Whitwell is a village in the parish of St Paul's Walden, in the North Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England. It lies south of Hitchin, its post town. The built up area had an estimated population of 1,024 in 2022.
Geography
The village lies in the valley of the River Mimram, and is about above sea level. The soil is mostly clay with flints.
thumb|left|Watercress beds on the Mimram near Lilley Bottom Road
It contains a number of early brick and half-timbered houses, several of which are of the 18th century. Waterhall Farm (an open farm and craft centre) is one of the village's attractions. The village was historically known for its watercress, grown in beds along the Mimram.
St Paul's Walden Primary School is on Bendish Lane in Whitwell.
History
Roman coins have been found in Whitwell.
thumb|The Bull Inn, High Street
Whitwell was once known for its ‘notorious seven’ public houses, but today only one remains; The Bull Inn. The most recent to close was The Maiden's Head in 2015, which is currently (2021) being developed as a private residence. There are over thirty listed buildings in the village.
From 1926, a factory building on Hitchin Road on the east side of the village was home to engineering company C & A Roberts. The site remained until 2000, when it was demolished, and was eventually replaced by a street of houses named Roberts Court.
Governance
thumb|New Fellowship Hall
Whitwell forms part of the parish of St Paul's Walden. There are three tiers of local government covering St Paul's Walden, at parish, district, and county level: St Paul's Walden Parish Council, North Hertfordshire District Council, and Hertfordshire County Council. The parish council meets in Whitwell, either at the village hall on Bendish Lane, known as the New Fellowship Hall, or at the pavilion at the recreation ground on Bradway.