Great British Road Journeys - Hertfordshire

Great British Road Journeys - Hertfordshire - Letchworth to Ware Ep. 22

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18 күн бұрын

#hertfordshire #driving #roadtrip
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This week I visit leafy Hertfordshire, and Stevenage (Sorry Stevo) to go on a journey of discovery throughout the county. We'll learn of Garden Cities, newtowns, Lavender and the Malthouses of Ware so come along with me on yet another exciting Great British Road Journey
Using a copy of the 1923 Michelin Guide, I'll be travelling the country to see what remains and what's changed since it's publication. The guide offers suggestions on thing to see and where to stay all with the goal of getting you out there and exploring in your motor vehicle.
*Why not visit these places*
Hitchin Lavender - hitchinlavender.com/
St. Mary's Church - www.stmaryshitchin.co.uk/
St. Nicholas Church - saintnicholaschurch.org.uk/
Paul's Malt - paulsmalt.co.uk/

Пікірлер: 412

@neilgorin1037 14 күн бұрын

As someone who grew up in Stevenage, I find your comments about the town.... entirely reasonable.

@sddsddean 17 күн бұрын

I was sub agent on the Little Wymondley bypass and one of the jobs we had to do was replace a 300m length of electric cable that ran from the local sub station. Apparently, it was the only bit of cable like it in the country...415kV, oil cooled, and wrapped in many layers including a steel jacket. In 1992 it cost £3000/metre! Anyway, after laying the cable it was suitably marked...until a strong wind blew the signs down. A JCB came along (you're way ahead aren't you!)... and stuck his bucket in the ground resulting in many sparks, the loss of one of the teeth from the bucket, and the improvement of Stevenage, Letchworth and Hitchin by plunging them into darkness for several hours. Happy Days!😁

@jonathanhall7334 17 күн бұрын

😂😂😂

@timfagan816 16 күн бұрын

Fuk me drunk, I've seen a 66kv cable get hit. But never a 415kv cable. That jcb would have gone from yellow. To orange, to ash very quickly. Did the jcb operator survive?

@sddsddean 16 күн бұрын

@@timfagan816 As I said, amazingly only one tooth on the bucket vapourised. The rest of the machine and driver were perfectly OK.

@Trevorharris-tp7tm 16 күн бұрын

Trevor Harris

@bobstacey9311 16 күн бұрын

My thoughts were only one bucket tooth, lucky the whole digger did not vapourize

@londonlore5881 17 күн бұрын

“…other specialist ingredients…” - Love your turn of phrase mate! 🤣🤣👍🏽

@johndonaldson3619 17 күн бұрын

Cocaine....says it on the tin!

@markswabey5870 17 күн бұрын

Its almost like a sarcastic version of tom scott and i love it.

@AdrianDowthwaite 17 күн бұрын

Yes, spot on!

@AlexLR 17 күн бұрын

Sarcastic yet genuine.

@steady_94 16 күн бұрын

Yess 😁 I'd love a crossover video where Tom describes something and Jon translates it into sarcasm and witty remarks 😁

@hublanderuk 16 күн бұрын

Tom Scott does not swear on his videos 😃

@AdrianDowthwaite 16 күн бұрын

@@hublanderuk True, I do miss Toms weekly regular uploads.

@Daz_Stap 17 күн бұрын

Another gem, even better when I know the locations. The dog was priceless!

@aleccoates9094 16 күн бұрын

8:03 I appreciate the effort of making that shot just so you can say 'Ware Weir' lol

@TheCabrooster11 17 күн бұрын

Loving your unbridled desire for Stevenage😂😂😂

@bobstacey9311 16 күн бұрын

As a 16 yr old living in Hertford Stevenage was asprinational worth the bike ride there with my mate

@bobstacey9311 16 күн бұрын

This would have been around 1974

@johnlbirch 17 күн бұрын

"Without making a fuss" is, of course, the county motto of Hertfordshire.

@SiRhodesDriverTraining 17 күн бұрын

jon in a field describing something random he found on Google maps. Sunday is now Sunday.

@charlottelarimore9261 17 күн бұрын

Well look whos a lucky devil here

@TheInselaffen 17 күн бұрын

Only if you have seen burbling on about Heathrow first.

@Ashystar067 17 күн бұрын

I haven't related to a comment more in weeks

@gregsonwoods 16 күн бұрын

Couldn't see my house from the Letchworth aerial shot.. consoled myself with seeing the big tree at the end of the garden.

@grahamcannell9692 16 күн бұрын

I thought you might have mentioned that Ware railway level crossing was the first i the UK to be fitted with continental barriers rather than crossing gates.

@raynarnslr1966 17 күн бұрын

Auto Shenanigans. Turn left at sarcasm and carry on to interesting and informative! Safe travels Jon atvb.

@stephenyates962 16 күн бұрын

Maybe the dog at the beginning thought Stevenage was a bit ruff, and wanted to photobomb on Jon instead 😅

@skraagthedestroyer 17 күн бұрын

Dude, you filmed some of this just around the corner from where I live; if I'd have known I'd have made you a cup of tea. Nice one, thanks for a bit of local history!

@brianartillery 16 күн бұрын

"... From lovely countryside to... Stevenage..." Your comic timing is superb, Jon. Also, that fascinating in depth look at a church. Nice one.

@richardbrooks50 17 күн бұрын

That’s my neck of the woods John,thanks for another intriguing and most exciting instalment 🤣

@donaldasayers 15 күн бұрын

My favourite sign ever is, or was to be found in Hitchin opposite the open air swimming pool, it read: Hitchin Swimming pool Overflow Car Parking.

@jamesjezjames 16 күн бұрын

St Evenage I think you'll find 😂

@jlcgaming8178 17 күн бұрын

Excellent sunny Sunday, in the garden with a beer and up pops the notification. Here we go...

@pavo45 17 күн бұрын

I like the "specialist" ingredients, bet those pastilles sold like hot coke!

@pontyexpat 10 күн бұрын

Had hot coke, once, left on window sill rather than put back in fridge, unpleasant & not recommended.

@kerralexander 16 күн бұрын

Stevenage is secretly great... Thanks for not telling everyone 😁

@AtheistEve 9 күн бұрын

Cycle tracks.

@Redkite-nd8gc 15 күн бұрын

Ware is the start of the "New River" that takes water from the Lee into the city of London by an entirely gravity fed channel. It was built in 1613 to provide more fresh drinking water for London and terminated at New River Head, Clerkenwell. It demonstrates the futuility of adding new to any infrastructure name. After all if it was replaced it would become the "Old New River" 🙃

@Azeria 7 күн бұрын

My favourite part of Stevenage is they have brown signs pointing to “Tourist Attractions”… There aren’t any Tourist Attractions. One of the signs even has a ❓ slapped on it.

@ggmtv1394 15 күн бұрын

In Stevenage, I don’t know how you managed to miss “the Six Hills” a series of six (would you believe?) 2,000 year old Roman burial barrows (the largest surviving Roman barrow group in England) now sympathetically sandwiched between the back of Asda and a commercial estate.

@rileyuktv6426 16 күн бұрын

“History definitely happened here” 😂❤

@rednammoc 7 күн бұрын

Channelling Philomena Cunk

@johnstilljohn3181 16 күн бұрын

Nice one. A buddy of mine lives in Ware - his neighbour moved there from Wye....

@andykilvington1651 16 күн бұрын

Back to your home county! Never knew Letchworth is the oldest roundabout in the country - nice place though - was there a few days ago. As for Stevenage - you missed the Old Town High Street which is actually quite pleasant.

@mcmarky1985 16 күн бұрын

Awesome video! Would also recommend to the viewers a visit to Scott's Grotto if in Ware it's a very unusual and random spot!

@chrisbardell 16 күн бұрын

Believe that sign-off bit was under the A10 where it goes airborne onto stilts, over the River Lea. Flies over the Ware to Hertford road, looking for all the world like they just took out 2 or 3 houses and built the viaduct where they once stood. Went past it many times for work, impressive bit of civil engineering as you see the A10 fly off into the distance.

@iankemp1131 16 күн бұрын

Nice shots of Ware, but strange that you stood by the river just out of sight of its famous set of riverside gazebos (the largest number in Britain). There's also a good bronze statue in the town centre of a maltster, complete with giant malt shovel and cat (to keep down the rodents who wanted the grain). Some maltings buildings still exist, converted into an arts centre and housing.

@richardbrooks50 17 күн бұрын

Regarding maltings there still one just down the road from Ware in Stansted Abbots called French and Jupps been operating for over 200 years

@nickanderson141186 16 күн бұрын

When the winds in the right direction I can smell it from my gaff in Hoddesdon!! Wonder if Hoddesdon is on the next road trip 😬

@whyyoulidl 14 күн бұрын

@@nickanderson141186 wonder how he'll shoe-horn saying dobbs weir into the script?

@willtricks9432 17 күн бұрын

Unusual for you Jon but your extensive research failed to uncover one of Ware's famous land marks and would tie into the Auto Shenanigan's remit. It is the Ware Concrete Lamppost Collection and former factory. Get back on the road and have a look. I was introduced to the site while Hitch Hiking back in the 80's by a very kind woman in a Morris Minor. That aside, brilliant as usual.

@philhawley1219 17 күн бұрын

I don't think I have ever seen a concrete lamp post. If ever I am down south I will have to check it out. Is it as exciting as it sounds?

@jeremywilliams5107 16 күн бұрын

@philhawley1219 that's the only kind we had in our area(NW), other than the motorways.

@philhawley1219 16 күн бұрын

@@jeremywilliams5107 I live on the Welsh Marches. Even the moon frightens us. If the clouds part and we see it we know that Satan's evil hordes will be riding their war goats from Llanyblodwell to steal our first born . Street lights would only make it worse. Do you have electric where you live?

@aaronk534 16 күн бұрын

Glaxo smith is nothing shady, its obviously a research facility for happier bunnies and better hugs

@davidyardley512 16 күн бұрын

I don't know about you chaps but to me there is nothing like a new and exciting great British road journey.

@zeb3144 16 күн бұрын

I know Letchworth, Hitchin, Ware and Hertford very well. Must admit, i quite like these places including Stevenage. I could retire to any of theses towns.

@sue.Hoo123 4 күн бұрын

Driving in to Stevenage one day and on the Welcome to Stevenage sign some wag had written “Twinned with HELL” in market pen 😂

@01mememememe 17 күн бұрын

The new Sunday Standard - Jon

@tommccallister 16 күн бұрын

There is a roundabout-like feature that appears on an Ordnance Survey map, published in 1882, at the junction of Walthall St and Alton St in Crewe. It is absent from later revisions as the area became built up with terraced housing for the railway works.

@alantheskinhead 16 күн бұрын

You didn't visit the beautiful Stevenage town centre tower and the delightful concrete blocks. They built the tower in town centre presumably so the new residents could hang themselves once they found out how awful it is. I live down the railway line in Haringey/Harringay and we sometimes get the train to Stevenage. We do this to remind ourselves that Haringey/Harringay isn't that bad after all and poke fun at the locals. Herts is another "neither here or there" county, a bit like Bedfordshire.

@whyyoulidl 14 күн бұрын

Now the town centre is in the middle of 'regeneration'; you should come check it out again. 2nd thoughts, maybe wait 'til it's finished lol

@hublanderuk 16 күн бұрын

Well I now know what under the A10 Viaduct near Ware looks like. Every time I drive my Parents up the A10 to take them to my sisters in Stevenage. Somebody always says "Ware are we" "Don't know Ware we are" anybody got any new one's for my next trip. 🤣

@Outwhere 15 күн бұрын

The viaduct crosses a nice area of flood meadows. I used to go there quite a bit so I was excited by seeing the viaduct, haha!

@whyyoulidl 14 күн бұрын

Maybe try tyre wear?

@DavidMorley 16 күн бұрын

I went to school in Letchworth - Somebody who I knew very well and someone he knew very well (?) borrowed the school minibus and parked it on the roundabout mentioned one night. The school was displeased.

@whyyoulidl 14 күн бұрын

Bet he must have been from St. Christopher's?

@DavidMorley 14 күн бұрын

@@whyyoulidl indeed

@Theoriginalramjammer 16 күн бұрын

If anyone watching this thinks Stevenage is shit, try Luton.

@RUBBER_BULLET 16 күн бұрын

I saw a well paid HGV job with a big pharma firm, but I couldn't in good conscience apply for it after the damage that industry has wrought; so I stuck with delivering alcohol...

@David_Crayford 16 күн бұрын

I don't drink but at least it's better than tobacco.

@chrisbradshaw6883 16 күн бұрын

Is the A602 the furthest A-road from its M-equivalent, the M602 in Salford?

@Stephen_Lafferty 16 күн бұрын

9:00 - this music really reminds me of Ron Grainer's theme for 'The Prisoner'! I guess Stevenage is a less architecturally interesting version of The Village/Portmerion! :D

@darthwiizius 16 күн бұрын

Letchworth was built over three villages mate, Norton on the opposite side and Willian right next to Letchworth. The old manor house is now a hotel of dubious reputation locally and the church is the oldest building. Fun fact about St Nick's in Scumenage, the spire was for a couple of centuries the tallest man made point between London and Leicester, shame they built the town really. I mean, who thought that providing architects with just set squares was a good idea eh? BTW, all cities are towns.

@Nick-ye5kk 17 күн бұрын

Stevenage contains road signs saying "Tourist Attraction" with no clue as to what the "Attraction" actually is. I cannot imagine there is something actually interesting in the whole town.

@johnlbirch 17 күн бұрын

Actually at least one of the signs says "Cemetery. Tourist Attraction"

@me890092 17 күн бұрын

The A1. Heading Northbound or Southbound, doesn't matter.

@tomwinch9107 17 күн бұрын

@@johnlbirch, is that in the dead centre of Stevenage?

@johnlbirch 17 күн бұрын

@@tomwinch9107 It's to die for.

@billywindsock9597 16 күн бұрын

The ‘new’ town centre is classic 60’s concrete. It is not terrible when clean. Prefer it to Harlow, although Genesis have never written a song based on Stevenage. Shame.

@queeg6473 16 күн бұрын

Interesting fact about Ware. There is only ONE petrol station, but it's not in the town.......you REALLY have to know where it is before you run out of fuel.....

@bethaltair812 15 күн бұрын

I was hoping for the train at van hages, but the intrigue of GSK was good! There's another two in and near Harlow....one was verrry small and if you tried to look in from the moorhen path security appeared to stop you being there. Widely regarded to be something to do with animals,probably not a petting zoo.

@MegaTube1313 16 күн бұрын

All of my old haunts although Stevenage haunts the most 😱

@jonathanmidgley6772 2 күн бұрын

Thanks

@billywindsock9597 16 күн бұрын

I lived in Ware for over twenty years, lovely place.

@stevewilson8467 17 күн бұрын

A roundabout you can go any way you want? Sounds like Malta..

@RedKnight-fn6jr 16 күн бұрын

Doesn't Swindon have one of those...

@AL-zg5qs 16 күн бұрын

Bit warm for the woollen headgear? Surely time for Jon to sport a Panama hat to match the season.

@gavinhagan8357 17 күн бұрын

Another great vid. Just imagine in the good old days , “oh I feel a little tickle in my throat, I think I’ll have a suck on this medicated lozenge. Wow look at the pink elephants “. What a fun time. Keep up the great work buddy.

@I_Don_t_want_a_handle 16 күн бұрын

Never had hallucinations on coke, just felt buzzed. Waste of money, could just as easily stuck my tongue in the leccy outlet.

@PhilReynoldsLondonGeek 17 күн бұрын

Ware is one of those places that is frustrating simply for its name. Mentioning it to my late partner always resulted in the response "Where?". Another frustrating place name is March (whether the English or Scottish one) as it gets confused with the month.

@ChuckFickens1972 16 күн бұрын

I used to live in a road called Fairlea Close (in Burgess Hill, West Sussex)... That caused much confusion when people asked where I lived and the answer was basically "fairly close"!

@dodgydruid 17 күн бұрын

The research place used to be in Beckenham if memory serves me right and with land prices in and around there they decided to find something cheaper and cash in on Oscar Wellcome's estate big time which they did, my aunty and nan knew Oscar very well as he was a man about town in Sydenham and Forest Hill where a lot of his workforce lived and well liked by the locals.

@portlandfester7510 10 күн бұрын

Another fascinating video and yes I pressed the like button lol😂

@evilutionltd 17 күн бұрын

The only 2 things that should ever happen to lavender is, either add it to old person products or leave it in the ground for the bees.

@johnlbirch 17 күн бұрын

Where John was filming that segment is also an ancient plateway - at the bottom of the hill you can see parts of it still in place. Yet no-one seems to know why it was there.

@philhawley1219 17 күн бұрын

A few sprigs of lavender hanging from your ceiling keeps flies out of your house in the summer.

@evilutionltd 17 күн бұрын

@@johnlbirch so, much like your totally off topic reply?

@johnlbirch 16 күн бұрын

@@evilutionltd Meh - it's the sort of thing Jon often goes for.

@alexsingleton2144 16 күн бұрын

Pub garden, cold pint, on with the latest from Mr Shenanigans. Entertaining as ever Jon!

@nielsreyngoud2870 13 күн бұрын

The size of that first roundabout is literally the size of roundabouts connecting main roads in the Netherlands, for example at the exits of highways. Driving around the UK I always wondered why you guys design them so large.

@Huckleberry.69 16 күн бұрын

My wife must be taking a leaf out of the women's bypass protest at the moment.

@2760ade 16 күн бұрын

My missus has been 'protesting' for years!🤣

@Phuc_Yhou 16 күн бұрын

I wouldn't mind but my gang built our towns bypess 21 years ago and I'm still not back in the game 😳

@2760ade 16 күн бұрын

@@Phuc_Yhou I feel your pain!

@chrisbentleywalkingandrambling 17 күн бұрын

Wow, the Americans invented the roundabout. I thought that this madness was British. Love the sarcasm Jon.

@johnlbirch 17 күн бұрын

He is referring to Columbus Circle in New York, which isn't really a roundabout. And the Arc de Triumph came first and that is... not really a roundabout either (more anarchy on wheels)

@andreww2098 17 күн бұрын

the modern roundabout was created in the UK in the 60's

@Vtarngpb 17 күн бұрын

@@johnlbirchis this pedantry corner? Did I come to the right place? 😌

@hairyairey 16 күн бұрын

Peterborough had the world's first mini-roundabout - now replaced with traffic lights

@stephenwoodrow1334 14 күн бұрын

As an Alleynes old Boy we had to visit St. Nic's church a lot. I miss those good old days (1980's) but don't miss Stevenage. Another great video...thanks

@David_Crayford 16 күн бұрын

Lots of interesting stuff here. Dad worked for Beechams in London, among other places, and this was taken over by GSK. It looks like Jon specifically does NOT want a suntan. Hat, hoodie and long strides, even on a bloomingly gorgeous sunny day. ☀

@weetabrix88 14 күн бұрын

Excellent vid as usual!!

@minibus9 12 күн бұрын

Awesome video, really intresting findign out about diffrent parts of the country

@WagnerGimenes 16 күн бұрын

"Other specialist ingredients", you say 😂😂😂😂😂😂 Nice one, Jon.

@MrBLUEDEVILUK 16 күн бұрын

That third pastille was not to be sniffed at lol. I actually lolled Jon well done. Love your sense of humour and your style of presenting.

@mickapps3153 17 күн бұрын

Thanks😊

@andyrbush 17 күн бұрын

That was interesting.

@charlystann2463 15 күн бұрын

A bit of a comment for the algorythme... And after more then a year of your videos, I have the feeling I start to know about english/UK road than the french one, where I am from and leaving in !

@BerlietGBC 14 күн бұрын

The is a wonderful glance at Stevenage new town in colour in the BTF film All that mighty heart , it’s worth a watch

@shanebradley6524 15 күн бұрын

Thanks for another brilliant video but how can you pass through Stevenage without mentioning Vincent Motorcycles?

@jimkats1 16 күн бұрын

Hello to you too Jon, I love this enthusiastic intro, with the sunny weather and the dog :d

@drnick0 16 күн бұрын

been watching vids on this channel for a while now (since Secrets of the Motorway), and I still giggle every time John says "whhhicked sweet awesome" 😆

@ElliotP-Motorways-Plotagon 17 күн бұрын

Wow great video thumbs up 👍

@303playa 16 күн бұрын

I ❤yer tone of presentation ... ❤️😎❤️

@joebenn996 17 күн бұрын

We live in Letchworth and use Sollershot Circus often - thank you for the, mention the town is very proud of that roundabout! I didn't know that only going around one way came much later though.

@pwatsonuk 16 күн бұрын

Great video John - I grew up in Ware and now having been living in Hitchin for 24 years (with a break between in West London for a bit)

@cybergreghu 14 күн бұрын

I lived in the Old Town of Stevenage and I quite liked it! Large house, garden, peace and quiet. By all means, it was affordable luxury, compared to a shoebox in London. And all retail, leasure and other facilities for a 5-minute drive. What else could you ask for? The area has many remnants of the old A1 (or its Roman Road predecessor) before the A1(M) was built and the remainder was realigned with roundabouts and other quirks.

@AndrewG1989 10 күн бұрын

Was thinking if the A120 would have extended from Puckeridge to Stevenage that would see the A120 finish southeast of Stevenage. And not forgetting the new A505 bypass north of Luton to be built to M1 Junction 11a. And to avoid Luton town centre.

@jamieimbusch 17 күн бұрын

Is there a button specifically for that last product shown 😆

@hannahellis4549 15 күн бұрын

Woo watching from BSE!

@wreython 16 күн бұрын

You must be doing something right here Jon - even mother nature likes to join in - a dog helping with the intro!

@MrMWRMWR 16 күн бұрын

Lived in Letchworth, Stevenage and Hitchin early 1970s (pre Wymondley bypass) and still travel through. Piqued my interest to explore a few places I never knew about. Thanks.

@JRLNeal 16 күн бұрын

Well Jon, that was a well received video, just what I wanted. Absolutely excellent, professional research and presentation. Many thanks. Town or city? Visit a church in less than a second, brilliant stuff thanks. I see your Eiffel Tower stance has changed to post office tower and a little bit of walking taking place too and even sometimes sitting down. In this hot weather, do you have a fairweather beanie?

@williamthompson2941 16 күн бұрын

nice one 😆

@chrisbeaven6521 16 күн бұрын

I have lived in Stevenage for the last 30 years and yes it is in dire need of some serious investment including the widening the A1(M) which has never materalised but it depends on which parts are referenced rather than stating that it is a just a new town in the Home Counties. It is only 20 minutes by train into London, also home to the Lister Hospital, several parks including Fairlands, miles of cycle paths and even has a Costco here. I would rather live here rather than some of the hell holes in the Greater London area. It has always had a majority Labour council here as well and the sitting MP has always sat on the government benches in parliament since the constituency was formed in its own right.

@trickygoose2 16 күн бұрын

Yes the parliamentary constituency is what the Americans would call a bellwether.

@k.r.baylor8825 16 күн бұрын

True this: "Stevenage: Because You Could Do Much Worse"

@IverKnackerov 6 күн бұрын

Stevenage ….what a hole. Makes Luton look a decent option

@ianker7143 15 күн бұрын

'Malt-growing fields of Suffolk' sounds disconcertingly like the BBC's April Fools Day report on the Italian Spaghetti Harvest.

@john07973 14 күн бұрын

Good pic of Alf Garnett in the Letchworth section 👍

@binarydinosaurs 16 күн бұрын

Ah, another one of my old stomping grounds, though I had no idea about the first roundabout so that's an excellent thing to learn. You almost touched Wadesmill, if not drove through it. I nearly bought a house there but was put off by the fact that the house was on one side of the A10 (as was at the time) and my garden was on the other. After I'd moved to Cambs they only went and bypassed the place. Still, at least that meant I didn't have to drive through Bishop's Stortford again.

@-Lucky-Six- 17 күн бұрын

my previous employer was a utilities company in stevenage, me being from the far east (suffolk coast) found it very odd that the majority of local males in stevenage are below average height, and bald with beards..... it like some sort of umpa lumpa breading ground

@trickygoose2 16 күн бұрын

This is why I had to leave for Letchworth (I'm 6'2").

@CheshireTomcat68 15 күн бұрын

9:46 Soooo Goldie Looking Chain!!!

@paulknight5018 16 күн бұрын

05:07 jusr by that underpass was where I was very close to being hit by a fence falling during a storm in 1990. St Nicks church was on my cross country school route and I was a cleaner at GSK when they were building it, the money they wasted was increadible. Thankfully moved out of Stevenage at 19.