Watford

Watford is a town and borough northwest of central London in Hertfordshire, South East England. The town developed on the Colne River until the 16th century on land belonging to the Abbey of St Albans. A charter was issued to create a market during the 12th century, and the building of St. Mary's Church began. The city grew in part as a result of visitors to Berkhamsted Castle and Kings Langley's royal palace. A palace was built in the 16th century at Cassiobury. This was partially restored in the 17th century and at The Grove was built another country house.

Economy

In the northern home counties, Watford is a major regional hub. The county council of Hertfordshire designates Watford and Stevenage as its main sub-regional centres, heading its list of preferred retail sites. The High Street is the main focus of activity at night with a high concentration of bars, clubs and restaurants in the area. The main shopping area is the Harlequin Shopping Centre, a large indoor mall of over 140 stores, restaurants and cafes built in the 1990s, which was officially opened in June 1992.

Parks

In Watford, there are 43 public parks, gardens, playgrounds and allotments. Eight of these, in appreciation of their performance, was given a Green Flag.