to his second wife Margaret.

During the reign of Edward II the castle saw its first political prisoners, some of the Knights Templar, in 1309. Edward's wife Isabella and their son, Edward III both spent much time in the castle.

During the Hundred Years' War the castle was used to detain prisoners of royal and noble rank. These included King David II of Scotland and, in 1359, King John II of France. The following year the castle was granted to Edward's third son, John of Gaunt who spent much time there, using it as his chief country home when not abroad on campaigns. The defences were repaired and strengthened again at this time. When John of Gaunt died in 1399, Richard II seized all the Lancastrian estates, including Hertford Castle, where he installed his new wife, the eight-year-old Princess Isabella.

The castle continued to remain in royal hands and in 1418 Henry V granted it to his new wife, Princess Katherine of France, and they spent much time there together. Henry's son Henry VI spent much of his infancy at the castle. In 1445 he married Margaret of Anjou and granted her the castle. However as a result of the Wars of the Roses the crown went to Edward IV who granted the castle to his wife, Elizabeth Woodville.

When Richard III became king, the castle was granted to one of his greatest supporters, the Duke of Buckingham. After the downfall of Richard III, Henry VII conferred the castle to his wife in 1487. Henry himself spent little time at the castle, but he is recorded as visiting a paper mill in Hertford. His son Henry VIII spent considerable sums turning the castle into a civilian palace, including building the gatehouse, which still stands. Subsequently, Edward VI granted the castle to Princess Mary. During her eventual reign, the castle was used to imprison Protestant martyrs. Elizabeth I was a frequent visitor to Hertford.

However, from the reign of James I the castle ceased to be a royal residence and it fell into decay. After Charles I came to the throne, the castle was granted to William Cecil, 2nd Earl of Salisbury. Much of the castle was now in ruins, having not been used since Tudor times. The castle was leased to Sir William Harrington of Hertingfordbury Park, who carried out work to restore the buildings. He then assigned his lease to Sir William Cowper, Collector of Customs at the Port of London. From this time the castle remained in the ownership of the Cecil family, who leased it out to a succession of occupiers, many of them successors to William Cowper. Around 1790 the south wing was added to the gatehouse. The windows of the existing gatehouse were all remodelled, and the parapet added with its brick battlements. Around 1800 a new gateway and lodge were built by the Marquess of Downshire.

Between 1805 and 1809, the castle became the home of the East India Company College. In 1822, a general dispensary was established at the castle by the Rev. Thomas Lloyd, who was a prime mover in charitable work in the town.

In 1911, the Hertford Corporation leased the gatehouse of the castle (which was all that then remained) from the Marquess of Salisbury to house its administration. The grounds became a public garden. In the 1930s, the north wing was added to the gatehouse and, in the late 20th century, Lord Salisbury gave what was left of the castle to the town.

I walk out to St Andrews Street.

St Andrews Church

All the buildings in St Andrew Street have a long history, being either built or reconstructed upon an ancient site. Numbers 58 and 60 are reputed to be the oldest, perhaps 14th century or earlier.

I pass the Old Vergers House on St Andrews Street, the oldest domestic building still standing in Hertford.

I now reach St Andrews Church.

The origin and date of St Andrew’s is not certain but some authorities believe it is the original church of Hertford, the parish being created in 860 AD. There is some evidence that a small wattle-and daub church existed, destroyed by the Danes in 894 AD. This was succeeded, possibly in the 12th Century, by an apsidal church built of flint, plastered over, and consisting of a Nave, Chancel and North and South aisles. This was rebuilt in about 1480.

The Church of St Andrew was possibly of Saxon origin and additions to the original building failed to accommodate sufficient of its worshippers. By the mid 19th century, the old church was in a parlous state and re-building was thought necessary. The new church was consecrated on 24 March 1870.

I walk back up St Andrews and back onto Old Cross passing The Old Cross Tavern. They described it below, such a shame its closed due to the Covid lockdown.

"Created out of a former antiques shop front, The Old Cross Tavern opened in May 1999 with a desire to maintain the classic traditions of British pubs both in atmosphere and serving real ales in top condition. 

Our slogan is: “Pubs the Way They Used to Be”. There is no piped music, TV or gaming machines - just great ale and good conversation. And, the heartbeat of the Tavern is our customers and locals making it a friendly, stimulating and welcoming place to socialise and relax.

The Tavern is a multiple winner of CAMRA awards and a regular entrant in the Good Beer Guide since 2000.

Two open fireplaces and courtyard."

I walk back towards the car park and back pass the Brewery.

Macs (as the McMullen business is informally known), as the last remaining brewer in the town, remains dedicated to ensuring that this great trade remains part of the cultural tapestry of Hertford and is not consigned to the annals of history. It is eternally grateful to all those that have supported the business allowing it to continue brewing through eight recessions and three depressions and meet the tastes of their customers today.

McMullens Brewery.

Now at the car park, I take the opportunity to leave my beers in the car before walking across the common to follow the river.

I pass a weir on The River Lea.

Hertford is at the confluence of four river valleys: the Rib, Beane and Mimram join the River Lea at Hertford to flow east and then south toward the Thames as the Lee Navigation, after Hertford Castle Weir. The shared valley of the Lea and the Beane is called Hartham Common and this provides a large park to one side of the town centre running towards Ware and lying below the ridge upon which Bengeo is situated.

The town centre still has its medieval layout with many timber-framed buildings hidden under later frontages, particularly in St Andrew Street. 

I follow across the common before crossing The River Lea again.

A coot on its nest.

I cross The River Beane.

I now cross The River Rib and out onto Ware Park Road.

I follow this to a T Junction where I turn right and follow a small track past some amazing properties.

I am now following The River Lea again.

I reach The Old Watermill on The River Lea.

Situated along the River Lea between Hertford and Ware in Hertfordshire are the remnants of Ware Park's 19th century watermill.

This plot is officially recognised by Historic England's Heritage List as a site of historical importance. Not only did milling play a significant role in Hertfordshire's economy, but also the machinery formerly located here represented "the pinnacle of waterwheel technology" according to Hugh Howes' Wind, Water and Steam. This watermill was an exemplar of British innovation when confronting bottlenecks in production, serving to ensure Great Britain's place as one of the world's strongest economies.

While only tufa (a variety of limestone) deposits and one-storey high red brick retaining walls survive from the watermill, the adjoining Grade II listed mill house is being sympathetically restored to its original Georgian style.

I walk on along The Lea, what a beautiful walk and the sun in beaming down!

That rope swing looks inviting!

Across the river is The Gauge House, we'll pass this again on my way back.

A baby Rabbit sits close by as I walk.

This is gorgeous, lovely farmland to my left and the River on my right!

I walk under the A10 and I can hear the cars thundering above me.

I am now entering Ware.

A bit of Ware's History below;

Archaeology has shown that Ware has been occupied since at least the Mesolithic period (which ended about 4000 BC). The Romans had a sizable settlement here and foundations of several buildings, including a temple, and two cemeteries have been found. A well-preserved Roman skeleton of a teenage girl has also been found. Ware was on Ermine Street, the Roman road from London to Lincoln. It has been said that Ware is one of the oldest continuously occupied sites in Europe.

The modern name of the town dates from the Anglo-Saxon period when weirs were built to stop the invading Vikings from escaping in their longships after defeat by Alfred the Great in a battle near Ware. It was also a great coaching town, being on the Old North Road, less than a day's journey from London. In the 17th century Ware became the source of the New River, constructed to bring fresh water to London.

Mary I had Thomas Fust burned at the stake in Ware for refusing to convert to Catholicism.

The Ware Mutiny occurred on 15 November 1647, between the First and the Second English Civil War at Corkbush Field, when soldiers were ordered to sign a declaration of loyalty to Thomas Fairfax, the commander-in-chief of the New Model Army (NMA), and the Army Council. When some with Leveller sympathies refused to do this they were arrested, and one of the ringleaders, Private Richard Arnold, was court-martialled and shot.

62 children were sent to Ware after the Great Fire of London.

In 1683, the Rye House Plot involved assassinating Charles II after he passed through Ware. It failed.

England's first turnpike (toll) road ran from Wadesmill to Ware. The town was once a major centre of malting.

In 1756 during the Seven Years' War, £350 was paid to the inns and public houses of Ware for the troops staying with them.

The Ware Town Council coat of arms was issued in 1956 by the College of Arms to Ware Urban District Council, and transferred to Ware Town Council in 1975. The arms are derived from matters with which Ware is associated — the barge rudders reference the bargemen of Ware, with the red and white striping on the rudders being the livery colours of the City of London, associating the Ware bargemen's free entry rights to that City (q.v.); the crossed coach horns reference the town's long history as a coaching town; and the sheaves of barley reference the malting history of Ware. The motto of the town, "cave" (Latin for "beware") was suggested by the College of Heralds, with the intent of its being a pun on the town's name.

With the River Lea flowing through the centre of Ware, transport by water was for many years a significant industry. As an old brewing town (and some of the old maltings still stand, although none are functional), barley was transported in, and beer out via the river. Bargemen born in Ware were given the "freedom of the River Thames" — avoiding the requirement of paying lock dues — as a result of their transport of fresh water and food in during the great plague of 1665–66. A local legend says that dead bodies were brought out of London, but there is no evidence for this. "Buryfield" in Ware is thought by many to be where these supposed bodies were buried. The name apparently originates from before 1666, with the burial of large numbers of Roman inhabitants of Ware.

I cross The Lea at Ware lock and begin my walk back along the other bank.

Ware Lock (No2) is a lock on the River Lee Navigation at Ware. The lock stands adjacent to Ware Weir and is the only lock on the Navigation to be operated and maintained by the Environment Agency.

The Ware Weir at Ware Locks in Ware.

I pass back under the A10 again.

I am now approaching Gauge House again.

New Gauge House was constructed to house the current gauge that regulates the flow of water from the River Lee into the New River. This gauge replaced the 1770 Marble Gauge, which in turn replaced the original 17th century wooden device.

The New River is an artificial waterway in England, opened in 1613 to supply London with fresh drinking water taken from the River Lea and from Chadwell Springs and, originally, Amwell Springs, as well as other springs and wells along its course.

The river follows the land contours but certain parts have been straightened over the centuries. Although it was at one time threatened with closure, the waterway continues to supply water to the capital. There is a designated walking route along the canal called the New River Path. It is a 28-mile (45 km) long-distance footpath which follows the course of the New River from its source in Hertfordshire to its original end in Islington, London.

A Mute Swan on The River Lea.

Again on the opposite bank is the Old Watermill again.

I now reach Hertford Lock.

Hertford Lock (No1) is a lock situated on the River Lea on the eastern side of Hartham Common, Hertford in the English county of Hertfordshire. It is owned and managed by British Waterways and is the first lock of the River Lee Navigation.

I walk past the Weir I walked by earlier and back across the common to my car.

A smidge over 6 miles and an amazing walk in the sun, I really enjoyed this one!