Welwyn Garden City

Welwyn Garden City enjoys a world-wide reputation as one of the finest examples of modern town planning. It was built soon after the first world war by Sir Ebenezer Howard (1850 to 1928) founder of the garden city movement. The first houses were occupied in 1920. Howard's concept was to create 'satellite' towns to help ease poor and overcrowded living conditions in London. His plan was to establish Welwyn Garden City as a town with its own public services, shopping amenities, good housing and places of employment. People moving here would enjoy working and living within easy reach of the countryside and have their own garden and open space. The design for the town was by architect Louis de Soissons.