Benslow Music Trust

Benslow is a district of Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England. It is located very close to the railway station. Houses in the area range from those built in the late 19th century to a more modern housing estate at the top of Benslow Lane built in the 1990s. The original properties were built as a response to the arrival of the railway in Hitchin and the housing needs this created, and consist mainly of terraced housing, with some larger properties. Situated in the area is Pinehill private hospital, St Andrew's CofE primary school, and a nursing home Benslow House which was originally the first Higher Education College for women, founded by Emily Davies, which later moved to Girton College, Cambridge.Linking Benslow Lane with Chiltern Road is a large green open space, often referred to as Benslow or Pinehill field, which is detached playing field for Hitchin Girls' School. Also in the district of Benslow is the Benslow Music Trust, an independent charity which hosts residential and day courses for adult amateur musicians of all standards. It occupies the 1859 house originally known as 'Fairfield' and later as 'Little Benslow Hills', which was built by Quaker William Ransom and bequeathed to the Rural Music Schools Association by Esther Seebohm on her death in 1951. It was the first of the Rural Music Schools, and their Association was founded in Hitchin in 1929 by (Ellen) Mary Ibberson (1892–1979), who held the role of Director until 1947.

Hitchin railway station serves the market town of Hitchin in Hertfordshire. It is located approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) north east of the town centre and 31 miles 74 chains (51.4 km) north of London King's Cross on the East Coast Main Line.Until the current Stevenage station opened in 1973, many Intercity services stopped at Hitchin. In August 2007 Hitchin was awarded Secure Station status after improvements to station security were made by First Capital Connect, including new lighting, extra CCTV and the installation of automatic ticket gates.

Highbury Ward is an electoral ward in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. It covers 230.174 hectares. It is a largely residential area bounded roughly to the north by the A505, to the south west by the A602, and by the railway line to the east. Schools in the ward include Highbury JMI and Whitehill Junior School. The Red House, a large red brick house that used to be the seat of the owner of the orchards that made up most of the surrounding area up until the Industrial Revolution, is also found on Whitehill Road. Wymondley Park FC is probably Hitchin's longest-established youth football club. It was started by parents of children at William Ransom school in 1981. It now caters for 200–250 players aged 8–18 years in around a dozen team, generally playing in the Royston Crow League. In 2009 a group of former Wymondley Park FC players formed an adult team playing in the Hitchin Sunday League, Wymondley Park Old Boys FC. They play at The Priory School in Hitchin.

Hitchin Girls' School (HGS) is a secondary school with academy status in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England. The school has 1079 students and is in a consortium for sixth form teaching with Hitchin Boys' School and The Priory School. It gained academy status in 2011. Its Main Block is the highest building in Hitchin, and upon inspection in 2013 it was given the "outstanding" rating by Ofsted. There are 80 teachers and 1100 students currently on roll.

Sunnyside is a residential area of Hitchin in Hertfordshire. It was built in 1926 by Hitchin Urban District Council to house those displaced by slum clearance in the Queen Street area of the town centre. The estate consists of Sunnyside Road, Wedmore Road, Kendale Road, Waltham Road and Pulters Way.

Hitchin Up Yard is a small stabling point located in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England. It is situated next to the East Coast Main Line and is just north of Hitchin station.

The Poets Estate is a residential area of Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England. It lies to the east of the town centre, based around St Michael's Road and the surrounding roads, which are named after famous British poets. There is a primary school (Mary Exton JMI) and a community centre called St Michael's Mount.

The Queen Mother Theatre is a modern purpose-built theatre located on Walsworth Road in Hitchin in Hertfordshire. Named for Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, the theatre offers a varied programme of amateur productions. It is the home of the local performing group the Bancroft Players and the critically acclaimed Big Spirit Youth Theatre founded in 1984 and which included the actor Ben Whishaw among its members. In 1977 the Bancroft Players made plans for a purpose-built theatre in Hitchin and launched an appeal for £80,000 to begin work. At first the fundraising efforts were slow but by 1981 the group was able to make a start; however, the £8000 raised from the 1981-1982 season was insufficient to complete the build. In September 1982 the foundation stone was laid by Jimmy Hill, the President of the Appeal to raise the funds for the new theatre. At the same ceremony local resident Richard Whitmore told the assembled crowd that Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, who had connections with the area, had been approached for permission to name the theatre after her. It was suggested to her that the new theatre be named the Queen Elizabeth Theatre but instead she suggested the alternative name The Queen Mother Theatre. Thus the theatre has the distinction of being the United Kingdom's only theatre to carry this name.The theatre finally opened in 1983 with a production of A Man for All Seasons. Since then the theatre has been extended to include a larger foyer and a new workshop and studio, now named the Richard Whitmore Studio. The actor Ben Whishaw was a member of the youth group Big Spirit Youth Theatre based at the theatre.

Hitchin Cemetery, also known as St John's Road Cemetery, is the main burial ground for the town of Hitchin in Hertfordshire. The cemetery is located on Hitchin Hill, with Standhill Road running along the north-western boundary and St. John's Road along the south-eastern boundary. It has been owned and managed by North Hertfordshire District Council since 1974 and has a Chapel which can accommodate about 50 mourners which is available for the burial of all faiths.

Purwell Meadows is an 8.6-hectare (21-acre) nature reserve in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England. It was declared a Local Nature Reserve in 1994. It is owned and managed by North Hertfordshire District Council.The River Purwell runs through the meadows: it has been modified to provide power to a watermill which is no longer in operation. Wildlife includes kingfishers and water voles. There is also a football pitch, a basketball court and a junior play area.There is access from Cambridge Road, Purwell Lane and Willian Road.

The River Purwell is a chalk stream in Hertfordshire, England. The entire course of the stream is near Hitchin. Its source is springs which rise out of the chalk bedrock at St Ippolyts, forming Ippollitts Brook. It is known as the Purwell by the time it reaches Ninesprings on the border of the parishes of Great Wymondley and Hitchin. It flows on to join the River Hiz.The river and associated wetlands are protected by nature reserves at Ninesprings and Purwell Meadows.

Walsworth is a part of the town of Hitchin in Hertfordshire, England. It was originally a village about a mile north east of the town, and later became incorporated into it, although it is still referred to as a village by some locals. Hitchin Walsworth is one of five wards for the purposes of electing councillors to North Hertfordshire District Council. The ward includes the Purwell neighbourhood, south of Walsworth, which is named after the River Purwell. Walsworth comes under the control of North Hertfordshire District Council with three elected Labour councillors, Kay Tart, Mike Hughson and Elizabeth Dennis.