Overview of Watford

Watford is a village and civil parish in the Daventry district of the county of Northamptonshire in England. It should not be confused with the more significant town of Watford in Hertfordshire which is 50 miles to the south. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 224 people. It is known nationally for its proximity to the Watford Gap motorway service station. The phrase "North of Watford Gap" is used light-heartedly (and generally in the confused sense mentioned above) to describe areas of Great Britain that are north of London. It is also used in a generic sense to distinguish the South from the North of England. The phrase may refer to the village being traditionally an important waypoint on the old east-west and north-south coaching routes. This was the point where the main north-south road, rail and canal routes came together at a gap in the hills known as Watford Gap. Watford gives its name to the Watford Locks on the Grand Union Canal.