a market-town of the county of Hertford and Hundred of Broadwater. It is thirty-eight miles from London, on one of the great roads to York. The market is held on Thursday. The town belonged formerly to the knights-templars, who are said to have built the four large churches still remaining there. The population in 1801 amounted to 1283, in 1811 to 1438, and in 1821 to 1550.

Ralph de, bishop of London in the reigns of Edward I. and II., was educated at Merton College, Oxford, became dean of St Paul's, was afterwards promoted to the see of London, and at last was made lord high chancellor of England. He wrote Historia Anglicana, or a History of the British Affairs down to his own time; and A Collection of the Statutes and Constitutions of the Church of St Paul. The former, though it was seen by Leland, is not now extant; the latter is preserved in the library of that cathedral. Bishop Baldock died at Stepney, July 24, 1313.