Green Spaces

Bancroft Gardens

Bancroft Recreation Ground has been providing a place of relaxation and leisure for Hitchin’s residents since before the Second World War. The park houses many specimen trees, shrubs and flower beds, and also supports a bowling club, tennis club and during the summer months, a popular Splash Pad which is free to use.

There is a play area for younger children, Bowling greens and a Bandstand.

Oughtonhead Common Nature Reserve

Oughtonhead Common is a Local Nature Reserve with a wide variety of wildlife habitats.
Walk alongside the River Oughton which flows through the common and explore the different footpaths throughout the site, doing a bit of wildlife spotting as you go.

There is Disabled Access, with the nearest bus stops  located on Burford Way and Bedford Road.
Car parking is available at Swinburne Avenue Playing Fields. The Garden Gate Cafe is open in the summer months.

Butts Close

Butts Close is an 11-acre park just ten minutes’ walk from the town centre. It was once used as a sporting ground for archery and the name refers to the archery butts that used to be on it during the Late medieval and Tudor times.

An area of open grassland with pond surrounded by mature trees. Wetland meadow and Fresh water pond with a variety of wetland plans and pond life.

Windmill Hill

Windmill hill is a large hill in the town centre,  formerly known as Rawlings Hill, named  after a previous owner of the mill that used to stand on the top and which burned down in 1875.

With seating at the top, you can see for miles over the church, the town and the lavender fields beyond. In the winter it gets covered is crystally, white snow, perfect for the town’s residents to go sledging!