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A History of the County of Essex: Volume 8. Originally published by Victoria County History, London, 1983.
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HARLOW
Harlow lies 37 km. north-east of London, on the south bank of the river Stort, which forms the border of Essex with Hertfordshire. (fn. 1) The ancient parish, which included a small town, comprised 4,015 a. (1,625 ha.). (fn. 2) It was bounded north by Sheering, east by Matching, High Laver, and Magdalen Laver, south by North Weald Bassett, and west by Latton. A detached part of the parish, containing 7½ a. (3 ha.), lay in Latton, to which it had been transferred by 1897. (fn. 3) In 1947 Harlow was designated as the site of a new town. (fn. 4) In 1949 the southern spur of Harlow parish was transferred to North Weald Bassett, and most of Latton parish was added to Harlow. (fn. 5) In 1955 a new parish and urban district of Harlow was formed from parts of Harlow, Netteswell, Epping Upland, Great Parndon, and Roydon. (fn. 6) The remainder of Harlow was divided between Sheering, Matching, and North Weald Bassett. (fn. 7)
The main article, below, deals with the ancient parish up to 1947, and with its manors, places of worship, older buildings, and charities up to 1978. That is followed by an account of Harlow town since 1947.