Knebworth

Knebworth
Knebworth House, Knebworth
Population	c4,500
OS grid reference	TL252201
District	North Hertfordshire
Shire county	Hertfordshire
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	KNEBWORTH
Postcode district	SG3
Dialling code	01438
Police	Hertfordshire
Fire	Hertfordshire
Ambulance	East of England
UK Parliament	Stevenage

Knebworth is a village and civil parish in the north of Hertfordshire, England, immediately south of Stevenage. The civil parish covers an area between the villages of Datchworth, Woolmer Green, Codicote, Kimpton, Whitwell, St Paul's Walden and Langley, and encompasses the village of Knebworth, the small village of Old Knebworth and Knebworth House.

History

There is evidence of people living in the area as far back as Neolithic times and it is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 where it is referred to as Chenepeworde (the farm belonging to the Dane, Cnebba) with a population of 150. The original village, now known as Old Knebworth, developed around Knebworth House. Development of the newer Knebworth village started in the late 19th century centred a mile to the east of Old Knebworth on the new railway station and the Great North Road (subsequently the A1, and now the B197 since the opening of the A1(M) motorway in 1962).

Knebworth has, since 1974, been famously associated with numerous major open air rock and pop concerts at Knebworth House; most famously Robbie Williams, who for three nights in August 2003 performed to the largest crowds ever assembled for a single performer. The effects of the gigs were well documented due to the 375,000 concert goers making their way to the usually quiet village, prompting Front Page Headlines such as "The Disciples have arrived" in the local press.

On 16 June 1990 the village was twinned with the commune of Chatelaillon-Plage in France.

Facilities

Amenities

• Post Office
• Doctor's surgery
• The Lytton Arms (pub)
• The Station (pub)

Education and leisure

• Knebworth Primary and Nursery school
• The Roebuck Inn, its oldest public house (now in Stevenage) dating back to 1420
• The Lytton Arms (in Old Knebworth) which is an early Victorian building
• The The Station public house which was built in 1883
• Recreation ground, incorporating football pitches, tennis courts, bowling green and children's play equipment
• Knebworth Park Cricket Club

Places of worship

• St Martin’s, Church of England, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and consecrated by the bishop of St Albans, Edgar Jacob, in 1915
• St Mary’s, Church of England, parts of which date back to 1120
• St Thomas More, Roman Catholic Church, built in 1936
• Trinity Church, a Methodist Church and United Reformed Church local ecumenical partnership built in 1996 with roots in the village dating back to 1880

Sport and leisure

Knebworth has a Non-League football club Knebworth F.C. who play at Knebworth Recreation Ground.

Transport

Knebworth has a railway station, which has four platforms, running on the East Coast Main Line with the line terminating at London King's Cross.

Knebworth Train Station

Notable inhabitants

• Edward Bulwer-Lytton
• A. Duncan Carse, painter, of Deards End 1922-1923
• Barbara Follett
• Ken Follett
• Martin Freeman
• Earls of Lytton
• Henry Lytton-Cobbold
• Tim Marlow
• Barry Norman, film critic and broadcaster lives in nearby Datchworth
• Tony Cascarino, retired Irish football player
• Luke Archer, fashion designer
• Kyle Jenner, Part time rockstar, full time nice guy

See also

• Live at Knebworth
• Concerts at Knebworth House

External links

• Clubs:
  • Amateur Dramatics:
    • Knebworth Amateur Theatrical Society
    • Knebworth Players
  • Cricket
  • Football:
    • Mens
    • Youth
  • Golf
  • Tennis
• Library
• Neighbourhood Watch
• Parish Church
• Parish Plan
• Primary School
• Village
• Knebworth House
• Local Government:
  • Knebworth Parish Council