Harlow in Essex is a post‑war new town on the edge of the London commuter belt, laid out after 1947 with a deliberate mix of neighbourhoods, green corridors and pedestrianised centres. The town sits beside the River Stort and has plenty of parks and marshland, while the older part, Old Harlow, retains a village feel with historic lanes and pubs. Its proximity to the M11 and Stansted Airport makes it well connected to London and the rest of the region.
Harlow is notable for its planning by Sir Frederick Gibberd and an unusually large public art collection - often called "Harlow Sculpture Town" - which places modern sculpture in parks and squares throughout the borough. Economically it combines retail and service jobs with light industry and science‑park style businesses, and the town has seen various regeneration projects aimed at improving housing, cultural facilities like the local theatre and arts centres, and town‑centre amenities. Socially it reflects the mixed, evolving character of many new towns, balancing planned neighbourhood life with ongoing change.
Postcode districts covering Harlow
Most populated places nearby
- Brent 21.1 miles34 km
- Islington 17.9 miles28.8 km
- City of Westminster 21.2 miles34.1 km
- Bexley 21.2 miles34.2 km
- Luton 24.9 miles40.1 km
- Harrow 22.5 miles36.2 km
- Basildon 20.6 miles33.1 km
- Watford 23.3 miles37.5 km
- Chelmsford 16.2 miles26.1 km
- Stevenage 15.7 miles25.3 km
- Grays 21.9 miles35.2 km
- Hemel Hempstead 24.8 miles39.9 km
Neighbouring places
- Netteswell Ward 0.4 miles0.7 km
- Bush Fair Ward 0.7 miles1.1 km
- Passmores Ward 0.8 miles1.3 km
- Mark Hall Ward 1.1 miles1.7 km
- Latton Bush & Stewards Ward 1.2 miles2 km
- Little Parndon & Town Centre Ward 1.3 miles2 km
- Church Langley North & Newhall Ward 1.4 miles2.3 km
- Church Langley South & Potter Street Ward 1.5 miles2.4 km
- Great Parndon Ward 1.5 miles2.4 km
- Gilston Parish 1.7 miles2.8 km
- Sumners & Kingsmoor Ward 1.8 miles2.8 km
- Eastwick Parish 1.9 miles3.1 km
Example postcodes in Harlow
CM17 0GH, CM18 7AG, CM18 7DF, CM20 9TE, CM19 4QW, CM18 6JJ, CM19 5NR, CM17 0GP, CM19 4DX … See all
Transport links
- Stansted Airport 9.7 miles15.7 km
- London City Airport 18.3 miles29.5 km
- Harlow Town Station 1 mile1.6 km
- Harlow Mill Station 1.8 miles3 km
Hotels in Harlow
Schools in Harlow
- Abbotsweld Primary Academy Primary
- Burnt Mill Academy Secondary
- Church Langley Community Primary School Primary
- Churchgate C of E Voluntary Aided Primary School, Harlow Primary
- Cooks Spinney Primary Academy and Nursery Primary
- Fawbert and Barnard's Primary School Primary
- Freshwaters Primary Academy Primary
- Hare Street Community Primary School and Nursery Primary
- Harlow College Further education
- Harlow Fields School and College Special
- Harlowbury Primary School Primary
- Henry Moore Primary School Primary
- Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow Primary
- Katherines Primary Academy and Nursery Primary
- Kingsmoor Academy Primary
- Latton Green Primary Academy Primary
- Little Parndon Primary Academy Primary
- Longwood Primary Academy Primary
- Milwards Primary School and Nursery Primary
- … See all
Local points of interest
- Copped Hall Estate 6.1 miles9.9 km
- Ongar Castle Historic site 7.5 miles12.1 km
- Furze Woods Forest 8.2 miles13.2 km
- Epping Forest Forest 8.6 miles13.8 km
- Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge Historic site 10 miles16.1 km
- Pirgo Historic site 11 miles17.6 km
- Woodford Wells Historic site 11.2 miles18 km
- Hatfield House Estate 13.5 miles21.7 km
- White Hart Lane Stadium 13.6 miles21.9 km
- Tilty Abbey Historic site 13.7 miles22.1 km
- Wrotham Park Estate 14.3 miles23 km
- Leytonstone Library Library 14.5 miles23.3 km