Hertford - 25 February 2006

Saturday was a brilliant clear day so ignoring the rather cool breeze we set off for Hertford. From there we walked to Ware and back. Ware is a very old settlement going back way before Roman times. It was on one of the main Roman roads (Ermine Street) and was a major coaching stop in later years. Now the A10 viaduct races across the Mead bypassing Ware and leaving it a peaceful place. One claim to fame is that it was the original home of the Great Bed of Ware.

“The Great Bed of Ware is 10ft 9inches by 10ft 9inches, big enough for 12 people, and was purchased as a promotional gimmick for an inn in Ware during the 1570s. It is now on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The bed cover was hand-made to fit the giant bed and would have cost more to produce than the great bed itself due to the cost of the fabric, cottons and the time it would have taken to stitch it.”
Another interesting feature is the Gazebos along the riverbank. Dating from the C18th they are still an attractive feature to have a the bottom of one’s garden.