Welwyn Garden City

The town was developed from 1920, as England’s second garden city (after Letchworth). Based on the ideas of Ebenezer Howard, its design saw separate residential and industrial areas laid out amongst landscaped parkland and tree-lined boulevards. The neo-Georgian town centre has shopping areas set around a fountain and lawns.

The principal historic significance of the town lies in its planning. It is an example of the physical, social and cultural ideals of the periods in which it was conceived (it has the unique distinction of being both a garden city and a new town). In planning terms its significance is global, attracting visitors from around the world.

One of the lesser-known ideas of the city's architects was that all the town's citizens would shop in the same store. Thus the Welwyn department store was established as a central landmark on the 'Campus' (a centrally-located green semi-circular area in the town). Commercial pressures have since ensured much more competition and variety, and the Welwyn Store is now part of the John Lewis Partnership group of stores (the original Welwyn Stores was on the site of the current Rosanne House office building).

Until 2005, there were no street names with the word "street" (or "Avenue", until Cypress Avenue was built in the late 90's) in the town.  Ebenezer Howard is said to have planted an apple tree in the garden of every original house. 

Welwyn Garden City has 3 golf courses: Panshanger - owned and operated by the council; WGC Golf Club (off Handside) and whose most famous member was Sir Nick Faldo; and Mill Green Golf Club where the land prior to the golf course (and long time waste land) was a "dummy" airfield during WWII to "distract" any attack on the nearby Hatfield Airfield and factory

Welwyn Garden city is served by Green Line service 724.