The market town of Hoddesdon lies in the northern part of the Borough, about 18 miles from central London on the old High Road. The area has been inhabited since medieval times, and although the early history of Hoddesdon is obscure, it appears that the town began life as a small off-shoot of nearby Broxbourne. Certainly by the 13th century Hoddesdon had become a centre of some importance in its own... 

Hoddesdon’s present day image owes much to Henry III who granted a weekly market and annual fare on the Feast of St Martin’s in 1253. From this time the town grew to be a centre of commence and home to a prosperous market. Through the centuries wealthy traders built town houses, many of which still survive. One of them, Lowewood , is now a local museum. By the 18th century Hoddesdon had...