Discover Hoddesdon: Market History, Parks and Trails

Hoddesdon combines the history of an old market town with parkland, museum experiences and opportunities for active days. The town is mentioned in the Domesday Book and has held an annual fair since 1253. This creates a varied framework for planning your trip: you can explore historical traces, plan time in a park or engage with regional history and culture.

Historical Traces in Hoddesdon

A notable landmark is the Hoddesdon Clock Tower, built in 1835 by T Smith. Hoddesdon War Memorial also stands in the market square, an impressive and well-designed example of a typical Celtic cross monument. The Parish Church of St Augustine dates from the 15th or 16th century and contains a 12th-century baptismal font. Anyone interested in architectural history, religious art or the development of historic places can include these varied examples in their exploration of Hoddesdon.

A particularly notable historic site is the Hoddesdon Park Wood moated site. It is designated as a Scheduled Monument and features well-preserved remains of a medieval, rectangular enclosure surrounded by a moat. The contrast between the older site and the buildings constructed later in the town makes Hoddesdon a diverse destination for travellers interested in cultural history.

Barclay Park and Lowewood Museum

Barclay Park became a public park in 1935. Its features include a lake and a bridge commissioned in the 1870s from Pulham’s, an internationally renowned local landscaping company. This gives the park its own appeal for a quieter part of the day. Barclay Park also hosts the Hertfordshire Health Walk every other Thursday. If this date fits your stay, it can add a community-focused activity to your plans.

The Lowewood Museum complements the outdoor sites with a broad cultural offering. Its collection covers geology, archaeology, social history, costumes, photography and art. The museum also has a garden with a lawn and picnic tables. This allows you to combine a museum visit with a break outdoors, without restricting your trip planning to just one area of interest. For families with children of different ages, this mix of exhibitions, history and a garden break can provide helpful guidance when choosing how to spend the day, without every day having to follow the same pattern.

Trails and Special Events

There is also a specific option for active trip planning: the River Lee Trail has an alternative starting point at the Dobbs Weir car park in Hoddesdon. Anyone wishing to combine a day out with a walking route can take this starting point into account when making their plans. A stay in a holiday apartment or holiday home in Hoddesdon can be considered as a base for different day-trip ideas, while keeping the cultural attractions and parkland in view.

Hoddesdon’s Midsummer Festival takes place every two years. If your travel dates coincide with the festival, this adds a special event to the town’s features described here on an ongoing basis. Anyone wishing to attend the festival should take the biennial schedule into account when planning their trip.

More Places for Your Trip Planning

If you would like to compare other places in addition to Hoddesdon, you can also look at Bayford, Redbourn, Little Gaddesden, Wigginton, Datchworth, Tewin, Royston and Markyate.

For the broader travel overview: Hertfordshire.