England, Essex

Harlow The Five Minute Spare Guide

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Harlow Attractions, history, trivia, and more!

Somewhere on the border between London and Hertfordshire, you will find the New Town of Harlow. Officially founded in 1947, Harlow was one of the new towns originally built to soak up the overspill from London after the war. As the soldiers returned, the houses they came back to had been severely bombed. Some brought back wives and children… London could no longer hold them all.

As a result, the New Towns Act of 1946 designated specific areas of the countryside where the government could build new towns to house this population. The act was passed, and the new towns arose. Harlow wasn’t designed until a year afterwards.

The New Town of Harlow was built on top of an existing village, which was first mentioned in medieval times. Let’s go back to the beginning of the Harlow story by starting here.

The Early Days of Old Harlow

Old Harlow starts its story in the Mesolithic period, where it was built into a hunting camp. This camp was excavated in the 70’s, along with Gilden Way where they found Neolithic deposits of flint. They found so much flint, in fact, that they suspect a quarry was worked somewhere in the area.

The name of the town comes from either Anglo-Saxon or Old English. There is some dispute over it. At best guess, it comes from the words for ‘temple’ and ‘hill’ conjoined. This would make sense since there was a huge Roman Temple in the area, and since the tribes before that used the hill as a meeting place.

Archaeologists have found multiple tools here from these early periods. It seems the land surrounding Old Harlow has been built upon many times in the past. Historians are in reasonable agreement that the area was a coordinated flint mine, having operated between 5,000 and 3,000 BC.

During the Roman era, Harlow was home to a large temple that would have been situated around about the site of the train station. The temple would have been dedicated to one of the Roman gods. However, the Romans liked to hedge their bets with the gods. This means that the Harlow temple would likely have been dedicated to a local deity as well. Wherever there was a temple, there was also a stable. There would have been an inn and other places for the priests to find amusement.

It is thought that Harlow would have been a sleepy town for a few hundred years. Although situated near the capital, Harlow was not in the direct path of any major cities. This would have meant little growth coming into the area. Harlow continued to grow as a farming community steadily yet slowly, well into mediaeval times.

We next pick up a mention of Harlow in the Domesday Survey conducted in 1086. This survey was given by William the Conqueror, who wanted to know how much land he had acquired and what it was worth. By the time it was conducted the Normans had already been in England for 20 years. He took a long time to get around to counting his assets.

By the time the survey was conducted, Harlow was recorded as one of the largest 20% of settlements. It adds an estimated 62.5 households listed under a total of four owners. Notably, the land belonged to St. Edmunds Abbey. The Abbey owned 8 plough teams and 6 men’s plough teams, 44 acres of meadow and woodland enough to hold 250 pigs. They also owned a single mill. Livestock was recorded as 25 cattle, 2 cobs, 50 pigs, 60 sheep, 5 beehives and three unnamed others. The value to the Abbey was 12 pounds.

The other owners divided the rest of the lands between them. The Count Eustace of Boulogne owned 3 acres and 40 pigs, Eudo the Steward owned 2 smallholders and a slave, and Ranulf, brother of Ilger, owned 1 mill, pastureland, meadows to 92 acres, and 3 slaves. Not only were they enslaved but they were seriously overworked.

One of those original mills still exists. They turned it into a restaurant.

Mediaeval Harlow

This brings us to Medieval Harlow. At the beginning of the medieval era, the town had a recorded population of 184 people in the parish. Not many. The land mostly belonged to the abbey, which was one of the richest and most privileged in all of England – but which was also in Suffolk.

Being ruled by a far off Benedictine monastery meant the locals had more freedom, but it also had drawbacks. There would have been market tolls to pay, taxes on goods, and less freedom than a regular town owned by local Lords and the King. The bury of St Edmunds had an abbey branch in the area. St Mary’s Church is built on part of it, with the former chapel lying in the fields nearby in ruins.

Another downside to being owned by a Benedictine monastery is that should the 16th-century king decide to marry multiple wives and abandon the church, you get closed. By the 16th century and without an abbey to fund it, the town faded to nothing more than a large village. Growth stopped almost completely, although it was still a prominent market town that would have held weekly markets and an annual fair.

Medieval Harlow was so deserted that it became a local legend. The name of ‘deserted Medieval village’ was attached to it and stuck fast. Today, this area of town is considered a scheduled monument. There is another monument from the Industrial period is on the high street, where Kingsmoor House is recorded as a gentleman’s residence and is a Grad II listed building.

Facts and Trivia About Harlow

There are fun facts about every town we investigate, here at Five Minutes Spare, and Harlow doesn’t come up short. Here are some cool things you can talk about at parties, whether you are on holiday in Harlow or whether you just moved in:

  • Ron Weasley was born here.
  • In 1953, an organisation was set up to commission a collection of sculptures to improve the cultural components of the New Town. The Harlow Art Trust has since collected more than a hundred different sculptures.
  • There are 13 scheduled monuments in town, one of which is the original Roman Temple.
  • They have 8 conservation areas of historical interest or environmental importance.
  • The land of the Stort Valley was made sailable by the people of Essex and wasn’t always a natural inlet. If it had been, the people of the area would have had more trouble from the Vikings.

OK, so it’s not exactly party central, but Harlow has some interesting points you can pass on to sound knowledgeable. Provided nobody asks you what the monuments are or where the conservation areas can be found, you will look like you know your stuff.

Modern History of Harlow

Since Harlow was largely abandoned and left to a village state, there is no real record of any industrial heritage. We know that the mills still worked for a long time, to the point where the building that now houses the restaurant was lovingly restored. We know that there were people inhabiting the area, because otherwise it wouldn’t have been chosen as a New Town. So, let’s flash forward to the 1900s when the designation changed a village into a huge town almost overnight.

The master plan was drawn up for Harlow by Sit Frederick Gibbard in 1947, although it had been planned originally as part of the towns designated in 1946. There have been several new towns since then, but Harlow was one of the first. It was designed with respect to the existing landscape. Gibbard wanted a few green wedges to cut through the town, providing a wildlife crossing and safe space. In the early days of New Town building, it was thought that allowing people to get closer to nature using green belt areas would ease their suffering at being evicted from their London social housing.

There were several settlements in the area that the town swallowed up when it was built. Some of the towns included were:

  • Churchgate Street
  • Latton
  • Great Parndon
  • Little Parndon
  • Nettleswell
  • Potter Street
  • And Tye Green

Many architects had a handle in the design of Harlow, setting it up to be one of the best new town designs they had achieved so far. In it, they included the first ever pedestrian precinct in the UK. They also built the first-ever residential tower block, called The Lawn. It is still in existence and is now a Grade II listed building, having been erected in 1951.

In 1952 the town had already achieved its population capacity of 70,000 people. Capacity was raised by another 10k, then another 10k in 1966. While the population was increased, the town was not given any more land to put them on. Instead, people were stacked upwards with greater population density per square meter. Asides from this single change, the town was built as planned.

What have they built in Harlow New Town?

Harlow had lots of new streets added to form residential areas, A church, a public house, a library, and a small industrial area were built. 30-40 shops were erected in the first round of building in New Harlow, which started by encircling the old village and accentuating what was already there.

Secondary schools and playing fields were next added, along with a town park in the north and a golf course beyond that. Two more large industrial areas have since been added in the northeast and in the west. Next came the council offices, a theatre, and another church. A technical college was also added.

After this initial outline, yet more residential areas and shops were added. While the original round of building expanded existing settlements into regions, large work went on to connect them in the latter stages. By 1977, they had built 24,000 homes in New Harlow. Multiple shops and buildings have since been added, and refurbishments have gone towards improving what was already there.

Modern Harlow is a little shop heavy, but this creates plenty of jobs for the people of the town. It contains everything that you might expect to find in a regular city, except that it was planned out and better built. It’s not modern anymore, but it is highly functional by comparison to similar cities. We suggest you visit it if you are passing through on the M1. It’s one of the best places for shopping on this side of London.

Famous People from Harlow

We wouldn’t be doing our duty as the best tour guides on the internet if we didn’t list some of the most famous Harlow residents, while we were here. We already mentioned that Ron Weasley (real name Rupert Grint) is one of them, but there are a few other names you might know. Here are some of our favourites:

  • Comedian Rik Mayall is from Harlow.
  • Football players including Gary Hooper, Richard Keogh, and Adam Thompson
  • Victoria Beckham was originally a Harlow lass.
  • Joe Joyner from Eastenders
  • Danny Walters from Eastenders
  • A few journalists, including Peter Warren and Jason Cowley[i]

And a few more. It just goes to show that you never know who you will meet in your local Sainsburys. Let’s move on to the best things to see and do in Harlow.

Best Attractions in and around Harlow

We know this is what you all came here for… Here’s the Five Minutes Spare take on the best things to see and do in and around Harlow.

Historic sights and Landmarks

Not your traditional landmark, Parndon Wood nature reserve marks the outskirts of the old towns of greater and little Parndon. This woodland area is one of the conservation areas in town, and features works of art from local schools and groups. It is a good place to walk, enjoy nature, and indulge in some mindfulness. This area is an SSSI so take your litter home with you.

Another local landmark is the River Stort which flows through the town. This river has an abundance of walks, hikes, and parks along its edges. Go there to feed some ducks or use the canal for a houseboat. There will be boat rental that lets you hire one if you’d like to try your hand at sailing.

There are more than 100 different sculptures and statues around the town that you can spot. Take the statue tour by following the trail to see some of the best works of art in situ, throughout town. Examples include Eve by Auguste Rodin, Energise by Clare Bigger, and Boat, by Dame Elizabeth Frink. Some are in the green spaces; some are in the centre of shopping malls. One thing is for sure though, kids love to spot them.

Galleries and Museums

Harlow Museum runs its own walled garden – we did say this was a large town with extra green wedges inside. The green belt land in Harlow is accentuated by gardens just like the one at the museum. There are collections of local artefacts taken from the excavations in the 70’s and 90’s, and this means a wealth of historic tools, flint, and artefacts.

You can visit the Gibberd Gallery in town if you want to see some fine art. Browse the numerous exhibits they run throughout the year or take home some local artwork from the gift shop. Art galleries don’t’ come as contemporary as this one, which takes place in a pleasant space.

Outdoor Attractions

Visit Pet’s Corner in the nearby countryside, a petting zoo and farm where children can learn all about the animals. They offer educational group tours and allow children the opportunity to shadow keepers for the day. If you live in the area and you want to volunteer, this place is run by charity.

If you are in the area on a sunny day and you want somewhere to drink your iced Frappuccino, you can head to the Harlow town park. This place is massive and was deliberately planned when the town was laid out by the original architects. It contains playgrounds, picnic areas, and 160 acres of natural land. The whole park is conserved as a Grade II listed building.

You can visit the Gibberd gardens, named for the architect who designed the New Town of Harlow and enjoy the plant life. The garden is open throughout the season, bringing you a wide range of plants and trees to feel good about. This is planned as a series of enticing garden spaces that will make you “wow” at every turn.

Sports and Recreation

If you aren’t into sports but you do like a good time out of the house, the Harlow Playhouse offers you the best of both worlds. Watch a play, take part in some amateur dramatics, join a class as an adult or a child, and generally lurk around the corridors with a cape and a mask bemoaning your lost love. The theatre is situated in a corner of the park, but not the same corner as the pets.

As ever, English towns always have plenty of golf clubs. You can play at the Nazeing Golf Course in the south, the Canons Brook Golf Club in the centre, or visit the Totally Golf shop and buy some new clubs of your own.

As for football, it wouldn’t be an English town if it didn’t have at least one football club and stadium in it. If you are a kid, or are looking for a club for your kids, then the Newhall Rangers youth football club is where you want to go. Harlow Town Football Club is the larger, adult team. You can catch a game, place some bets, or take a tour of the stadium, right here in town.

Shopping and Retail

There are plenty of shopping centres and areas in town. The Broad Walk Shopping centre is a firm favourite, but so are the Water Gardens and the St James Retail Park. IF that wasn’t enough, you can hang out in the centre of town and enjoy the many, many shops you will find there.

Places to Eat and Drink in Harlow

If you want high-end food and fine dining, COHO is ‘too good’ for the Harlow area in reviews. If you want an accurate representation of Harlow dining, locals favour the King Du restaurant that serves Asian food. You can also get a great steak at Miller & Carter Harlow.

Other Notable Attractions

We couldn’t possibly cover all of the best attractions in Essex in one place, but we did give it our darned best shot. Here are some of the things to see and do in Harlow that we couldn’t cover in more detail:

  • St Mary’s Church, which is built on top of the original abbey.
  • Head to Paringdon Sports Club to catch a game
  • Check out St Paul’s Parish Church. It’s weird.
  • Harlow still has a greyhound stadium, we’re not sure why.
  • Visit the Victoria Hall Theatre, the first theatre to be built in town
  • You will find all the info you need at the Harlow public library.

So, you see, Harlow might be a better holiday destination than you first thought. Even if it isn’t, you should still try visiting for a day of shopping.

How to get to Harlow

We wouldn’t be very good tour guides if we didn’t give you directions. If you don’t want to get completely lost, take these travel tips as your own.

By Road

Follow the M1 motorway north out of London.

By Rail

Harlow Town train station is on the Greater Anglia railway.

By Air

London Stansted is the nearest airport.

By Sea

Anchor up at Southend which isn’t too far away.

Still stuck for a Staycation.

If you still feel that you haven’t found the right holiday destination for you, then we have plenty of other staycation destinations for you to choose from. Check out our travel guides for more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[i] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:People_from_Harlow

 

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