Knebworth

Knebworth

Knebworth House, Knebworth
Knebworth
 Knebworth shown within Hertfordshire
Population c4,500
OS grid referenceTL252201
DistrictNorth Hertfordshire
Shire countyHertfordshire
RegionEast
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post town KNEBWORTH
Postcode district SG3
Dialling code 01438
Police Hertfordshire
Fire Hertfordshire
Ambulance East of England
EU Parliament East of England
UK ParliamentStevenage
List of places
UK
England
Hertfordshire

Coordinates: 51°51′58″N 0°11′02″W / 51.866°N 0.184°W / 51.866; -0.184

Knebworth is a village and civil parish in the north of Hertfordshire, England, immediately south of Stevenage. The civil parish covers an area between the villages of Datchworth, Woolmer Green, Codicote, Kimpton, Whitwell, St Paul's Walden and Langley, and encompasses the village of Knebworth, the small village of Old Knebworth and Knebworth House.

History

There is evidence of people living in the area as far back as Neolithic times and it is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 where it is referred to as Chenepeworde (the farm belonging to the Dane, Cnebba) with a population of 150. The original village, now known as Old Knebworth, developed around Knebworth House. Development of the newer Knebworth village started in the late 19th century centred a mile to the east of Old Knebworth on the new railway station and the Great North Road (subsequently the A1, and now the B197 since the opening of the A1(M) motorway in 1962).

At the turn of the century the architect Edwin Lutyens built Homewood, southeast of Old Knebworth, as a dower house for Edith Bulwer-Lytton.[1] Her daughter, the suffragette Constance Lytton also lived there, until just before her death in 1923.[2]

Knebworth has, since 1974, been famously associated with numerous major open air rock and pop concerts at Knebworth House, including Queen's final live performance which took place on 9 August 1986 and drew an attendance estimated as high as 300,000; most famously Robbie Williams, who for three nights in August 2003 performed to the largest crowds ever assembled for a single performer. The effects of the gigs were well documented due to the 375,000 concert goers making their way to the usually quiet village, prompting local papers' front page headlines such as "The Disciples have arrived".

Twinning

On 16 June 1990 the village was twinned with the commune of Châtelaillon-Plage in France.

Facilities

Education and leisure

Places of worship

Sport and leisure

Knebworth has a Non-League football club Knebworth F.C. who play at Knebworth Recreation Ground. Knebworth Tennis Club and Knebworth Bowls Club are also based at the Recreation Ground.

Knebworth Park Cricket Club play at their ground in Knebworth Park. Green Dragon Bowmen, an archery club, are also based in the Park.

Nature reserve

Knebworth Woods is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Transport

Knebworth railway station

Knebworth has a railway station, which has four platforms, running on the East Coast Main Line. Southbound services run towards London Kings Cross while northbound services run towards Cambridge and Peterborough. The station and its train services are operated by Great Northern.

Employment

Many of Knebworth's residents are retired or work in the surrounding towns and villages but there is employment in the village:

Statistics

Statistics from UK Census:[3]

The developed part of Knebworth around the railway station is approximately 120 ha. This gives a density of approximately 17 dwellings per hectare.[4] Recent developments such as New Close, Kerr Close, Peter's Way and Woodstock and (the extension of) Wadnall Way have significantly increased this average density. The population of Knebworth has approximately doubled since 1970.[5]

Notable inhabitants

Twin towns

Knebworth is twinned with:

See also

References

  1. ↑ Historic England. "Homewood (1000911)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  2. ↑ Jenkins, Lyndsey (2015). Lady Constance Lytton: Aristocrat, Suffragette, Martyr. London: Biteback Publishing. pp. 228–30. ISBN 978-1-84954-795-6.
  3. ↑ UK Census Data for Knebworth
  4. ↑ Google Maps area tool.
  5. ↑ Private communication
  6. ↑ Royal Academy Dictionary of Exhibitors: Summer Exhibition catalogue archives
  7. ↑ "British towns twinned with French towns". Archant Community Media Ltd. Retrieved 2013-07-11.

External links

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