Hemel Hempstead Through Time

This fascinating selection of photographs traces some of the many ways in which Hemel Hempstead has changed and developed over the last century.

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Hemel Hempstead's history goes back a long way and is mentioned in the Domesday Book survey. St Mary's Parish Church is one of the oldest buildings and dates from 1150. Henry VIII came to Hemel Hempstead and granted a Charter in 1539 which also put the town on the map. In more recent times Hemel Hempstead was designated to be a New Town in 1946 which caused it to grow from being a market town of 22,000 to one of the largest in the county. This book shows how the town has changed - many people consider it to be improved while others wish time could hark back to the days when small shops were the norm and areas such as Apsley, Boxmoor and Leverstock Green were individual villages where everyone knew each other. The photographs will help those who have forgotten what Hemel was like years ago and shows the places and buildings that have replaced them.