Watford

Watford, a market-town of Hertfordshire, on the Colne, 15 miles (by rail 18) NW. of London. The Perpendicular church, restored in 1871, contains some interesting monuments of the Morrisons and Cassells, Earls of Essex, whose seat, Cassiobury, is close to the town; and there are also the London Orphan Asylum (inst. 1813; transferred hither, 1871), the Salters' Company's almshouses (1873), the endowed schools (1874), the public library and school of art (1874), &c., besides manufactures of silk and paper. Pop. (1851) 6546; (1881) 12,162; (1891) 16,819.