Harlow is a local government district and new town in Essex, United Kingdom. It was developed around the old villages of Harlow, Great Parndon, Latton, Little Parndon and Netteswell from a masterplan drawn up in 1947 by Sir Frederick Gibberd.
It is renowned for having Britain's first pedestrian precinct, in the town centre and Britain's first tower block, The Lawn, constructed in 1951, now a Grade I listed building. Many of the original new town buildings have now been removed due to "concrete cancer". The original town centre is undergoing considerable improvement to its shops and restaurants.
Harlow has a population of 80,000, although this may increase significantly if plans to expand into the green belt go ahead. Harlow Town F.C. play in the Isthmian League First Division. There are plans to redevelop the town's sporting facilities.
Its MP is Bill Rammell (Labour), who was reelected on 5th May 2005 with a reduced majority of 97.
There is evidence of ancient occupation in the area. Axe heads made about 6000BC have been found at Parndon, and there is a Roman mosaic floor in the Temple Meads area.
The name appears to derive from the Saxon here meaning army and hlaw meaning hill that was the meeting point of the local Saxon tribe. The village was noted later in Magna Carta and developed as a typical rural area.The town has cycle ways away from traffic, parks, gardens, entertainment and leisure centres, and shopping areas in the town centre and in the neighbourhood areas around. The southern part of the town centre is currently being redeveloped and scheduled to open in 2004.Items from the Harlow Sculpture Collection, which includes works by Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth, are sited across the town
