Hitchin is a town with 33,350 inhabitants in 2011 miles north of London in the county of Hertfordshire. Hitchin is an old market town first mentioned 1,000 years ago.
Hitchin is a historic market, 51.94739°, -0.27887°. town in the north of Hertfordshire. It is twinned with the German town Bingen and the French town Nuits-Saint-Georges. Hitchin has its own character and several historic buildings can be found around the town centre, historic market place, Bancroft, Bucklersbury and Sun Street. Although this part of Hertfordshire is fairly heavily populated there is still plenty of scenery with rolling hills, lots of small villages and single track lanes to be found.
Girton College (Cambridge) was briefly first sited in Hitchin before the University authorities decided female students could perhaps be permitted to reside within 30 miles of the older colleges. The building still stands, near the summit of Benslow Lane, but is of little distinction.
Frequent, generally fast, trains run to and from London King's Cross and London St Pancras International (which is 20 minutes faster), Stevenage, Cambridge and Peterborough. Occasionally, trains run further on to Brighton and Horsham via Gatwick Airport. The station is 5 minutes by bus or 15 mins walk from town centre. Services are sometimes disrupted in late evening/at weekends, often with bus substitution - check carefully before you travel and check if planning to travel with a bike - this is strictly forbidden on rush hour trains to London in the morning and from London in the evening - the driver or station staff will prevent you boarding if you attempt to do so.
The nearest main airport is Luton Airport about 15 minutes drive from Hitchin.
Heathrow Airport is a 1-hour drive otherwise about 1.5 hours by train via London and the Heathrow Express. Coach 777 (Birmingham Airport- Luton Airport - Stansted Airport) stops at Hitchin, as does coach 787 (Heathrow Airport - Luton Airport - Cambridge). Bus 386 runs to/from Bishop's Stortford (change there for local buses or a train to Stansted Airport) and buses 100 and 101 to/from Luton (the former also via the Airport in Luton). There are trains approximately every 30 minutes to Gatwick Airport (taking around 90 minutes) from/to Hitchin, but these are often cancelled or delayed - check before you travel.
On foot, or nearby villages within easy reach by bike. Pleasant rides (with pubs at the far end) to Willian, Shillington, Charlton, Gosmore, Great/Little Wymondley, Ickleford, Pirton etc. Beyond Charlton the Red Lion at Preston (communally owned by the villagers) is worth visiting for its ambience, ales and pub dining, but does not keep extended hours.
Market Place. The key node of the town centre. No longer used for 'proper' markets, which were moved to a nearby site at the end of the dismal Churchgate passage many years ago. Mostly pedestrianised now, setting off the fine variety of Victorian and older buildings around most of the square. Farmers' and other specialised markets held from time to time. Delightful wooden cabmen's shelter resited here from the railway station, after decades in a private garden.
Sun Street. Slightly marred by the 1960s Churchgate development but otherwise an architectural gem.
Bancroft. Historically the main approach to the centre from the North. Unusually broad due to its original usage as a cattle market as well as thoroughfare. Still well-lined with old buildings as well as some, mostly lamentable, modern ones.
Bucklersbury. Historic street, interesting back yards of former coaching inns
St Mary's Church (Sometimes nicknamed "Hitchin Cathedral"), SG5 1DW, 51.94770°, -0.27722°, +44 1462 452 758. The largest parish church in the county and has two side chapels. Worth seeing in its own right as well as for the small shops along the paths surrounding the churchyard 2020-12-18
Biggin Almshouses. Medieval buildings with courtyard, still in use 2020-12-18
British Schools Museum, 41/42 Queen Street, 51.946111°, -0.275833°, +44 1462 429244. In a rare and historic complex of buildings dating back to 1837, the museum tells the story of elementary education from 1810. Also includes the restored Victorian Headmaster's House.
Fine Victorian stepped terrace of houses, Queen St.
18th century and earlier houses, Bridge St/Tilehouse St. Also mysterious fragments of much older building incorporated in the Coopers Arms pub.
North Hertfordshire Museum, Brand St, SG5 1JE (Next to Hitchin Town Hall), 51.94937°, -0.27954°, +44 1462 474 554. Tu W F Sa 10AM-4:30AM, Su 11AM-3PM. Complete historic pharmacy preserved. The adjoining Physic Garden contains many plants once used medicinally - some poisonous. 2020-12-18
Also in the area is Knebworth (historic house and grounds).
There is a good selection of places to eat in Hitchin including pubs, cafes and the usual range of cuisines such as Italian, Indian, Chinese and Thai.
Hitchin is an excellent town for a real-ale crawl; the Sunrunner, Half Moon, and Nightingale will supply you with 15 to 20 ales between them, and several other pubs have a hand pump or two.
The Angel Vaults Inn, 5 Sun St, SG5 1AE, 51.94652°, -0.27852°. M-Th 8AM-11.30PM, F Sa 8AM-midnight, Su 8AM-11:30PM. Only Wetherspoons in Hitchin.
Pitcher and Piano, 31 Market Pl, SG5 1DY (town square, in the old Corn Exchange building), 51.94755°, -0.27925°, +44 1462 434 396.
Cinnabar, 8 High St, SG5 1BH, 51.94826°, -0.27869°, +44 1462 539 200. Chain bar/pub. 2020-11-28
The Coopers Arms, 81 Tilehouse Street, SG5 2DY, 51.94708°, -0.28142°, +44 1462 459 497. Near library. McMullen pub, interesting old building, nice outdoor yard at rear. Food available lunchtime/evenings.
George. 2020-12-24
The Half Moon, 57 Queen Street, SG4 9TZ, 51.94508°, -0.27673°. M-W 4-10PM, Th-Su noon-10PM. This pub is a regular CAMRA pub-of-the-year with 8 real ales (Young's Special, Adnams Bitter, 5 SIBA, 1 free-of-tie) and several real-ciders/perrys. Eccentric cat, excitable springer spaniel, well-behaved pets welcome. Lunch & dinner served, including good value burgers and tapas. Themed food nights on Thursdays. Open daily from midday until late.
Red Hart. 2020-12-24
Rose and Crown. 2020-12-24
Pubs along the A505
The Albert, 50 Walsworth Rd, SG4 9SU (Dacre Road/Walsworth Road corner), 51.95194°, -0.26763°, +44 1462 610 237. M-F noon-11PM. Reopened mid 2011 but interior has been "sanitised" and has lost much of its former charm. A close second to the Nightingale for proximity to the railway station. 2020-12-18
Bar 85, 74 Whinbush Rd, SG5 1PZ, 51.95311°, -0.27185°, +44 1462 434 801. Lively local music venue with comedy nights.
Millstream, 97 Cambridge Rd, Walsworth, SG4 0JH (a few hundred yards, turn right out of the station), 51.95548°, -0.25836°, +44 1462 434 227. Large McMullen pub serving good quality but expensive food £15+ per person. Pints are expensive, coffees are lovingly prepared.
Molly Malone's (formerly Gloucester Arms), 118 Nightingale Rd, SG5 1RG, 51.95375°, -0.26960°, +44 1462 504 521. Opening March 2021. Notably friendly, inoffensively Irish-themed pub, Marstons, rather a lot of TV screens. Great variety and volume of live music.
The Sunrunner. closed ?. 24 Bancroft. Rambling and friendly free house with up to 8 real ales, and also Leffe blond. Good lunches, door-burstingly busy some evenings.
The Victoria, 1 Ickleford Rd, SG5 1TJ (Bancroft/A505 junction), 51.95363°, -0.27535°, +44 1462 432 682. (M Tu closed). Greene King house not far from the town centre. Secluded beer garden and outside barn often used for events. Four real ales. Lunch available daily, evening supper on Mondays. Very cliquey; unless you look like a regular you will be made to feel awkward. Landlady can be incredibly rude at times. Free ATM opposite.
Several other pubs, mostly unremarkable, some very youth-oriented especially in the town centre.
There is a very limited range of hotels for stays in and around Hitchin; none of the town pubs offer accommodation. Most of the usual budget chain hotels are available in Stevenage, but few are conveniently sited for public transport.
{{sleep | name=Sun Inn | alt= | url=https://www.oldenglishinns.co.uk/our-locations/the-sun-hotel-hitchin (dead link: December 2020) | email= | address=Sun St, SG5 1AF | lat=51.94666 | long=-0.27845| directions= | phone=| tollfree= | fax= | checkin= | checkout= | price= | wikidata=Q17554621 | lastedit= | content= Moderately expensive rooms in very old (16th century) building in the heart of town. }}
Lord Lister Hotel, Queen Street (next to Half Moon pub). No restaurant but many nearby.
Firs Hotel, Bedford Road. Easy walking distance to town centre if restaurant does not impress.
Dragon Inn, London Road (B656). Two double rooms available in this former pub just outside town; see Eat section above for link.
Hitchin Priory, Tilehouse St, SG5 2DL, 51.94500°, -0.27900°, +44 1462 420500. Quality hotel with good breakfast. Very varied styles of rooms. 2016-04-17
Farmhouse at Redcoats, Redcoats Green, Hitchin SG4 7JR, 51.925°, -0.245°, +44 1438 729500. 15th-century farmstead, now a country inn with 27 rooms and great dining. B&B double £120 2020-08-11
Premier Inn, Portmill Ln, SG5 1DJ, 51.94903°, -0.27631°, +44 3333 219 379. 2020-12-24
Travelodge, Little Wymondley (2 miles South of Hitchin, off A602). Modern buildings in woods on North edge of village. Bus 100/1/2 passes nearby.
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