Hitchin is a market town in Hertfordshire County, England in the North Hertfordshire district. The town was first mentioned in the Tribal Hidane, a 7th Century document, as the principal location for the Hicce people. The name is Brittonic, not Old English, and it comes from the word sicca which means “dry,” referring perhaps to Hiz, the local stream. It was in the “Hertfordshire Feet of Fines” of 1618 that the name of the town first appeared.
Food, Shopping and Accommodation in Hitchin
The market has retained its status as one of the largest markets in the area. It has general markets on Saturdays and Tuesdays, a Sunday Car Boot and collectables and bric-a-brac on Fridays. The market also hosts monthly specialist markets such as Lifestyle on the 2nd Saturday, Local Products & Crafts on the last Saturday and Art Markets now and then. A Duck Race during the annual Hitchin Festival also happens in the market. The town centre, on the other hand, is a hive of activity with its wealth of independent retailers both for fashion and food & drink.
Things to See and Do in Hitchin
The town has been voted as the “9th best town in the Uk” in a poll in The Times in March of 2013.The Times is a British daily newspaper based in London. This town is known for its festivals, the most famous of which is the yearly Arts & Music Festival in July which included the Rhythms of the World in previous years. Since 2014, the town has organised Festival, a yarn festival of the knitting group, Hitchin Stitchin. Other festivals in this town include concerts, art exhibition, summer fetes, theatres, picnics, ghost walks, comedy club, talks and fireworks.
A place of interest in this town is the Hitchin Lavender, a farm where families can go on a scenic and scented walk, pick lavenders and buy lavender products such as oil, soap, gifts, candles, bags and other gifts.