The Project Gutenberg EBook of Hertfordshire, by Herbert W Tompkins

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Title: Hertfordshire

Author: Herbert W Tompkins

Illustrator: Edmund H. New

Release Date: April 25, 2006 [EBook #18252]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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HERTFORDSHIRE

[Illustration: ST. ALBAN'S ABBEY CHURCH]

HERTFORDSHIRE

_By_
HERBERT W. TOMPKINS
F.R.Hist.S.

_With Illustrations by_
EDMUND H. NEW
AND FROM PHOTOGRAPHS
AND TWO MAPS

"Hearty, homely, loving Hertfordshire"
--CHARLES LAMB

LONDON
METHUEN & CO. LTD.
_36 Essex St. Strand_

_Second Edition, Revised_

_First Published March 1903_
_Second Edition, Revised 1922_

TO
MY WIFE

PREFACE

In the following pages I have endeavoured to give a brief description of
Hertfordshire on the lines of Mr. F. G. Brabant's book in this series.
The general features of the county are briefly described in the
Introduction, in sections approximately corresponding to the sections of
the volume on Sussex. I have thought it wise, however, to compress the
Introduction within the briefest limits, in order that, in the
Gazetteer, I might have space for more adequate treatment than would
otherwise have been possible.

I have visited a large proportion of the towns, villages and hamlets of
Hertfordshire, and have, so far as possible, written from personal
observation.

I desire to thank Mr. John Hopkinson, F.L.S., F.G.S., etc., for his
kindness in writing the sections on _Climate_ and _Botany_; Mr. A. E.
Gibbs, F.L.S., F.R.H.S., for his permission to make use of several
miscellanies from his pen, and Mr. Alfred Bentley of New Barnet for his
courtesy in placing some photographs from his collection at the disposal
of Mr.