An oval castle mound, collections on local history and paths along the River Stort give Bishop's Stortford several clear points of interest for a stay. Cultural history, events and green spaces offer different ways to spend your time. When planning, you can choose which of these you would like to focus on.
Castle history, museum and cultural programme
Waytemore Castle was built by William I and is designated a Scheduled Monument. Its oval castle mound measures 83 by 65 metres. For those interested in history, the focus is on its historical attribution, its designated monument status and the mound’s distinctive shape.
Bishop's Stortford Museum was founded in 1938 in two listed Victorian buildings that are the birthplace of Cecil Rhodes. The Cecil Rhodes Collection and the Local History Collection are both housed in the museum. This brings together a collection relating to Rhodes and local history under one roof—offering a different perspective on the town’s past from the castle associated with William I.
South Mill Arts complements these historical themes with contemporary art. The venue offers a varied year-round programme of theatre, dance productions, live music, comedy, exhibitions, educational workshops and talks. The programme ranges from performances to exhibitions and talks. If culture is a focus of your trip, you can take this ongoing programme into account when planning.
Parks, riverside paths and countryside
The green spaces also offer different points of interest. Southern Country Park is an award-winning Green Flag park; Castle Park has been recognised as part of the Green Flag Award programme. Paths run throughout Castle Park, including a riverside path along the River Stort. The river is a chalk stream and provides a habitat for kingfishers, water voles and three species of bat. Both the park paths and the riverside landscape are therefore among the town’s natural attractions.
The circular walks of Parks and Beyond link five open spaces in Bishop's Stortford managed by East Herts Council: Thorley Wedge, Southern Country Park, Northern Parkland, Bishop's Park and The Firs. The routes are signposted and traffic-free. The network includes grass paths, bridleways and paved paths. If you want to know what kind of path to expect, you’ll find a range of surfaces here rather than just one type.
Waterside Stortford is a riverside and countryside walking route that runs through Bishop's Stortford. There are 21 information boards along the route about local history and wildlife. The path runs through the valley of a chalk stream and along the canal landscape of the Stort Navigation. This route brings the countryside, water and local history together.
A useful landmark for finding your way to the canal is the canal bank: it is a three-minute walk from Bishop's Stortford railway station. If you’re looking for a hotel in Bishop's Stortford, you can plan your stay around the interests that matter to you: history and events offer a different focus from parks and riverside paths.
Discover more destinations: Letchworth, Baldock, Hertford, Waltham Cross, Hailey, Standon, Royston, Hemel Hempstead
For the main travel overview: Hertfordshire.
