HERTFORDSHIRE, often shortened into Herts, is an inland shire, in the south-east of England, and is bounded on the north by Cambridgeshire, south by Middlesex, east by Esses, north-west by Bedfordshire, and south-east by Buckinghamshire: it is of irregular form, of no peculiar natural features, and lies between 51° 36' and 52° 5' of north latitude, and 0' 13' east and 0' 45' west longitude: it is ope of the smallest shires in England, both for size and population, though by no means inconsiderable: it measures 37 ½ miles from east to west, and 31 from north to south, and the greatest length, which is from Royston to Rickmansworth, from north-east to south-west, is 39 miles. In consequence of a change of parishes, by which the parish of Nettleden was transferred by the Local Government Board's Order, 11 June, 1895, from the comity of Bucks to this county, and part of Royston from Cambridgeshire, and the parish of Kensworth and parts of Coddington and Studham were transferred, 1897, to Bedfordshire, and Holwell from Bedfordshire, the area of this county is now 400,671 acres: the population in 1881 was 203,069, and in 1891 was 220,162, viz., 106,471 males, and 113,691 females: the number of houses were-inhabited, 45,285; uninhabited, 2,810; building, 393. Although the county town is within 20 miles of London, yet the shire hardly partakes of the metropolitan character, but is almost exclusively agricultural.

The history of Hertfordshire presents few features of importance. After the Euskardians had been driven out, it was held by the Welsh and Belgians. At the time of Caesar’s inroad, it seems to have belonged to the Belgian tribe of the Cateuchlani, and perhaps the Trinobantes held part. The Romans having taken the country, had a capital municipium at Verulamium, being one of their chief towns, in Britain; Watling Street passed through it, and roads branched out all round. In the year 61, Boadicea, at the head of a number of British savages, captured this town and slaughtered the population. By the Romans, Herts was included in the province of Flavia Caesariensis: they had stations at Ad Fines, or Ermine Street (probably at Braughing), and at Bishop Stortford, Royston and Cheshunt; on Ickneild Street, at Wilbury Hill, they had a camp.

On the English taking the country, it seems to have first formed a Commonwealth under the name of the North Saxons, and was afterwards shared between the kingdoms of Essex, or the East Saxons and Mercia or the Mid-English; and it is thought the late boundary between the dioceses of London and Lincoln formed the boundary of the kingdom. The English settlers were mostly of the same clans as those in Middlesex and Essex. The great kings of the Middle English dwelt in the shire: it is remarkable for the number of “buries,” showing it was thickly settled by the English. There is a “bury” in each township, commonly a mile away from the old homestead, now the town or hamlet. In 896 a severe contest took place in the county between King Alfred and the Danes. In the wars of the Roses three great battles were fought here: in 1455 at St. Albans, when the Lancastrians were vanquished; in 1461 at St. Albans, when the Yorkists were overthrown; and in 1468 at Barnet, when the Lancastrians were defeated.

The district is undulating, but can hardly be said to partake of a hilly character, the greatest rise being in the chalk downs, about 908 feet high: these chalk downs are the continuation of the Chiltern hills, and bound the shire to the extreme north. The climate is mild, and the country, being well wooded and tilled, is picturesque. The mineral characteristics of the district are neither varied or important, and the medicinal springs are few; they are at Barnet, Cuffley, near Nothaw, Welwyn and Hemel Hempstead. Chalk is burnt for lime, and bricks are made.

The county is well watered by numerous and navigable streams, on which are many mills. The rivers are principally small feeders of the Thames, except those in the north, which flow towards the Ouse. The Stort forms the south-east boundary for a considerable distance, being navigable through that length, and passes by Bishop’s Stortford and Sawbridgeworth to join the Lee, which river traverses the county from west to east, rising at Leagrave, in Bedfordshire, and pursuing a total course, till its junction with the Thames, of 50 miles; it is navigable at Hertford; entering the shire near Harpendep, it passes near Hatfield to below Hertingfordbury, where it receives the Maran or Mimram, a mill stream; at Hertford it receives the Beane, a mill stream, flowing from north to south, and soon after the Rib, also flowing from north to south, turning many mills, receiving the Quin, and passing Buntingford; the Lee next receives the Ash, and ultimately the Stort, and pursues its navigable course along the eastern border of the county, by Hoddesdon to Waltham Abbey. The management of the navigable river Lee is vested in trustees under several Acts of Parliament; the funds, which are considerable, arising from tolls, are wholly laid out in the improvement and maintenance of the navigation; in 1850 a Bill was passed for improving this navigation. The Colne, the other chief river of the south, rises near Hatfield, and proceeds to Colney Street, where it receives a small brook; and a little lower down takes in the Verlam, which passes by St. Albans, turning some mills: it then passes Watford, and receives the Gade, which is fed by the Bulbourne from Berkhamsted, and passing Rickmansworth receives the Chess, thence flowing into Middlesex. The Gade and the Lower Colne are nearly absorbed by the Grand Junction Canal. Some of the head springs of the Thame rise near Tring. The Ivel rises at Baldock, and a feeder of it near Hexton. The Hiz, passing near Hitchin, the Oughton and the Pirral, are feeders of the Ouse, flowing north into Bedfordshire, and are inconsiderable streams. The Rhea, or Rhee, rises near Ashwell, and is a feeder of the Cam.

The New River is an artificial cut, made to convey water to London; it was begun in 1608, and runs along the valley of the Lee, taking its chief supplies from Amwell and Chadwell, two springs near Hertford.

The Grand Junction Canal comes into Hertfordshire near Tring, and soon enters the valley of the Gade, and afterwards that of the Colne, which it follows through Middlesex to West Drayton, passing by Tring, Berkhamsted, Hemel Hempstead, Watford and Rickmansworth, with branches to Aylesbury and Wendover.

Four main lines, belonging to as many large companies, pass through the county from south to north, viz., the London and North-Western on the western border, the Midland through the mid-west portion, the Great Northern through the Centre, and the Great Eastern along the eastern border. The London and North-Western enters the county at a point south of Watford, from which station a branch goes off westward to Rickmansworth and one north-east to St. Albans, the main line continuing through Tring to Rugby and the North. The Midland enters the county at Elstree, passes through St. Albans, and leaves the county again a little north of Harpenden, where a branch goes south-west to Hemel Hempstead, the main line continuing on via Luton to the North. The Midland has also a line from Hitchin, via Shefford, to Bedford. The Great Northern enters the county close to Brockman park, running to Hatfield, whence branches go west to St. Albans, east to Hertford and north-west through Harpenden to Luton and Dunstable, the main line continuing through Welwyn, Stevenage and Hitchin, and leaving the county near Ickleford; from Hitchin a branch runs to Cambridge through Baldock and Royston; a branch from the Suburban lines of this company goes to High Barnet. The Great Eastern railway enters the county near Waltham Abbey, and skirts the eastern border, sending off a branch below Rye House to Hertford and Ware, from which another branch runs off at St. Margarets to Buntingford, while the main line continues by Sawbridgeworth and Bishop Stortford to Cambridge.

Hertfordshire is most known for its husbandry, and for the growth of the best white wheat; the shire yields, besides grain, turnips, vegetables and hay for the London market, also apples, cherries, currants and strawberries. There is a good deal of coppice and wood. The nurseries are famous for the growth of roses, which carry off a greas many of the prizes in London. Many cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry are fed for London.

The manufactures are-straw plait, silk and paper. The malt trade, brewing, tanning, currying, brick, tile and pipe making; canvan making and weaving and coach making are carried on. The number of millers is large.

The county is in the South Eastern Circuit. There was formerly a separate commission of the peace for St. Alban liberty, but by the County of Hertford and Liberty of St. Alban Act, 1874, the county is arranged in two divisions, the eastern called the Hertford (comprising 10 petty sessional divisions), and the western the liberty of St. Alban division (comprising 4 petty sessional divisions), and all those in the commission of the peace are now justices for the whole county, and the prison at St. Albans is the county prison; courts of quarter sessions are held at Hertford and St. Albans, the Epiphany and Midsummer adjourned sessions at Hertford and the Easter and Michaelmas adjourned sessions at St. Albans. The County Courts (circuits 35, 37 and 38) are held at Bishop Stortford, Hitchin, Royston, Barnet, St. Albans, Watford and Hertford. There are six Coroner's districts-Bishop Stortford, Hemel Hempstead, Hertford, Hitchin, Royston, and St. Albans. The shire contains 160 civil parishes and parts of 5 others and forms the archdeaconry of St. Albans, in the diocese of St. Albans and province of Canterbury, and is divided into the following rural deaneries :-Baldock, Barnet, Bennington, Berkhamsted, Bishop Stortford, Buntingford, Hertford, Hitchin, St. Albans, Ware, Watford, and Welwyn.

St. Albans, which has been erected into a Cathedral City, had a population in 1891 of 12,898. Hertford is a municipal borough, population 7,548. The other towns are Baldock, population 2,301; Barnet, 5,496; Berkhamsted, 2,135; Bishop Stortford, 6,595; Cheshunt, 9,630; Hatfield, 4,693; Hemel Hempstead, 4,336; Hitchin, 8,860; Hoddesdon, 3,650; Rickmansworth, 3,730; Royston, 3,319; Sawbridgeworth, 2,150; Stevenage, 3,309; Tring, 4,525; Ware, 5,706; Watford, 16,826; Welwyn, 1,745.

The Registration Districts are: —

The following is a list of the parishes in each union.:-Some of the unions extend to other counties: some parishes in Herts are included in unions in Middlesex, Bucks and Essex.

A Reformatory Institution for the county was built by the late Abel Smith esq. in 1857, at Crouch Field, near Chapmore End, Bengeo: it is a commodious building, capable of holding 50 inmates, who are educated and employed in cultivating 40 acres of surrounding land: it is supported by a Government grant, payments from the County Council, and the labour of the inmates; Ishmael A. Fish, superintendent; Mrs. Webber, matron.

The West Herts Infirmary, at Hemel Hempstead, founded in 1826, was rebuilt in 1875—1877, from designs by Messrs. Coe and Robinson, of Furnival's inn, at a cost of £14,000: the site adjoins the old building, erected in 1831 and enlarged in 1863, and slopes rapidly to the west, being sheltered by hills on the north and east: the building, opened in November, 1877, by H.R.H, the Duchess of Teck, is a structure of Cowley brick, with red bands and Ancaster stone dressings, and is in the Italian style, and forms three blocks; the centre is devoted to the administrative department and dwellings for the resident officers, operating room, and rooms for outpatients; the two wings are occupied by the in-patients, for whom there are fifty beds; the approach is through handsome lodge gates and by a wide carriage drive; John Willidams M.D. consulting physician; W. H. Hobson consulting surgeon; Russell Steele M.D., F. C. Fisher F.R.C.S.Eng. R. L. Batterbury M.D: and J. R. B. Dove M.B., B.S. hon. surgeons; M. Thompson M.B., C.M. assistant surgeon; John Morton Sim Coutts M.B., house surgeon and assistant secretary; Major C. A. Cooper, hon. secretary.

The Hertford General Infirmary, erected in 1832, is a stuccoed brick Building in the North road, Hertford; it was enlarged and thoroughly repaired in 1878, at a cost of about £3,000; the chapel adjoining was erected for the use of the inmates at the sole cost of the late Robert Smith esq. the expense amounting to £500; John Tasker-Evans, jun. M.D., C.M. and Ernest Richard Evans L.R.C.P.Lond, hon. medical officers; William Henry Roche L.R.C.P.Lond, house surgeon and secretary; Rev. Robert Rutland M.A. chaplain.

The Hertfordshire Seaside Convalescent Home is at Bo-peep, St. Leonard’s, Sussex, and is for the reception of Hertfordshire patients; in 1880 the resources of the Home were increased by the erection of buildings for 56 patients, the cost of which amounted to £5,500; the Home is wholly sustained by county subscriptions; the Rev. Frederick Burnside M.A. of Hertingfordbury, if the secretary.

The North Herts and South Beds Infirmary is at Hitchin, was established in 1840, and has 23 beds; during the year 1897 there were 237 in-patients and 1,019 out-patients; James Henry Gilbertson L.R.C.P.Lond. Oswald Henry Foster M.A., M.B. Richard Shillito and Charles John Grellet, surgeons; L. Thompson, hon. sec.

Her Majesty’s Prison at St. Albans, a structure of red brick, was erected in 1866, at a cost of about £20,000, and will hold 127 prisoners; there are houses for the governor and warders, and a spacious chapel on the north side; Edward Lloyd, governor; Rev. Henry Fowler M.A. chaplain; Eustace Lipscomb M.D. surgeon; Henry Evans, clerk.

Parliamentary Representation of Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire formerly returned three members for the undivided county, but under the “Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885,” it now returns four members in four divisions:-

No. 1.-The Northern, or Hitchin, division comprises the sessional divisions of Albury (except the parishes of Great & Little Hadham), Buntingford, Hitchin, Odsey, Stevenage, Welwyn & the parish of Braughing; population, 49,111.

No. 2.-The Eastern, or Hertford, division comprises the sessional divisions of Bishop Stortford, Cheshunt, Hertford (except so much as is comprised in Division No. 3) & Ware (except the parish of Braughing), the municipal borough of Hertford & the parishes of Great & Little Hadham; population, 51,422.

No. 3.-The Mid, or St. Albans, division comprises the sessional divisions of Barnet & St. Albans, the municipal borough of St. Albans, the parish of Aldenham, in Watford sessional division, the parishes of Essendon, Hatfield Bishops & North Mimms in Watford sessional division, & of Flamstead, Great & Little Gaddesden, Kensworth & such parts of the parishes of Caddington, Studham & Whipsnade as are within the county in Dacorum sessional division; population, 47,500.

No. 4.-The Western, or Watford, division comprises the sessional divisions of Dacorum (except so much as is comprised in Division No. 3) & Watford (except the parish of Aldenham); population, 55,036.

By the above mentioned Act the borough of Hertford was disfranchised.

Military

There is no Regimental District in this county, but the Militia and Volunteers are included in the Bedfordshire Regiment, and are under the Eastern District Command.

Yeomanry.

7th Yeomanry Brigade.

Formed of the Herts & the Suffolk (Duke of York’s Loyal Suffolk Hussars) Yeomanry Cavalry.

Volunteers

Infantry.

Home Counties Brigade.

Formed of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Volunteer Battalions, Bedfordshire Regiment, 2nd Volunteer Battalion Oxfordshire Light Infantry, 1st Bucks Rifle Corps & the 1st Volunteer Battalion Royal Berks Regiment Head Quarters, 22 Friar street, Reading.

1st (Hertfordshire), Volunteer Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment.

2nd (Hertfordshire), Volunteer Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment.

Fairs and Markets

Abbots Langley, May 1, for pleasure.

Baldock, March 7, last Thursday in May, August 5 & December 11, & on October 2nd for pleasure & horses.

Barnet, April 8 & September 4, 5 & 6 for horses & cattle; & November 21; cattle market, wed.

Bennington, July 10, for pleasure.

Great Berkhamsted, stock market, every alternate Friday.

Bishop Stortford, market day, Thursday.

Hemel Hempstead, fairs for sheep & cattle on Holy Thursday & for pleasure on Thursday after Trinity; market day, Thursday.

Hertford, third Sat. before Easter, May 12, July 5, & November 8; corn market, Sat.

Hitchin, Easter & Whit Tue. & Wed. for pleasure; market day, Tuesday.

Hoddesdon, June 29 & 30, for pleasure; market day, Wed. for cattle, sheep & pigs & a special market for horses, carriages & agricultural implements on the fourth Wednesday in every month.

King’s Langley, June 24 & 25.

Redbourn, first Wed. after January 1.

Rickmansworth, November 24, for cattle.

Royston, Ash Wed. Easter Wed. Whit Wed. first Wed. in July, & first Wed. after October 10 for cattle; market day for corn & cattle, wed.

St. Albans, market day, sat.

Sawbridgeworth, April 23 & October 20.

Stevenage, September 22 & 23 for pleasure.

Tring, Easter Mon. & Old Michaelmas day; market day, Friday.

Watford, market day, Tuesday.

Weston, June 11, for pleasure.

Herts County Council

Local Government Act, 1888, 51 & 52 Vic. c. 41.

Under the above Act, Herts, after the 1st April, 1889, for the purposes of the Act, became an administrative county (sec. 46), governed by a County Council, consisting of chairman, aldermen and councillors, elected in manner prescribed by the Act (sec. 2).

The chairman, by virtue of his office, is a justice of the peace for the county, without qualification (sec. 46).

The police for the comity are under the control of a standing joint committee of the Quarter Sessions, and the County Council, appointed as therein mentioned (sec, 9).

The coroners for the county are elected by the County Council, and the clerk of the peace appointed by such joint committee, and may be removed by them (sec. 83—2).

The clerk of the peace for the county is also clerk of the County Council (sec. 83—1).

The administrative business of the county (which would, if this Act had not been passed, have been transacted by the justices) is transacted by the County Council.

Meet Quarterly at Hertford & St. Albans alternately at 12 noon Mondays.

The following Table shows the acreage tinder each kind of crop, and the number of horses, cattle, sheep and pigs in Hertfordshire as taken from the Agricultural Returns, 1897: —

County Police

Head Quarters, Hatfield.

Chairman of Standing Joint Committee, T. F. Halsey esq. M.P. Great Gaddesdon, Herts Chief Constable Lieut.-Col. Henry S. Daniell, Hatfield Deputy Chief Constable, Superintendent John Reynolds, Hitchin Staff Surgeon, Lovell Dradge esq. Hatfield Chief Clerk, Supt. William Reynolds, Hatfield The force consists of a chief constable, deputy chief constable, 5 superintendents, 7 inspectors, 23 sergeants & 167 constables.

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SITUATION AND CLIMATE

THE county of Hertford is situated among the midland counties, and enjoys a mild genial climate, and healthy atmosphere. Its aspect is for the most part agreeable, the country being in general beautifully diversified with hill and dale, richly clothed with noble woods, and thickly studded with numberless beautiful parks, the seats of nobility and gentry.

BOUNDARIES

Such is the irregularity of the boundaries of this county that it is impossible to say what is its form; that of an ellipisis is, however, the form to which it most nearly approaches. The longest axis laying in a direction nearly north-east and south-west, the shortest south-east and north-west.

Upon the north it is bounded for a few miles by the county of Cambridge; at the north-eastern angle of the county is situated a small building commonly known by the name of Knowle's Folly; at this spot the counties of Cambridge, Herts, and Essex meet, and hence proceeding in a southerly direction Essex forms the eastern boundary, being divided from Hertford by the river Stort, from Bishop’s Stortford to its confluence with the Lea, a little to the east of Hoddesdon, and by the united streams of the Stort and Lea from this point to Waltham Abbey, in the vicinity of which it quits Hertfordshire, and entering Middlesex continues to form the western boundary of Essex, till they arrive at Poplar, where they pour their tributary waters into the Thames. From Waltham Cross to West Hide the southern boundary of Hertford is formed, with some considerable indentures, by Middlesex; hence proceeding, with many and great deviations from a rectilineal course, in a northerly direction, as far as the neighbourhood of Studham, the western boundary is formed by the county of Bucks, and from this point as far as Hinxworth upon the confines of Cambridge, Bedford, and Herts, the county of Bedford bounds it upon the west and north.

EXTENT

From the irregularity of its form there is much difficulty in ascertaining with precision the dimensions of this county; measured, however, from Rovston, upon its north-eastern confines, to the extremity of its most southerly indenture with Bucks, its greatest length is about 38 miles, and its greatest breadth, taken in an oblique direction from Bishop’s Stortford in the east, to Drayton upon the confines of Buckinghamshire in the west, measures nearly the same distance: its medium length may, however, be grossly estimated at 34, and its breadth at 26 miles. Its ambit is calculated at somewhat between 130 and 140 miles; and its superficial contents said by Hally, to amount to 451,000 acres; an admeasurement which we are inclined to suspect exceeds the truth considerably.

POPULATION, &c

Hertfordshire returns six members to parliament: viz. two for the county, and four for the two boroughs of St. Albans and Hertford. The population of the county consisted, according to the last returns, of 48,063 males, and 49,514 females.

ANCIENT HISTORY

Prior to the invasion of the Romans, Hertford, with the adjoining counties of Bedford and Bucks, constituted the territory of the Cassii Trinobantes and Cattiechulatii, over whom Cassivelaunus reigned, making, as some are inclined to conjecture, Verulam his chief place of residence. When the Romans, under the conduct of their illustrious commander Julius Cæsar, made their first descent upon the shores of Britain, the several nations who at that time occupied the island summoned their forces to repel the invaders, and Cassivelaunus was unaminouslv chosen commander in chief. Unavailing, however, were the desperate efforts made by these. undisciplined though gallant natives, to oppose the steady and disciplined troops of Home, accustomed to conquest, flushed with the triumphs of recent victories, and headed by a general idolized by his soldiers, whose courage he animated, and whose affections he gained, by the most persuasive manners, and the most artful conduct. Cassivelauaus, convinced of the inefficacy of further resistance, was compelled to bow before the victor, and the shores of Britain were added to the provinces of the Romans. Upon the final subjugation of the southern parts of the island, and their division into districts or governments, Hertfordshire constituted a portion of one of these to which, in compliment to the first conqueror of the country, was given the name of Flavia Cœsariensis.

When her domestic misfortunes obliged Rome to withdraw her legions from the distant provinces, their place in this country was supplied by the Saxons, another race of invaders, who divided the country into a number of distinct kingdoms or principalities, at which time the county of Hertford was unequally divided between the kingdom of the East Saxons and that of Mercia; Ermine Street being conjectured by Salmon to have constituted the boundary.

RIVERS

The principal rivers of this county are the Lea and the Colne; and these two are composed of many inferior streams, most of whose sources lie within the county; and join the principal rivers at different distances from their sources. The Lea rises near Lea grave, in Bedfordshire, enters Hertfordshire near Bower-heath, and traverses the county in a direction nearly from north-west to south-east to its conflux with the Stort, about a mile east of Hoddesdon: then runs nearly south, and continues with that river, for the most part the boundary of the county towards the east.

The Maran, or Mimerum, rises near Frogmore, in Hitchin hundred; and with the Beane, which rises near Cromer, in Odsay hundred, joins the Lea near Hertford.

The sources of the Rib are near Buntingford, in Edwintree hundred; it is increased in its course by the waters of the Quin, which rises near Biggin, in the same hundred, and joins the Lea between Hertford and Ware. From these rivers united, the inhabitants of the metropolis derive a leading comfort of life, conveyed to them by the New River. The source of the Ash is also in Edwintree hundred: it runs near Upperwick, and falls into the Lea, about a mile below Ware. The Stort rises in Essex, is navigable from Bishop’s Stortford to its junction with the Lea, which is also navigable from Hertford to the Thames. Several other small streams, whose sources are also in Hertfordshire, fall into the Stort, which is principally the eastern boundary of the country towards Essex, from near Bishop's Stortford to its junction with the Lea. The Verulam, Verlam, or Muse river, rises in Dacorum hundred, near Margretting-street, and the confines of Bedfordshire, runs nearly south-south-east to St. Albans, and by the walls of the Roman Verulam; from thence nearly south, watering some meadows in its course, till it loses its name and consequence near Colney-street, in the river Colne, which is there a small stream, and rises near Kix, or Kits; and in Middlesex, taking nearly a northern course to North Mims, then north-west to Coney-heath, and from thence nearly south-west, to its conflux with the Muse, being joined near the conflux by a small stream which rises near Elstree. The classic Verulam, now under this name (Colne), runs nearly south-west to Watford, then west by south to Rickmansworth, and about a mile and a half beyond it, and from thence nearly south till it leaves the county. The Gade, which rises also in Dacorum hundred, near Gaddesden, and the confines of Buckinghamshire, joins, near Carner-hall, the Bulburn river, which rises near Penley-hall in the same hundred, and takes from the junction nearly a south by east direction, runs through Lord Clarendon's and Lord Essex’s parks, at King’s Langley and Cashiobury, and then nearly south-west to its conflux with the Chesham river near Rickmansworth, and to its junction with the Colne.

These are the principal streams which intersect and water the county of Hertford in all directions, and they would unquestionably be of the utmost consequence (if not shackled by mill-owners) in watering the adjoining meadows and low grounds, in a county which produces so little natural grass. The nine sister spring of the celebrated Cam at Ashmead; the source of the Hix near Hitchen, and the source of other rivers, are in this county.

CANALS

The Grand Junction Canal, from Branston Wharf on the Coventry Canal to Old Brentford, where it joins the Thames, enters the county of Hertford above Berkhamstead, and follows the course of the Bulburn and Gade to Rickmansworth, and from thence the course of the Colne, till it leaves the county.

The proprietors of the navigation proposed to tunnel under Crossley-hill; but the Earl of Essex, actuated by motives of patriotism becoming his high rank, and consonant with his philanthrophy, agreed that the navigation should pass through his park, which it accordingly does; great expence in tunneling was thus saved to the proprietors, and of freight in course to the public. An act passed for another canal from St. Albans to join the Grand Junction below Cashiobury Park; but for want of power to raise 17,0001. by subscription, nothing has yet been done towards carrying it into execution.

CIVIL AMD ECCLESIASTICAL DIVISIONS

The county of Hertford is divided into eight hundreds, and these subdivided into 134 parishes containing about 17 market towns, of which two are boroughs, and nearly 949 villages. It is at present included in the home circuit, and belongs to the province of Canterbury; part of the county is in the diocese of Lincoln, and part in that of London.