Hitchin (10,072) is one of the most ancient towns in the county, and is now an important railway centre, as it is the starting point of the Royston and Cambridge branch of the Great Northern Railway, on the main line of which the town itself is situated. Hitchin is one of the four parliamentary centres of the county, and is noted for its corn and cattle market, and also as being one of the few places in England where lavender is cultivated for commercial purposes. Hitchin preserves the remnant of an ancient monastery in the almshouses known as the Biggin, and teems with buildings and sites of antiquarian interest. Petty sessions are held in the town. The parish church is one of great beauty and interest, mainly of the Decorated and Perpendicular styles. A picture of the Adoration of the Magi presented in 1774 is believed to be by Rubens. (pp. 14, 68, 69, 74, 105, 106, 108, 120, 128, 136, 141, 142, 145, 149.) Hoddesdon (4711), an ancient market-town on the eastern border of the county, approached from either the Broxbourne or Rye House stations of the Great Eastern Railway. It is intimately connected with the story of the Rye House Plot (see page 85). It may be mentioned here that the “great bed of Ware” is now preserved at the Rye House. (pp. 85, 86.) The Hormeads--Great Hormead (376), Little Hormead (128)--two villages, near the Quin about two miles east of Buntingford, while the latter is about half a mile south of the same. Both date from the time of the Conqueror. Ippolits or Hippolits (840), a village in the Hundred of Hitchin, dedicated to St Hippolytus patron saint of horses. Travellers used to take their horses to the high altar, where miracles were performed on untamed colts. Kensworth (516), a small and ancient village in Dacorum Hundred dating from the time of Edward the Confessor, and formerly belonging to St Paul’s Cathedral. The small church dates from about the year 1100, although the tower is later. (pp. 88, 90, 98.) King’s Langley (1579), a village on the North-Western Railway notable as the site of the ancient Tudor Palace of Langley, and of a friary of which portions still remain. The royal palace and park date at least from 1299. The friary belonged to the Dominican order. (pp. 81, 82, 107, 141.) Layston (983); the original village is now represented only by the ruined church of St Bartholomew, situated a short distance from Buntingford, and of great antiquity. Letchworth, till recently a very small village on the Great Northern Railway a little north of Hitchin, has now sprung into importance as the site of the “Garden City”; an endeavour to aid in bringing the population back to the land. [Illustration: Letchworth, Open Air School]