| Bishop's Stortford | |
|---|---|
 Looking down Windhill towards the town centre | |
  Bishop's Stortford Location withinHertfordshire | |
| Population | 41,088 (2020)[1] |
| OS grid reference | TL495215 |
| Civil parish |
|
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BISHOP'S STORTFORD |
| Postcode district | CM22, CM23 |
| Dialling code | 01279 |
| Police | Hertfordshire |
| Fire | Hertfordshire |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| UK Parliament | |
| |
Bishop's Stortford is an historic market town andcivil parish in theEast Hertfordshire district, in the county ofHertfordshire, England. It is in theLondon commuter belt, near the border withEssex, just west of theM11 motorway andStansted Airport, 28 miles north-east ofCharing Cross and 35 minutes by rail fromLiverpool Street station. The town had an estimated population of 41,088 in 2020.[1] The district of East Hertfordshire, where the town centre is located, was ranked as the best place to live in the UK by the Halifax Quality of Life annual survey in 2020.[2]
The origins of the town's name are uncertain. One possibility is that theSaxon settlement derives its name from 'Steorta's ford' or 'tail ford', in the sense of a 'tail', or tongue, of land.[3][4] The town became known as Bishop's Stortford due to the acquisition in 1060 by theBishop of London.[5]
TheRiver Stort is named after the town, and not the town after the river. Whencartographers visited the town in the 16th century, they reasoned that the town must have been named after the ford in the river and assumed the river was called the Stort.[6]
Little is known of Stortford until theRoman era, with the evidence being smallarchaeological finds. Limited evidence of ancientMesolithic and Microlithic peoples in the form of flakes, cores and an axe have been found on the Meads and Silverleys respectively. Most Bronze Age evidence is from the neighbouring parish ofThorley to the south as opposed to Stortford proper, but a 3,000 year old socketed spearhead has been found at Haymeads Lane within the town. Evidence of settlement has been found on Dunmow Road dating from the MiddleBronze Age through to Romano-British times. InBishop's Stortford: A History, Jacqueline Cooper concludes "existing evidence suggests that the Stortford area was settled only sparsely in prehistoric times, and nearby places likeBraughing andLittle Hallingbury were of more importance."[7]
Stortford was on the line of the Roman road,Stane Street, which ran fromSt Albans to Colchester via Braughing. Construction started around AD 50 on the road. Little evidence from the period survives except for excavations showing a section of the road, evidence of a cremation facility and a burial site.[8] None of the excavations has shown evidence of the Roman fort which likely existed in Stortford.[9] The settlement was probably abandoned in the 5th century after the break-up of the Roman Empire.[10]
Following the end of the Roman era, a newAnglo-Saxon settlement grew up on the site.
However, little is known about Stortford until the 1060s with the evidence becoming much stronger after theNorman Conquest.[11] In 1060 when William,Bishop of London, bought Stortford manor and estate for £8, leading to the town's modern name. By 1086, themotte-and-baileyWaytemore Castle had been built[5] as a local strongpoint for the area. It acted as a centre for defence and civil administration for roughly 125 years before it was dismantled but not destroyed byKing John in 1211. Rebuilding of the castle started the following year at John's expense, and John stayed the night in the castle in 1216.[12] By the 15th century, the castle had fallen into disrepair, and the Bishop's Court (one of the administrative structures for the area) moved to Hockerill, to the east of the town.[5]
At the time of theDomesday Book in 1086 the village had a population of around 120,[13][14] and grew to around 700 by the 13th century.[11]
In terms of governance, early medieval Stortford was part of theBraughing Hundred, but acquired burgesses and between 1306 and 1336 was taxed as a borough. No charter survives however, and civil authority passed to two local manor courts at the Castle and the Rectory.[15] Stortford briefly sent two members to parliament in the reigns ofEdward II andEdward III, withwrits being issued to the town in the 1311–1315, 1318, 1320, 1322 and 1340.[16][17]
At the start of the early modern period in the mid 15th century, Stortford was a primarily agricultural community, but had also acquired atanning industry.[13] By the 16th century, Stortford had become an important centre of themalting industry. Not only were the local soils well suited for grains, but the fact that the town was just 35 miles to London provided an impetus to its development.[18] The economic draw of the maltings and the town's market supported a large number of inns and public houses by the middle of the 16th century pointing to its prosperity.[19]
Over the following hundred years, Stortford grew markedly. The population of Stortford reached 1,500 by 1660 as a result of a positive net birth rate and migration to the town.[20] This was despite a series of a dozen plagues between the 1560s and 1660s.[21] The town also enjoyed a series of royal visits in the 17th century, withCharles I visiting the town in 1625, 1629 and 1642.[22]
The years following the last of Charles' visits were to prove somewhat turbulent for the town. During theEnglish Civil War Stortford backed theParliamentarians, with the Manor of Stortford being sequestered from the Bishop of London and sold off for £2,845. It was returned to the Bishop at theRestoration.[22]The Great Plague of 1666–7, and its lasting effects, reduced the population to only around 600 by 1700. The effects of the plague were so severe that the town had to appeal to the Hertfordshire magistrates, who levied a rate on every parish in the county for the relief of Bishop's Stortford,Hoddesdon andCheshunt.[20]
Despite the demographic impact of the Great Plague, perhaps the turning point in Stortford's fortunes was the creation of the 'Hockerill by-pass' in 1670.[23]King Charles II had in the 1660s been increasingly travelling from London toNewmarket for theraces and disliked the noise and congestion of Stortford, with its odorous market, maltings and tanneries. Moreover, the route was not always passable as noted by diaristSamuel Pepys who made the following entry in his diary on 23 May 1668:‘and so to Bishop's Stafford [sic]. The ways mighty full of water so as hardly to be passed’. As a result, the road from London to Newmarket was diverted to the east of the centre of Stortford, and instead ran through the outlying settlement of Hockerill.[24] The inns of Hockerill become an important overnight location for stop overs for overnight coaches toEast Anglia.[25] Further demands for improved roads led to the creation of the Essex and Hertfordshire Turnpike Trust (later HockerillTurnpike Trust) in 1744 to repair the road betweenHarlow Bush Common and Stump Cross inGreat Chesterford. LaterActs of Parliament extended the term of the Trust and allowed new road construction.[26] From March 1785 the mail coaches ran from London toNorwich via Stortford.[27] Thus, the improved highways marked the first of the phases of Stortford's growth driven by emergent transport technology.
The second major transport development to provide a significant boost to the town was the construction of theStort Navigation, which canalised the River Stort, and opened in 1769. The improvements to the navigation of the Stort were driven by the inability of the malting industry to use the Stort for river transport, which caused significant damage to the local roads and handed a competitive advantage to neighbouring malting areas likeWare who were linked to London by the River Lea. The work on the canal undertaken by George Jackson (laterSir George Duckett) had the added benefit of alleviating the flooding risk in the town.[28]
With the roads and Stort navigation providing easy access to London markets, industrialisation came to Stortford. The advent of the Stort Navigation brought new industries to the town, with bargemen, lock-keepers, wharfingers, coal and timber merchants all appearing. The malting industry also saw output significantly increase, with brown malt production doubling between 1788 and 1811. Together with national trends in the brewing industry, the 40 malthouses in Stortford in early 1800s Stortford also helped to stimulate the local brewing trade. At the turn of the 19th century, there were 18 brewers in town which in turn boosted the inn trade.[29] The boom in the town in turn boosted the metal working and bricklaying trades, and also aided the general retail trade. In 1791 there were 30 principal traders according to a contemporary directory.[30]
The vibrancy of the local economy - especially the agricultural trade sector - was demonstrated in 1828 when a consortium of local businessmen built theBishop's Stortford Corn Exchange, which provided trading accommodation for 65 dealers.[31] By this point, the town directory was listing 200 commercial entries, and 350 by the turn of the century.[32]
The third major transport innovation to have a significant impact upon Stortford was the arrival of the railway in 1842. The line initially ran from London Liverpool Street to Stortford, but by 1845 the line was linked to Norwich. The new rail link brought an almost immediate end to the coaching industry, and the Stort Navigation entered terminal decline. The town, though boomed. Massive new residential estates grew up in the New Town (to the south and west of the historic core) and Hockerill (across the river to the east of the historic core) in the decades following the building of the railway.[33] ABishop's Stortford–Braintree branch line was built toBraintree to bring goods into Stortford from the surrounding more rural areas, with the first section toGreat Dunmow opening in 1864.[34] The single track line struggled to gain traction, and by 1922 had only seven eastbound and six westbound trains per day.[35] The bus service which started between Stortford and Dunmow in 1920[36] contributed to the demise of the line which closed to passengers in 1952 and freight in 1972.[37]
The mid-19th century onwards also saw the rapid growth in public utilities, public services and governance in the town. The first gas street lights were installed in the town in the 1830s,[38] in 1855 the New Cemetery was opened,[39] in the 1870s a sewage farm and an isolation hospital were built,[40] while in 1895 the town's first proper hospital was opened.[41] By 1911, theEncyclopædia Britannica referred to the town as having strong educational pedigree: "The high school, formerly the grammar school, was founded in the time of Elizabeth.... There are a Nonconformist grammar school, a diocesan training college for mistresses, and other educational establishments."[42]
DuringWorld War II, Stortford was a reception area for evacuees.[43] This did not, however, mean that Stortford was immune from bombings, with 20 bombs recorded as having been dropped in 1940.[44] Targets included Hockerill Training College where three students were killed on 10 October 1940.[45] The railway station was hit twice during the war and a rocket landed near Farnham Road in the town in 1945.[46]
In the post-war era the town centre underwent changes with the demolition of amulti-storey car park and surrounding area to make way for a new town centre area and city-type apartments andpenthouses on the riverside and elsewhere. Jackson Square (a modern shopping complex) was rebuilt and an extension added.
Stortford continued to grow as a commuter town from the second half of the 20th century onwards, spurred by the construction of theM11 motorway andStansted Airport, as well as rail links to London and Cambridge. This contributed to its rise in population to almost 38,000 at the time of the 2011 census.[1]
Of the seven suburbs ofThorley, Town, Havers, Stortford Fields, Bishop's Park, St Michael's Mead and Snowley the last is a separate ecclesiastical parish east of the River Stort, centred around the old coaching inns,All Saints in Stansted Road and Snowley Parade, bordering Birchanger Woods and Essex. Postwar development has enlarged the town's area further.
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| Source: 1801–1961 & 1939 RegisterCensus via Vision of Britain, 1971–1991 Hertfordshire Populations 1801–1991 (Hertfordshire County Council, undated), 2001–2020ONS Mid-Year Population Estimates | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The earliest reliable population figure for Stortford was 120 at the publication of the Domesday Book in 1086.[13] Over the successive centuries the population waxed and waned as a result of economic growth and plagues, and generally only rough population estimates exist.[20][21] By the time of thefirst nationwide census in 1801 Stortford's population had reached 2,305[47] spurred by the town's position on the Hockerill Turnpike[26] and the canalisation of the River Stort.[28] Steady growth continued over the coming decades as the railways spurred industrialisation.[33] Population growth averaged 1.12% per annum through to 1911 and the advent of World War I. Inter-war growth averaged 1.54% per annum. Stortford's population exceeded the county town ofHertford in the 1961 census,[48] even though Stortford's average population growth slowed to 1.39% between World War II and 2020. Sources of population growth have been predominantly natural growth and in-migration, but on a number of occasions the boundaries of Bishop's Stortford parish have been expanded. Most recently this occurred in 1992 when some neighbouring parts of Essex were moved into the town[49] and in 2018 when homes were moved into Stortford from neighbouring Thorley Parish.[50] In 2020 Bishop's Stortford was the largest town in East Hertfordshire.[51]
At the 2011 census, 93.6% of the population of Stortford described themselves as white,[52] which was lower than the 96.2% recorded in the 2001 census.[53] The number of people describing themselves as having a white background in 2011 was significantly higher than the England aggregate of 85.4%, but slightly lower than the overall East Hertfordshire figure.[52]
| Bishop's Stortford, % | East Hertfordshire, % | England, % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.6 | 95.5 | 85.4 |
| Mixed/multiple ethnic groups | 2.2 | 1.6 | 2.3 |
| Asian/Asian British | 2.9 | 1.9 | 7.8 |
| Black/African/Caribbean/Black British | 1.0 | 0.7 | 3.5 |
| Other ethnic group | 0.4 | 0.3 | 1.0 |
The proportion of Bishop's Stortford residents reporting having been born in the United Kingdom was 87.8%, and was only slightly higher than the English average of 86.2%. Stortford recorded a significantly higher proportion ofEuropean Union-born residents than either East Hertfordshire or England.[52] The number of UK-born residents in 2011 was down from the 92.4% recorded in 2001.[52][53]
| Bishop's Stortford, % | East Hertfordshire, % | England, % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 87.8 | 92.0 | 86.2 |
| Ireland | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.7 |
| Other EU | 5.3 | 3.0 | 3.7 |
| Other countries | 5.8 | 4.3 | 9.4 |
The number of occupied dwellings in Bishop's Stortford rose from 13,733 in 2001 to 14,920. In Stortford 3.0% of properties were recorded as empty in 2011, compared with 4.3% across England. Overall, the dominant type of housing are detached and semi-detached housing, although the proportion of flats has grown from 13.0% in 2001 to 17.6% in 2011. The proportion of flats is well below the English average of 22.1%[52][53]
| Bishop's Stortford | East Hertfordshire | England | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
| All Dwellings | 15,377 | 100 | 58,356 | 100 | 23,044,097 | 100 |
| Occupied Dwellings | 14,920 | 97.0 | 56,577 | 97.0 | 22,063,368 | 95.7 |
| Empty Dwellings | 457 | 3.0 | 1,779 | 3.0 | 980,729 | 4.3 |
| Detached Houses | 5,198 | 33.8 | 16,294 | 27.9 | 5,128,552 | 22.3 |
| Semi-Detached Houses | 4,528 | 29.4 | 17,459 | 29.9 | 7,076,395 | 30.7 |
| Terraced Houses | 2,940 | 19.1 | 13,397 | 23.0 | 5,642,969 | 24.5 |
| Flats (Purpose Built) | 2,368 | 15.4 | 9,615 | 16.5 | 3,854,451 | 16.7 |
| Flats (Converted) | 219 | 1.4 | 912 | 1.6 | 984,284 | 4.3 |
| Flats (In Commercial Buildings) | 122 | 0.8 | 562 | 1.0 | 257,218 | 1.1 |
| Caravan or other mobile or temporary structure | 2 | 0.0 | 117 | 0.2 | 100,228 | 0.4 |
Home ownership is high in Bishop's Stortford at 72.3% of households, which is above both the East Hertfordshire and English averages. The proportion of properties available for social rent has risen from 9.8% in 2001 to 10.1% in 2011.[52][53]
| Bishop's Stortford | East Hertfordshire | England | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
| All households | 14,920 | 100.0 | 56,577 | 100.0 | 22,063,368 | 100.0 |
| Owned | 10,781 | 72.3 | 40,665 | 71.9 | 13,975,024 | 63.3 |
| Owned outright | 4,594 | 30.8 | 18,186 | 32.1 | 6,745,584 | 30.6 |
| Owned with a mortgage or loan | 6,187 | 41.5 | 22,479 | 39.7 | 7,229,440 | 32.8 |
| Shared ownership (part owned and part rented) | 226 | 1.5 | 508 | 0.9 | 173,760 | 0.8 |
| Social rented | 1,510 | 10.1 | 7,185 | 12.7 | 3,903,550 | 17.7 |
| Private rented | 2,261 | 15.2 | 7,446 | 13.2 | 3,715,924 | 16.8 |
| Living rent free | 142 | 1.0 | 773 | 1.4 | 295,110 | 1.3 |
Stortford has three tiers of local government at parish (town), district, and county level: Bishop's Stortford Town Council,East Hertfordshire District Council, andHertfordshire County Council.
| Bishop's Stortford | |
|---|---|
| Local Government District (1866–1894) Urban District (1894–1974) | |
 Coat of arms | |
| Population | |
| • 1891 | 6,595[54] |
| • 1971 | 21,000[55] |
| History | |
| • Created | 25 December 1866 |
| • Abolished | 31 March 1974 |
| • Succeeded by | East Hertfordshire |
| • HQ | Bishop's Stortford |
| Contained within | |
| • County Council | Hertfordshire |
Historically, Stortford was administered by its parishvestry, in the same way as most small towns and rural areas; no borough corporation was established for the town, despite some limited moves in that direction in the fourteenth century.[56] Bishop's Stortford was included in thehundred ofBraughing. The Bishop's StortfordPoor Law Union was established in 1835, covering the town and surrounding parishes in both Hertfordshire and Essex.[57]
On 25 October 1866 a public meeting at the town's corn exchange voted to establish alocal board, the Bishop's Stortford Local Board. The parish of Bishop's Stortford was declared to be a local government district with effect from 25 December 1866, and the local board held its first meeting at the corn exchange on 23 February 1867. Jones Gifford Nash was chosen as the first chairman of the local board.[58] The Local Board later established offices at 7 North Street.[59][60][61]
Under theLocal Government Act 1894, the Bishop's Stortford Local Board was replaced by the Bishop's Stortford Urban District Council in 1894.[62] The new council held its first meeting on 5 January 1895. The last chairman of the local board, John Slater, was appointed the first chairman of the urban district council.[63] The council continued to be based at 7 North Street until theFirst World War.[64] In 1914 the council bought a large old house called Wharf House at 4 The Causeway.[65] The house had been built byGeorge Jackson, who had also built the adjoiningStort Navigation. Wharf House was renamed the Council House, and served as the council's offices until October 1972, when the council moved to purpose-built offices at 1 The Causeway. The Council House was demolished shortly afterwards to make way for the Jackson Square shopping centre.[66][67]
Bishop's Stortford Urban District Council was granted acoat of arms on 20 August 1952.[68]
Bishop's Stortford Urban District was abolished under theLocal Government Act 1972, becoming part ofEast Hertfordshire on 1 April 1974. Bishop's Stortford Town Council was established as asuccessor parish to the old urban district.[69] The former urban district council's offices at 1 The Causeway were taken over by East Hertfordshire District Council, whilst the new town council was based at the former offices of theBraughing Rural District Council at 2 Hockerill Street. The town council moved to the Old Monastery on Windhill in 1994.[70] East Hertfordshire District Council vacated 1 The Causeway in 2013, having consolidated most of its functions at its main offices inHertford. The district council set up a smaller Bishop's Stortford office in Charringtons House, adjoining 1 The Causeway. The vacated office at 1 The Causeway was demolished in 2017.[71]
Bishop's Stortford is the largest town within the Hertford and Stortford County Constituency for elections to theHouse of Commons of the United Kingdom. The constituency covers Stortford, Hertford, Ware, Sawbridgeworth and the surrounding rural areas.[72]
For elections to East Herts District Council, Bishop's Stortford has been divided into six wards since the May 2023 local elections wards: All Saints, Central, North, Parsonage, South and Thorley Manor. Bishop's Stortford residents elect 14 of the 50 councillors on East Herts Council. For elections to Bishop's Stortford Town Council, the town is split into nine wards: All Saints, Central, Chantry, Parsonage, Silverleys, South, Thorley Manor North, Thorley Manor South and Waterside.[73]
For elections to Hertfordshire County Council, out of the 78 electoral divisions in total, three divisions cover Bishop's Stortford: Bishop's Stortford East (comprising the areas covered by the All Saints, Parsonage and Chantry Town Council Wards), Bishop's Stortford Rural (the South, Thorley Manor South Town Council Wards together with the Little Hadham and Much Hadham East Herts District Council Wards) and Bishop's Stortford West (the Central, Silverleys, Thorley Manor North and Waterside Town Council Wards).[72]
After 46 years of being twinned with the German town of Friedberg and Villiers-sur-Marne in France, the town council ended links in 2011.[74]
Stortford is a prosperous town.[75] The key drivers of its growth according to theTown Wide Employment Study for Bishop's Stortford are "Stansted Airport, an excellent rail service into central London and good road links via the M11 to London, the M25 northern sub-region and Cambridge. Stortford is well positioned in relation to the UK's most dynamic economies."[75] This study also highlights Stortford's skilled population, as well as the importance of "quality of life" as an important economic asset.[75] In addition to East Hertfordshire topping the Halifax Quality of Life survey in 2020,[76] Stortford has been highlighted as a popular commuter town in articles inThe Times,[77]The Evening Standard,[78] and theMetro newspaper London.[79]
Like the UK as a whole, Stortford has a highly service-based economy. In the 2011 census, 84.5% of Stortford residents in employment stated that they worked in a service industry, which was higher than East Hertfordshire (81.2%) and England (81.2%). Of particular note is that 7.9% of local workers are employed in Transportation and Storage which is well above the English average of 5.0%.[52] The most significant employer in this industry is Stansted Airport, which was estimated in 2013 to employ at least 1,000 people who live in Stortford.[80]
| Bishop's Stortford | East Hertfordshire | England | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
| Primary Industries (A-B) | 25 | 0.1 | 459 | 0.6 | 203,789 | 0.8 |
| Manufacturing (C) | 1,468 | 7.4 | 6,161 | 8.5 | 2,226,247 | 8.8 |
| Utilities (D-E) | 139 | 0.7 | 566 | 0.8 | 315,362 | 1.3 |
| Construction (F) | 1,446 | 7.3 | 6,355 | 8.8 | 1,931,936 | 7.7 |
| Services (G-U) | 16,851 | 84.5 | 58,635 | 81.2 | 20,442,085 | 81.2 |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade (G) | 3,327 | 16.7 | 11,268 | 15.6 | 4,007,570 | 15.9 |
| Transportation and Storage (H) | 1,581 | 7.9 | 3,553 | 4.9 | 1,260,094 | 5.0 |
| Accommodation and Food Service (I) | 893 | 4.5 | 3,058 | 4.2 | 1,399,931 | 5.6 |
| Other Services (J-U) | 11,050 | 55.4 | 40,756 | 56.4 | 13,774,490 | 54.7 |
| All usual resident 16–74 in employment | 19,941 | 100 | 72,225 | 100 | 25,162,721 | 100 |
Commuters represent a sizeable proportion of the local working age population. TheTown Wide Employment Study estimated in 2013 around 3,000 people (round 15% of those in employment) commute from Stortford by rail, with the largest proportion "in all probability" travelling into Central London.[81] This is reflected in Stortford in the 2011 census having a much higher proportion of workers in managerial and professional occupations than the national average,[52] as shown in the table below.
| Bishop's Stortford | East Hertfordshire | England | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Occupations | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % |
| All usual resident 16–74 in employment | 19,941 | 100.0 | 72,225 | 100.0 | 25,162,721 | 100.0 |
| Managers, directors and senior officials | 2,682 | 13.4 | 10,639 | 14.7 | 2,734,900 | 10.9 |
| Professional | 4,058 | 20.4 | 14,636 | 20.3 | 4,400,375 | 17.5 |
| Associate professional and technical | 3,056 | 15.3 | 11,160 | 15.5 | 3,219,067 | 12.8 |
| Administrative and secretarial | 2,377 | 11.9 | 8,968 | 12.4 | 2,883,230 | 11.5 |
| Skilled trades | 1,776 | 8.9 | 7,589 | 10.5 | 2,858,680 | 11.4 |
| Caring, leisure and other service | 1,839 | 9.2 | 5,740 | 7.9 | 2,348,650 | 9.3 |
| Sales and customer service | 1,546 | 7.8 | 4,345 | 6.0 | 2,117,477 | 8.4 |
| Process plant and machine operatives | 979 | 4.9 | 3,573 | 4.9 | 1,808,024 | 7.2 |
| Elementary | 1,628 | 8.2 | 5,575 | 7.7 | 2,792,318 | 11.1 |
Stortford itself has a strong internal economy, with an estimated 16,985 people employed within the town boundaries.[82] There are 329 businesses established in the town centre (as of 2018)[83] represented by the Bishop's StortfordBusiness Improvement District (BID).[84] There is also a Bishop's Stortford Chamber of Commerce.[85]
Stortford is considered the Principal Town Centre in East Hertfordshire byEast Hertfordshire District Council'sDistrict Plan, serving as a destination for visitors from beyond the town.[86] There is both an indoor shopping centre, Jackson Square,[87] and a traditional high street running along the axis of South Street, Potter Street and North Street, as well as the adjoining streets.[88] The town has a twice weekly market and a monthly farmers market run by Bishop's Stortford Town Council.[89]
| Industry | 2020 | % |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry & fishing (A) | 0 | 0 |
| Mining, quarrying & utilities (B,D and E) | 35 | 0.2 |
| Manufacturing (C) | 800 | 4.7 |
| Construction (F) | 1,000 | 5.9 |
| Motor trades (Part G) | 700 | 4.1 |
| Wholesale (Part G) | 700 | 4.1 |
| Retail (Part G) | 2,500 | 14.7 |
| Transport & storage (inc postal) (H) | 350 | 2.1 |
| Accommodation & food services (I) | 1,250 | 7.4 |
| Information & communication (J) | 800 | 4.7 |
| Financial & insurance (K) | 600 | 3.5 |
| Property (L) | 350 | 2.1 |
| Professional, scientific & technical (M) | 1,750 | 10.3 |
| Business administration & support services (N) | 1,750 | 10.3 |
| Public administration & defence (O) | 100 | 0.6 |
| Education (P) | 1,750 | 10.3 |
| Health (Q) | 1,750 | 10.3 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation & other services (R, S,T and U) | 800 | 4.7 |
| Total | 16,985 | 100 |
TheBishop's Stortford Independent newspaper covers Stortford, along with the neighbouring towns ofSawbridgeworth andStansted Mountfitchet.[90] The newspaper was founded in October 2017[91] following the closure of the Stortford office of theHerts and Essex Observer newspaper in 2016.[92]
The town is also covered by a number of print magazines including theBishop's Stortford Flyer,[93]CM23 Connection,[94]Axis Magazine,[95] andThe BISH.[96]
Local news and television programmes are provided byBBC London andITV London. Television signals are received from either theCrystal Palace[97] or the local relay transmitters.[98]BBC East andITV Anglia can also be received from theSandy Heath TV transmitter.[99]
Local radio stations areBBC Three Counties Radio[100] andHeart Hertfordshire.
Bishop's Stortford railway station is a stop on theWest Anglia Main Line and was first opened in 1842. There were 2.00 million passenger entries and exits in 2020/21.[101]
The station is served by three routes, all operated byGreater Anglia:[102]
Epping tube station on theLondon UndergroundCentral line is about 10 miles away from Stortford; the line provides a stopping service through Central London toEaling Broadway in the west.
TheM11 motorway passes to the east of Bishop's Stortford. Junction 8 links the motorway to the town and the M11 carries traffic directly toCambridge,Harlow andLondon. As the road passes the town, Bishop's Stortford falls in theM11 corridor for innovation.[103]
TheA120 runs east–west along the northern edge of the town. To the west, the A120 meets theA10 atPuckeridge (forHertford orRoyston). To the east, the A120 passesStansted Airport en route toBraintree,Colchester, theA12 andHarwich.
Other key routes in the town include:
East Hertfordshire District Council monitorsnitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels at Hockerill Junction in the town centre.[104] There are fourdiffusion tubes around the junction for air quality monitoring. In 2017, three out of four tubes failed to meet the UK National Objective of 40μg/m3 (micrograms percubic metre):[105]
| Location | NO2 concentration (μg/m3) |
|---|---|
| Stansted Road | 36.0 |
| Hockerill Street | 41.3 |
| Dunmow Road | 45.6 |
| London Road | 56.3 |
Stansted Airport is located to the east of the town, with rail and bus links to Stortford; it serves over 200 destinations globally.[106]
The town is on theArriva Herts & Essex bus network. Buses 309, 508, 509 and 510 connect the town toStansted Airport. Local route 511 connects Thorley Park and St James' Park with Bishop's Park via the train station. Buses 508, 509 and 510 all terminate to the south inHarlow.[107]
Central Connect, operated by Vectare, also serve the town. Key routes include the 35 toHertford and the 36 toStevenage, viaLetchworth. There are further routes to rural destinations in Hertfordshire and Essex.[108][109]
Stortford is served by the followingcycle routes on regional networks and theNational Cycle Network:
The historic core of Stortford is covered by aConservation Area, which roughly aligns with the boundaries of the town in 1874–1894.[116] As of the last formal Appraisal of the Conservation Area in 2014, there were 105 listed buildings in Stortford, including 71 within the Conservation Area. Two of the buildings are Grade 1 listed: Waytemore Castle and St Michael's Church.[117] Grade II* listed buildings include 10 Bridge Street (the Black Lion pub), 30 High Street (the Boar's Head restaurant) and 8–10 High Street. Much of the Conservation Area is also an Area of Archaeological Significance.[118]
Waytemore began as amotte and bailey castle in the time ofWilliam the Conqueror. A rectangular great tower was added to the motte in the 12th century. It was improved in the 13th century underKing John and a licence forcrenellation was granted in the mid-14th century. It lost significance after theCivil War and was used as a prison in the 17th century.
Only earthworks, the largemotte, and the foundations of a square tower can now be seen.
Bishop's Stortford Corn Exchange is aGreek Revival style building completed in 1828. The use of the building as a corn exchange declined significantly in the wake of theGreat Depression of British Agriculture in the late 19th century. It initially became a meeting venue, and is currently used by commercial and leisure businesses.
In 1935All Saints' Church, Hockerill was destroyed by fire, and in 1937 a new church, to a spacious, light, and airy design by the architectStephen Dykes Bower, was erected in its place. This is a Grade II listed building and the tower dominates the eastern skyline of the town. The church contains a notablerose window designed byHugh Ray Easton and a two-manualHenry Willis II organ. Concerts are also held there.
Stortford schools regularly appear in rankings of the best schools in the country, withHockerill Anglo-European College,The Hertfordshire and Essex High School, andThe Bishop's Stortford High School frequently being top performers inThe Sunday Times Schools Guide.[122][123]Hertfordshire County Council is the education authority for thestate schools in Bishop's Stortford, and is responsible for admissions.[124]
All of the state primary schools in Stortford have nurseries attached, while all of the state secondaries have sixth forms.[125] Bishop's Stortford High School[126] and Herts and Essex High School[127] are a single sex boys and girls school, respectively, from years 7–11 but both have mixed-sex sixth forms. There is also an independent school, theBishop's Stortford College, which covers ages 4 to 18.[128]
There are no further education or higher educational institutions in Stortford. However, nearby educational options include Stansted Airport College,[129]Harlow College,[130]Hertford Regional College,[131] andCambridge Regional College.[132]
The town previously had a boys' grammar school,Bishop's Stortford Grammar School, laterBishop's Stortford School.[133][134] This was founded in the sixteenth century.[135] Pupils includedFrancis Barber, the Jamaican manservant ofSamuel Johnson, in the eighteenth century, andCecil Rhodes, the mining magnate and politician, in the nineteenth century.[133][136] One of the headteachers was the seventeenth-century grammarian Christopher Cooper.[137]
| Schools | |
|---|---|
| State Nursery and Primary Schools[125] | All Saints C of E Primary and Nursery School, Avanti Meadows Primary School, Hillmead Primary School, Manor Fields Primary School, Northgate Primary School, St Joseph's Catholic Primary, St Michael's C of E VA Primary, Summercroft Primary School, The Richard Whittington Primary School, Thorley Hill Primary School, Thorn Grove Primary School, Windhill21 |
| State Secondary Schools[125] | Avanti Grange,[138]Birchwood High School,The Bishop's Stortford High School,The Hertfordshire and Essex High School,Hockerill Anglo-European College,St Mary's Catholic School |
| Private Schools | Bishop's Stortford College[128] |
Semi-professional football teamBishop's Stortford F.C. were formed in 1874 and play at Woodside Park in the town; the stadium lies on a county boundary and is in bothHertfordshire andEssex. They are currently members of theSouthern League Premier Division Central, the seventh tier of theEnglish football pyramid. The club have won two national titles: the1973–74 FA Amateur Cup and the1980-81 FA Trophy, becoming the first club to win both competitions.[139] Bishop's Stortford Community Football Club are one of the largest clubs of their type in the country, with over 80 teams and nearly 1,000 members, as of the 2020–21 season.[140]
Bishop's Stortford Hockey Club was formed in 1948 and is based atThe Hertfordshire and Essex High School, with a clubhouse and state of the art pitch.[141] They have fourteen senior sides: six men's and eight ladies'[142] playing in theEast Hockey Leagues.[143] The Men's 1st XI play in the East Men's Division 1 South and the Ladies' 1st XI play in the Vitality Women's Conference East.[144] – along with a thriving junior section with over 500 members.
The club has a number of current and former international players still involved with coaching or playing, includingRob Clift (gold medallist),Bernie Cotton, Pippa Bull, Vernon Brown and Ronnie Stott, in addition to a number of senior members who still represent their country at Masters level.[145]
Bishop's Stortford Cricket Club play their home matches atCricket Field Lane, which is also a home venue forHertfordshire County Cricket Club.[146] Thorley Cricket Club play in Bishop's Stortford and, as of 2021, had 40 adult members and over 100 children in their summer coaching programme.[147] Hockerill Cricket Club play at their ground on Beldams Lane[148] which they share with Bishop's Stortford Running Club. BSRC supportsroad running andcross-country running.[149]
Bishop's Stortford Rugby Football Club play in National League 1, the third tier of English rugby. In total, the club has around 700 male players across its Mini, Youth and Senior teams, as well as over 80 female players, as of 2021.[150]
Public sports facilities include the Grange Paddocks swimming pool and gym, a tennis club, a squash club and a golf club. A concreteskateboard park plaza, featuring a back-and-forth run with a quarter-pipe and flat bank either side of several ledges and a rail, is located in the town park.[151] Bishop's Stortford Town Council is investing in the facility to create a broader "teenage recreation space".[152]
TheSouth Mill Arts complex (formerly the Rhodes Arts Complex) incorporates a theatre, cinema, dance studio and conference facilities. Situated within the complex, in the house whereCecil Rhodes was born, is the Bishop's Stortford Museum. It has a local history collection, a unique collection relating to Rhodes and theBritish Empire in Africa, as well as a temporary exhibition gallery.[153]
South Mill Arts is the town's largest live music venue. In the 1960s, the Rhodes Theatre had a string of concerts by now very high-profile musicians, who were then at the start of their careers. Performers includedDavid Bowie,Stevie Wonder andLulu as well as iconic bands such asThe Who,The Animals,The Moody Blues,Small Faces andWayne Fontana andThe Mindbenders.[154]
Located in the town centre is the Complex, Anchor Street Entertainment, amultiplex which contains a health club, bowling alley and a number of food outlets.
The town is home to two amateur dramatics groups, The Water Lane Theatre Group and Bishop's Stortford Musical Theatre Company.[citation needed]
The town is home to various youth organisations and youth groups, including anArmy Cadet Force detachment, anAir Training Corps squadron, Scout troops,[155] and a GAP youth group affiliated to the Church of St James the Great in Thorley.[citation needed]
There is an annual Christmas Fayre in December, with over 100 stalls and family-friendly entertainment.[156] There is also a summer Carnival, involving a procession with over 100 community groups taking part, bands, fairground rides, entertainers and stalls.[157]
Being a market town and major coach stop between London and Cambridge, Stortford has many largepublic houses within the town centre. In 1636 The Star in Bridge Street was run by John Wood. The Inn was acquired by Hawkes and Co. and bought in 1808. In the early 20th century The Star catered for cyclists, providing cycle sheds that attracted people from local villages. John Kynnersley Kirby (1894–1962), painted local scenes and portraits of local characters, painted the interior of The Star for a painting entitledThe Slate Club Secretary.[158]
Other public houses included the 15th-century Boars Head, 16th-century Black Lion, and the Curriers Arms was in Market Square from the 1700s until 1904, in the building which until recently was a Zizzi restaurant. Between 1644 and 1810, the Reindeer operated on the present site of the Tourist Information Centre.[159] Another notable establishment was the Tanners Arms, built around 1850 alongside a former tannery. It was originally owned by Joseph Whitby and later acquired byMcMullen's Brewery of Hertford in 1895.[160] The pub closed in 2011, and the building is now occupied by IT company ITVET.[161]
Stortford has grown around theRiver Stort valley, with the town centre lying about 60 metres above sea level, rising to over 100 metres above sea level on the eastern and western margins of the town.
Being in the south-east, the town enjoys a warmer climate than most of Britain and summer temperatures may sometimes reach the mid-30s C/ it is also one of the driest places in the country. Snow is often seen in the winter months because the town is near the east coast, where cold, moist air is brought in from theNorth Sea and cold fronts from northern Europe. In recent years[when?] there has been up to three inches of snow early in the year, which has resulted in minor disruption to transport and caused some schools to close for several days. However, the snow tends not to persist in any noticeable quantity.[citation needed]
Water for the town is supplied byAffinity Water. The water is classed asvery hard with over 345 mg/L of minerals and 0.225 mg/L of fluoride.
Stortford, like much of lowland Britain, has atemperatemaritime climate, with cool summers and mild winters. The nearest weather station for which averages and extremes are available is Stansted Airport, about2+1⁄2 miles (4 kilometres) due east of Stortford's town centre. Located at an elevation of over 100 m, the weather station, and parts of Stortford in general are marginally cooler throughout the year than theCambridgeshire area to the north or the London area to the south. Nonetheless, Stortford is still warmer than the English average.
The highest temperature recorded at Stansted was 35.0 °C (95.0 °F)[162] during the August 2003 heatwave. In an average year the hottest day should reach 28.8 °C (83.8 °F),[163] and 12.3 days[164] will record a temperature of 25.1 °C (77.2 °F) or more. The lowest temperature recorded at Stansted was −14.7 °C (5.5 °F)[165] during December 1981. Notably cold minimum temperatures tend not to occur due to the lack of higher terrain meaning little cold air drainage occurs. The average annual coldest night should fall to −7.6 °C (18.3 °F),[166] with 47.3[167] air frosts being recorded in an average year.
Typically, the Stortford area will receive an average of 622 mm of rain during the course of the year.[162][168] 1 mm or more of rain will be recorded on 114.7 days[169] of the year.
Temperature averages refer to the period 1971–2000, rainfall averages to 1961–1990.
| Climate data for Stansted, elevation 101m, 1971–2000, Rainfall 1961–1990 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 6.5 (43.7) | 6.9 (44.4) | 9.8 (49.6) | 12.2 (54.0) | 16.1 (61.0) | 19.0 (66.2) | 21.7 (71.1) | 21.8 (71.2) | 18.4 (65.1) | 14.1 (57.4) | 9.6 (49.3) | 7.4 (45.3) | 13.5 (56.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 0.9 (33.6) | 0.7 (33.3) | 2.4 (36.3) | 3.8 (38.8) | 6.8 (44.2) | 9.7 (49.5) | 12.0 (53.6) | 12.0 (53.6) | 9.9 (49.8) | 7.0 (44.6) | 3.4 (38.1) | 1.9 (35.4) | 5.9 (42.6) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 53.97 (2.12) | 39.54 (1.56) | 49.31 (1.94) | 46.53 (1.83) | 45.95 (1.81) | 50.20 (1.98) | 53.37 (2.10) | 56.54 (2.23) | 52.66 (2.07) | 55.01 (2.17) | 59.50 (2.34) | 59.51 (2.34) | 622.09 (24.49) |
| Source 1: YR.NO[170] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: KNMI[171] | |||||||||||||
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{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)1 The Causeway, Bishop's Stortford redevelopment
at the surprising age of about twenty-two, he was sent to the prestigious Bishop Stortford's Grammar School ... probably in 1767
Media related toBishop's Stortford at Wikimedia Commons
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