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Pictures of Hempstead

in the county of Essex

About Hempstead

The village of Hempstead lies a short distance from the delightful town of Saffron Walden. It is the place where the highwayman, Dick Turpin is said to have been born the son of parents who kept the Bell Inn. The legend of his daring lives on in the memory of locals here. A popular conception of him as the romantic champion of the oppressed is expressed in the pages of the novel Rookwood, by W.H. Ainsworth. However, a truer version of him and a more likely one, is that he plundered lonely farmsteads and was a cattle-thief. He did go to York but is thought to have carried on with the same activities. Turpin died as brutally as he had lived, he was hanged at York in 1739 for horse-stealing. His grave can be seen in St. Georges churchyard.

In Hempstead, opposite the place of his birth, there is a circle of nine trees known as Turpin's Ring. Many legends abound in these parts about Turpin; he is supposed to have hidden in a great oak tree at a nearby farm and used several lonely inns as hide-outs.

William Harvey, physician and discoverer of the circulation of the blood(1628) was born and buried here. He was chief physician at the court of Charles I.

Hempstead is surrounded by several typical Essex villages, each a pleasure to amble along and explore. In spring and summer the fields of near-by Saffron Walden are awash with vivid yellow crocus and daffodils. A museum there tells much of the regions history and events. A short distance away is the ancient village of Littlebury which was mentioned in the Doomsday Book, the village church, The Holy Trinity has many treasures and is well worth a visit.

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History of Hempstead

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Recommended attractions near Hempstead

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Hotels & Accommodation in Hempstead

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	Swan Hotel Thaxted, Essex, England (4.5 miles, 7.3 km, direction S) In picturesque Thaxted, Swan Hotel is just 8 miles from London Stansted Airport. The historic coaching inn features a charming restaurant, real ale bar and elegant rooms with free Wi-Fi.... More info and book online.. Price from £24.00
	Days Inn Haverhill Haverhill, Suffolk, England (4.7 miles, 7.5 km, direction NE) This modern award-winning hotel offers style and comfort where it matters and great-value rates. Days Inn Haverhill offers a choice of quality rooms, including king-size doubles, workzone doubles, tw... More info and book online.. Price from £63.00
	Rose and Crown Hotel Haverhill, Suffolk, England (5.4 miles, 8.6 km, direction NE) Situated in Haverhill centre, this traditional pub offers home-cooked food and live music. Rose and Crown Hotel is just a 30-minute drive from Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds.... More info and book online.. Price from £45.00
	Saffron Hotel Saffron Walden, Essex, England (5.9 miles, 9.5 km, direction W) In the centre of Saffron Walden, the 16th-century Saffron Hotel offers individual en suite bedrooms with Freeview TV and CD players. It has a conservatory restaurant and free Wi-Fi in public areas.... More info and book online.. Price from £72.00
	The Old Red Lion Horseheath, Cambridgeshire, England (6.0 miles, 9.6 km, direction N) Originally an 18th-century farm house, The Old Red Lion Hotel has a charming setting in Horseheath, close to the picturesque and historic market town of Saffron Walden. All rooms are well furnished w... More info and book online.. Price from £70.00

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Nearby travel help

Newport (Essex) Station	(7.2 miles, 11.6 km, direction W)
Audley End Station	(7.3 miles, 11.7 km, direction W)
M11 Junction 9	(8.9 miles, 14.3 km, direction W)
London Stansted Airport	(10.8 miles, 17.4 km, direction SW)
M11 Junction 10	(11.7 miles, 18.8 km, direction NW)
Cambridge Airport	(15.7 miles, 25.3 km, direction NW)
Hempstead to London	(41.2 miles, 66.3 km, direction SW)