Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire is a county in England, founded in the Norse-Saxon wars of the 9th century.

The county contains a curiously large number of abandoned settlements, attributed to a mixture of poor harvests on soil hard to farm, and the Black Death which ravaged Hertfordshire starting in 1349.

A number of uprisings against the Crown started in Hertfordshire, particularly in the First Barons' War, the Peasants' Revolt, the Wars of the Roses and the English Civil War.

Hertfordshire retains much of its historic character, but its industry and commerce have changed radically. From origins in brewing and papermaking, through aircraft manufacture, the county has developed a wider range of industry in which pharmaceuticals, financial services and film-making are prominent.

Hertfordshire grew wealthy on the proceeds of trade from London as three of the old Roman roads serving the capital run through it, as do the Grand Union Canal and other watercourses. More recently, rail links sprang up in the county, linking London to the north.