The “New Town” of Hemel Hempstead has a history that goes back as far as the 8th century. Once covered entirely by forests but gradually cleared, there is evidence of early man inhabiting this area dating back to the Bronze, Iron and Stone Age man.
In 1898, Queen Victoria granted Hemel Hempstead a charter of incorporation, which named the town a municipal borough and allowed them to elect town officials. Hemel was named the “New Town” after World War II to house the overspill of a rapidly expanding London. Some important features of this “New Town” were the Watergardens in the town centre, the Nicky Line, which was a branch of the Midland Railway and the Magic Roundabout. The Magic Roundabout or “funny roundabout” as it’s called today, was created to manage the congestion as Hemel grew. It was opened for operation in June of 1973 and the first day it was opened, traffic was at a standstill and backed up to Berkhamstead.
One point of interest in Hemel Hempstead is the Old Town Hall. Located on High Street in old town, the Old Town Hall is a theatre that offers musical theatre performances and hosts entertainment acts throughout the year. If looking for specific shows in the area or perhaps a different theatre or venue, information can be found at the London Theatre Breaks Directory online. The movie house to go to in Hemel is called The Empire. There is a fairly abundant selection of movie choices, both popular and indie type films. There is also a directory online to find any local events in the area you may be interested in attending.
Hemel has sixteen hotels available to travelers, all with searchable online reviews. If you are looking for great shopping places in Hemel, there is the Marlowe Shopping Centre that offers a variety of shops along with cafes, fashion, music, books and much more. If you’re more of the flea or open market type shopper, there is the Hemel Market that looks just like the American flea markets. Vendors have all kinds of wares to offer such as clothing, shoes, kitchenware, small household appliances, fresh flowers; and of course no flea market would be complete without a varied selection of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Hemel Hempstead also offers local sports such as football, skiing and the local derby. Another place to visit is the Whipsnade Zoo. As for nightlife in Hemel, there are several nightclubs and pubs such as The Fishery Inn, Ethos Nightclub, The Crabtree, Winkwell and many more. A few of these places have a dress code, but most don’t mind that. There is also is a great selection of restaurants such as Casanova which serves Italian cuisine, The Spotted Bull Pub, which is open for lunch and The Guru, which offers Indian food. Hemel also has a variety of different denomination churches. If you’re into visiting historical sites, you really won’t want to miss Old Town. The old architecture of building in Old Town is really fascinating to look at.