HODDESDON, a market-town and chapelry, partly
in the parish of GREAT-AMWELL, but chiefly in that of
BROXBURN, hundred and county of HERTFORD, 4 miles
(S. E.) from Hertford, and 17 (N. by E.) from London,
containing 1354 inhabitants. The name of this place is
supposed to have been derived from its having been the
residence of Hodo, or Oddo, a Danish chief, or from a tumulus,
or barrow, raised here to his memory. The town
consists principally of one street, extending along the
high road from London to Ware and Hertford; it is
supplied with water from a conduit in the market-place,
erected by Sir Marmaduke Rawdon in the seventeenth
century. A considerable quantity of malt is made here,
much of which is conveyed to London by means of the
river Lea; and there is a large brewery. The market,
now nearly disused, is on Tuesday; and a fair is held
annually on the 29th of June. In the centre of the
town is an ancient market-house, built of wood, and supported
on pillars and arches ornamented with curious
carving. The site of the old chapel, dedicated to St.
Catherine, is marked by a turret, which serves as a
clock-house, and which, having become ruinous, was
rebuilt about 1730. The present chapel is a handsome
brick edifice, standing in the parish of Amwell, but subject
to the vicarage of Broxburn; it has received an
addition of eight hundred sittings, four hundred of
which are free, the Incorporated Society for the enlargement
of churches and chapels having granted £700
towards defraying the expense. Here are places of
worship for the Society of Friends and Independents.
Queen Elizabeth, in the second year of her reign,
granted a charter for a free grammar school, with considerable
privileges; and there is a National school for
ninety boys and thirty girls, supported by voluntarycontributions.
Five ahnshouses, founded in the fifteenth
century, are now under the management of the
parish officers.