Welcome to Hatfield

Hatfield is located in the county of Hertfordshire, approximately 20 miles north of London and 10 miles south of Stevenage, with easy access to the A1M, M1, M11 and M25 motorways.

The town has a population of around 29,900. Administratively it is within the local government district of Welwyn Hatfield which covers an area of approximately 130 sq kms and which has a population of around 98,000.

It is a good mix of old and new. To the west of the A1000 stands the New Town, one of eight built after the Second World War to accommodate population overspill from London. To the east is the charming old town which developed as a coaching stop during the Georgian period but whose church dates to the 13th-century. Its good transport links and proximity to London have made it a popular residential base for commuters working in the capital.

The old town's history dates back as far as the 11th century when a church was mentioned here in the Domesday Survey of 1086. The present church of St Lawrence was begun during the 12th century. Hatfield House was built in about 1485 by John Morton, Bishop of Ely. It was taken over by Henry VIII, and his children Mary, Elizabeth and Edward lived here. The new town of Hatfield developed in the 19th century, becoming an important railway centre. The de Havilland aircraft factory, which was opened by Geoffrey de Havilland in the 1930s, brought prosperity to the town. Famous names including Trident, Comet, Dove and Heron were manufactured here. The company became Hawker Siddeley Aviation, and then British Aerospace, until recession in the aviation market in the 1990s forced closure of the site. Much of this land was purchased by the University of Hertfordshire who closed its sites at Watford and Hertord to relocate to the de Havilland Campus. Part of the site is designated to become a new £500 million hospital. The town centre is also undergoing redevelopment.

Economically, the service industry is the largest sector locally, employing around 69% of all workers. The University of Hertfordshire, known as the de Havilland Campus, has recently been established and a new £500 million hospital is also planned for the town. Redevelopment of the town centre is underway and is expected to finish in 2009.

The town was recorded as Hetfelle in the Domesday Survey of 1086.