Hemel Hempstead () is a town in the Dacorum district in Hertfordshire, England, 24 miles (39 km) north-west of London, which is part of the Greater London Urban Area. The population at the 2011 Census, was 97,500.Developed after the Second World War as a new town, it has existed since the 8th century and was granted its town charter by Henry VIII in 1539. Nearby towns are Watford, St Albans and Berkhamsted.