Cheshunt

The town name comes from the Roman name for the area, Cestrehunt. This is commemorated in the arms of the former Cheshunt urban district council. (See below)

Cheshunt is famous in several ways. The town's Bury Green neighbourhood was once the home of singer-songwriter Cliff Richard. Lotus Cars as well as the nationally famous Debenhams were also founded in Cheshunt, and the headquarters of Tesco, the UK's largest and most profitable supermarket chain, is also located here. The nearby village of Goffs Oak is the original home of Victoria Beckham (née Adams) of Spice Girls fame. The Goffs Oak Lodge holds its meetings at Cheshunt in the Halsey Masonic Centre, a fine period building in Turners Hill, opposite the public library. In 2002, Cheshunt hosted the only officially licensed European BotCon convention ever.

Cheshunt is located on the A10 trunk road (also known as the Great Cambridge Road) which provides links to the M25, as well as to London and the famous university city of Cambridge. Being located in the Lea Valley, Cheshunt also has access to the Lee Valley Park. It is also the location of the Cheshunt School.

The non-conformist theological college Bishop's College, Cheshunt (1768-1969), moved to Cheshunt in 1792 from Trevecca, Brecknockshire, as Cheshunt College. It moved to Cambridge in 1905.

Services in Cheshunt include the Brookfield Centre, which includes Next, Boots, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Argos and Marks & Spencer stores, as well as a large Tesco Extra store. There is a Marriott Hotel nearby, and the town centre includes a wide variety of smaller shops.

Up until the past few years, Cheshunt was home to the famous Temple Bar, moved from London at the turn of the 19th century, but the gateway was re-installed in London. The temple was used as a death tower, whereby the heads of criminals would be placed to warn anyone entering London of their potential fate. It was therefore used as a vindication to show that you can't beat the system.

Cheshunt's location is approximately 51°45′N 0°3′W, or UK grid reference TL358021.

[edit] Industry

Cheshunt's best known employer is Tesco, whose head office has been in Cheshunt for many years. A small store has been in the town centre for many years and is still open today, and a separate "Home and Ware" store used to be opposite (now closed). In 1983 a new out of town Tesco store located to the north of the town opened, named "Brookfield Farm". It later expanded, and a branch Marks & Spencer built next door, the entire estate renamed "The Brookfield Centre".

Until the late 1960s the main land use around Cheshunt was for its Nursery industry, and many new techniques for growing under glass were developed here. Thomas Rochford had a large concern here, although now almost all the glasshouses have been re-developed into housing estates. This is often reflected in the names of the roads or estates, such as Rosedale or Thomas Rochford way. A small amount of nursery trade survives to the west of the town.

The River Lee Navigation passed through Cheshunt and was used for the transport of flowers and crops to the London markets for many years until road transport became more viable. A wharf existed just east of the railway on the site now occupied by Herts Young Mariners Base and the Youth Hostel which was built on the site of the derelict open air swimming pool. Photos of the pool are exhibited at the hostel.

"Cheshunt Compound" a fungicide developed at the Cheshunt Research Station is still manufactured today.

In the late 1950s and early 1960s a large area of the Lee Valley Park in Cheshunt was used for sand and gravel extraction which resulted in the mature lakes which are popular with anglers,birdwatchers and nature lovers.

In 2006 News International commenced construction of a new printing press adjacent to the M25 Motorway.