Bishops Stortford

Bishop's Stortford is a pretty market town in the county of Hertfordshire that began as a Roman settlement that was on the important Stane Street, a major Roman road between London and Colchester. With vast numbers of travellers passing through the area, this once small town grew quickly. Bishop's Stortford offered a convenient place to stay overnight and the travellers were a boon to the local economy. However in the 5th century, Roman civilisation broke down and the settlement at Bishop's Stortford was abandoned until a new Saxon settlement emerged.

An attractive and enjoyable visitor attraction is the Rhodes Arts Complex; a state-of-the-art venue which incorporates a theatre, cinema, dance studio and conference facilities. Also situated within the complex is the Bishop's Stortford Museum. With a local history collection, the Rhodes Museum was established in 1938 in two listed Victorian buildings which are the birthplace of Cecil Rhodes, Victorian empire builder. This significant local landmark focuses on the town's rich local history and unique links with the story of Cecil Rhodes, Empire and Africa.