Did you know?
Watford had an important role in the war effort. From 1943 to 1945, the Sun Engraving Company's Wippendell Road works was home to atomic bomb research. Workers were at the time unaware that they were helping the ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries) in the construction of a bomb.
St Mary's churchyard, near to the High Street, is home to the Victorian legend of the Fig Tree Tomb. An atheist who once lived in Watford requested he be buried with an object, which if it were to germinate, would signal his spirit still lived. A fig tree grew from the tomb soon after his burial. The fig tree died in the 1960s.
The town received a Royal Charter to hold its street market in the 12th Century. It was originally held on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Leavesden film studios in Watford are situated on the former Rolls-Royce site used for aircraft production in World War Two. Movies which were filmed there include: the Harry Potter movies, Goldeneye, Die Another Day, Sleepy Hollow and Star Wars episodes I and II.
The music to The Return Of The King, the final part of The Lord Of The Rings trilogy, was recorded at Watford's Colosseum. Composer Howard Shore and the London Philharmonic orchestra recorded the score in 2003.
BBC sitcom Dad's Army took its inspiration in part from Jimmy Perry and his experiences in the Watford Home Guard during World War II.
Being approximately 20 miles from London, Watford was targeted by body-snatchers in the Victorian times. Corpses were parcelled up and sent to London and families were forced to guard their dead relatives.
The headless ghosts of the two Arthur Capels, first and second Earls of Essex, are said to roam Cassiobury Park. The elder was beheaded for treason at the Tower Of London and the younger was found with his throat slit in a chamber, said to be that which his father stayed in, at the Tower before reaching trial.
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