Letchworth Garden City

Sydney-based journalist and author Keith Howes visits Letchworth Garden City in the county of Hertfordshire in England where he was brought up and educated. He tells us about the history of the city and we meet some of the locals including the famous statue of Sappho.
Letchworth was one of the world's first new towns and the first garden city. It also inspired other cities such as Canberra in Australia and Hellerau in Germany. There is even a story that Lenin visited Letchworth. One of the city's inspirations was social reformer Ebenezer who wrote a book called Garden Cities of To-morrow.
George Orwell lived in the nearby village of Wallington and that is where he wrote his books 1984 and Animal Farm. The 2013 film World's End was largely filmed in Letchworth. The city was also home to Britain's first roundabout.

[@talhandaq13]

Wonderful ideas. Such a pity garden cities didn't continue to be established. Should be dozens not two. And thanks for a thoughtful presentation.

[@bangs9982]

I live here it’s a great place to live, 5 to 20 minuet walk to school, library, park and cinema.

[@PeterKeogh6969]

So enjoyed this - the beauty of the city and the history! Plus Keith in a pram in Letchworth Remembered!

[@lorrilewis2178]

Absolutely beautiful! Yet I understand many in the U.K. think garden cities are a bad idea!

[@Tampa0123456789]

Omg i was there in 2014 on vacation.It was a joy walking around. London weather in February sucks tho.LOL

[@twodementedfriends975]

You should come to the food festival in town. Lots of food from places like India Japan and Jamaica

[@jacksugden8190]

Yet to get there again, well I did in the 1960’s or 1970’s, have no memories anymore due to so much time gone by.

[@Ercolano78]

Very nice and peaceful looking town. Also nice to hear some stories from people. Great video, as always.

[@noteinzalot219]

You’d think that wouldn’t you

[@filiberto-wz4tz]

Lovely place , hope to come back soon

[@marrionetpuppet8460]

So glad i love here

[@twodementedfriends975]

same

[@filiberto-wz4tz]

I love letchworth garden city

[@daniellyons6178]

I met a girl from this Town who was almost as beautiful as that breathtaking statue. She was a bit dim but lovable none the less. Her cracking sense of humour made up for her reckless drinking habits

[@ambitionsskyyyy]

Then what happened?

[@tonyfranklin8306]

A rat run town infested by motor cars, a Heritage foundation that has ruined the town, charges far to high rents so that small businesses struggle or simply can't afford to get a start in the town. The Heritage pays its unelected boss £100k/yr. Instead of thinking about reducing pollution, instead of enabling active travel the foundation and the council continue down the motorvehicle is king route with ever greater spending on motor roads and offering more on street parking that stifles/strangles the town and makes it less safe for kids to play, people to simply walk or cycle around so they take to the car instead or ridiculously short journeys. What could be a really fantastic place to live is simply a run down uninviting small town that really doesn't offer much and has a fairly high crime rate for its size. It's my home of 24 years but it's not the Idyllic place that some make it out to be and falls woefully short of Howard's vision of a Garden City

[@TheOriginalMrGBlox]

letworth is a great city the first garden city and I all the flowers a amazing plants if ur engerlish come to letworth we have a cinea library and more I hope some people have went reply me saying how u liked ur visit

[@jacktee4131]

Garden City canvas prints at myjacktee.com/collections/all

[@clairemiller7499]

deadline tomorrow and need to know the name of the second guy! please help!

[@kensington25]

Hi Claire. There are two men in the video. The first is Keith Howes and the elderly man near the end talking about his house is Harry Hawkins. Cheers.

[@ambitionsskyyyy]

Deadline for what? Lol

[@aalexander928]

Pretty town but really noisy according to this video. I live in Manhattan & my neighborhood is quieter than Letchworth.