Hertfordshire Genealogy: Places: Harpenden, Herts

card posted 1919

The Village Pond, Harpenden
No publisher - early format card posted 1908
(another version seen posted 1905 - and yet another published "H Valentine Series")

The origins of the name are unclear, but The Place-names of Hertfordshire link the first part to other places near old Roman roads near St Albans. There were formerly several Harepaths and there is Harpsfield and Hartsbourne. There is no doubt that an ancient track or Roman road ran along the valley ("denu"). If this is correct this suggests the name could mean something like "the ancient road in the valley".

HARPENDEN, a parish in the hundred of Dacorum, county of Hertford, 3 miles (N.E. by E.) from Redburn [Redbourn], containing 1693 inhabitants. The living is a perpetual curacy annexed to the rectory of Wheathampstead, in the archdeaconry of Huntingdon, and diocese of Lincoln. The church, dedicated to St Nicholas, is an ancient cruciform structure, composed of flint and stone: it is in the Norman style, with a square embattled tower. There are places of worship for Independents and Wesleyan Methodists. A fair for horses and cattle is held on May 16th.
Topographical Dictionary of England, 1831

The Hounds meet on Harpenden Common
Postcard (early divided back) posted in Harpenden as a Xmas card in December 1904