History Berkhamsted

1 history

1.1 origin of town s name
1.2 prehistoric , roman
1.3 anglo-saxon settlement
1.4 1066 , domesday record
1.5 royal medieval castle (11th 15th centuries)
1.6 medieval market town (12th 15th centuries)
1.7 castle abandoned, town in decline (16th late 18th century)
1.8 development of modern town (19th , 20th century)

1.8.1 19th century urban growth
1.8.2 19th century industry , utilities
1.8.3 provision destitute
1.8.4 land dispute battle of berkhamsted common
1.8.5 first world war
1.8.6 20th century urban developments

history
origin of town s name

joan blaeu map of hertfordshire 1659 showing barkhamsted [sic], 1 of many archaic spellings of town s name

the earliest recorded spelling of town s name 10th century anglo-saxon beorhðanstædæ. first part may have originated either old english words beorg, meaning hill , or berc or beorc, meaning birch ; or older old celtic word bearroc, meaning hilly place . latter part, hamsted , derives old english word homestead. town s name either mean homestead amongst hills or homestead among birches .

local historian percy birtchnell identified on 50 different spellings , epithets town s name since writing of domesday book; present spelling adopted in 1937. other spellings included: berkstead , berkampsted , berkhampstead , muche barkhamstede , berkhamsted magna , great berkhamsteed , berkhamstead . town s local nickname berko .

prehistoric , roman

an middle bronze age (c.1500 1300 bc) copper chisel found in berkhamsted.

neolithic, bronze age, iron age , roman artefacts show berkhamsted area of bulbourne valley has been settled on 5,000 years. discovery of large number of worked flint chips provides neolithic evidence of on-site flint knapping in centre of berkhamsted. several settlements dating neolithic iron age (about 4500–100 bc) have been discovered south of berkhamsted. 3 sections of late bronze age iron age (1200–100 bc) bank , ditch, sixteen feet (five metres) wide 7 thirteen feet (two 4 metres) high , known grim s ditch, found on south side of bulbourne valley. iron age dyke same name on berkhamsted common, on north side of valley.

in late iron age, prior roman occupation, valley have been within catuvellauni territory. bulbourne valley rich in timber , iron ore. in late iron age, four-square-mile (ten-square-kilometre) area around northchurch became major iron production centre, considered 1 of important late iron age , roman industrial areas in england. iron production led settlement of roman town @ cow roast, 2 miles (three kilometres) northwest of berkhamsted. 4 first century iron smelting bloomeries @ dellfield (one mile (two kilometres) northwest of town centre) provide evidence of industrial activity in berkhamsted. production ceased @ end of roman period. other evidence of roman-british occupation , activity in berkhamsted area, includes pottery kiln on bridgewater road. town s high street still follows line of roman-engineered akeman street, had been pre-existing route st albans (verulamium) cirencester (corinium).

during roman occupation countryside close verulamium subdivided series of farming estates. berkhamsted area appears have been divided 2 or 3 farming estates, each including 1 or more masonry villa buildings, tiled roofs , underfloor heating.

the remains of villa found close river in 1973 in adjacent village of northchurch. oldest building, made of timber, built in ad 60, rebuilt using stone in 2nd century, , enlarged ten-room building around ad 150. house may have been empty period, reoccupied in 4th century, , abandoned in late 4th or 5th century.
a roman-british villa, dyke, , temple found 1.25 miles (2.01 km) nnw of castle, near frithesden, @ edge of berkhamsted golf course. excavations in 1954 revealed masonry foundations , tesserae floors. together, villa, dyke , temple form unique complex, suggesting occupation in late iron age , roman period.
two flint , tile walls roman building found north of berkhamsted castle in 1970. construction of castle s earthworks in middle ages may have damaged building.

anglo-saxon settlement

the earliest written reference berkhamsted in of Ælfgifu (died ad 970), queen consort of king eadwig of england (r. 955–959), bequeathed large estates in 5 counties, including berkhamsted. location , extent of saxon settlement of berkhamsted not clear. rare anglo-saxon pottery dating 7th century onwards has been found between chesham road , st john s lane, water mills near mill street in use late 9th century, show anglo-saxon settlement existed in centre of modern-day berkhamsted. nearest known structural evidence of anglo-saxon period in south , west walls of st mary s northchurch, 1 mile (two kilometres) north-west of modern berkhamsted. church may have been important minster, attached high status anglo-saxon estate, became part of medieval manor of berkhamsted after norman conquest.

the parish of berkhamsted st mary s (in northchurch) once stretched 5 miles hamlet of dudswell, through northchurch , berkhamsted former hamlet of bourne end. within berkhamsted, chapel of st james, small church situated near st john s (a holy town s principal source of drinking water in middle ages). parish of church (and later of st peter s) enclave of 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) carved out of middle of berkhamsted st mary s. 14th century adjoining village of berkhamsted st mary or berkhamsted minor name had changed north church , later northchurch , distinguish village town of berkhamsted.

1066 , domesday record

the anglo-saxons surrendered crown of england william conqueror @ berkhamsted in december 1066. after william defeated , killed harold ii @ battle of hastings in october, failed in attempt capture london south. william led army around london, crossing river thames @ wallingford, laying waste while travelling through southeast england. @ berkhamsted, received surrender of edgar Ætheling (heir english throne), archbishop ealdred, earl edwin, earl morcar , leaders of london. not known why berkhamsted chosen meeting place, except berkhamsted in defensive position north-west of london. william crowned in westminster abbey on christmas day, 1066. after coronation, william granted honour of berkhamsted half-brother, robert, count of mortain, after william became largest landholder in country. robert built wooden fortification later became royal retreat monarchs of norman plantagenet dynasties.

the lord of berkhamsted prior norman conquest edmer ator (also referred eadmer atule), thegn of edward confessor , king harold. domesday survey records there enough land 26 plough teams, 15 working teams. there 2 flour mills (upper , lower mill), woodland 1,000 pigs, , vineyard. total population calculated either 37 or 88 households; families included 14 villagers, 15 smallholders, 6 slaves, priest, dyke builder (possibly working on earthworks of castle) , 52 burgesses. historians have argued number of 52 burgesses in berkhamsted clerical error, high number small town. berkhamsted described in domesday book burbium (ancient borough) in tring hundred.() marjorie chibnall argued robert, count of mortain intended berkhamsted both commercial , defensive centre; while john hatcher , edward miller believed 52 burgesses involved in trade, unknown if burgesses existed prior conquest.

royal medieval castle (11th 15th centuries)


view across inner moat towards bailey walls of berkhamsted castle.



a view of castle motte, moat, middle bank , outer earthworks.

berkhamsted castle well-documented example of 11th-century motte-and-bailey norman castle, historical records dating 12th 15th centuries. castle high-status residence , administrative centre large estates. royal castle s presence affected town. created jobs local population, both in castle , also, example, in large deer park , in vineyard, maintained alongside castle. moreover, 400 years, patronage royal court connected castle helped fuel town s growth, prosperity , sense of importance.

robert, count of mortain s heir william rebelled against , lost castle henry i. in 1155–65, henry ii s favourite, thomas becket, given berkhamsted. becket later alleged have spent on £300 on improvements castle, claim led henry accuse him of corruption , may have contributed becket s downfall. henry ii extensively used castle, making 1 of favourite residences. both king richard , king john gave castle queens, berengaria of navarre , isabella of angoulême, respectively. in king john s reign, geoffrey fitz peter (c. 1162–1213), earl of essex , chief justiciar of england (effectively king s principal minister) held honour , manor of berkhamsted 1199 1212. during time in castle responsible foundation of new parish church of st peter (the size of reflects growing prosperity of town), 2 hospitals, st john baptist , st john evangelist (one of leper hospital), survived until 1516, , lay out of town. in december 1216, castle besieged during civil war, known first barons war, between king john , barons supported prince louis (the future louis viii of france), captured castle on 20 december 1216 after twenty days using siege engines , counterweight trebuchets.

in 1227, henry iii s younger brother, richard, 1st earl of cornwall, given manor , castle, beginning long association of castle earls , later dukes of cornwall. richard redeveloped castle palatial residence , centre administration of earldom of cornwall. richard s coat of arms earl of cornwall, along bezants, included in berkhamsted s coat of arms. richard s wife, sanchia of provence, died in castle in 1260. richard succeeded son, edmund, 2nd earl of cornwall, founded ashridge priory, college of monastic order of bonhommes, in 1283. in 1300, after edmund died, edward - aka longshanks took castle , subsequently granted second queen, margaret of france. in 1309, edward , margaret s son, edward ii, granted berkhamsted favourite, piers gaveston; afterwards in 1317, castle given edward ii s queen, isabella of france.

the castle s bailey viewed norman motte. (enlarged: train can seen passing close castle, town south beyond).

edward iii further developed castle , gave son, edward, black prince, expanded hunting grounds. tradition, berkhamsted castle still belongs eldest son of reigning english monarch, via duchy of cornwall. castle used hold royal prisoners, including john ii of france. in 1361, hero of berkhamsted , edward, black prince, , joan, maid of kent, spent honeymoon in berkhamsted. black prince supported @ battle of crecy local bowmen - everard halsey, john wood, stephen of champneys, robert whittingham, edward le bourne, richard of gaddesden , henry of berkhamsted (who rewarded 2d day , appointed porter of berkhamsted castle after saved prince s baggage @ battle of poitiers). richard ii inherited berkhamsted castle in 1377 , gave favourites, robert de vere , john holland. in 1400, henry iv lived in castle after deposed richard, , used castle imprison others attempting obtain throne. during time, geoffrey chaucer, later famous writing canterbury tales, oversaw renovation work on castle in role clerk of works @ berkhamsted castle , other royal properties. unknown how time spent @ berkhamsted, knew john of gaddesden, lived in nearby little gaddesden , model doctor of phisick in canterbury tales. henry v , henry vi owned castle, latter making use of until overthrown in 1461. in 1469, edward iv gave castle mother, cecily neville, duchess of york, last person live in castle.

in 1833, castle first building receive statutory protection in united kingdom. in 1834, construction of railway embankment demolished castle s gatehouse , adjacent earthworks. since 1930s, castle ruins have been managed english heritage, under guardianship of secretary of state national heritage, , freely open public.

medieval market town (12th 15th centuries)

though close castle, town continued develop on old akeman street 0.4 miles (1 km) south of castle , west of st peter s church; triangle formed mill street, castle street , lane pointing towards castle. in 1156, henry ii officially recognised berkhamsted town in royal charter, confirmed laws , customs enjoyed under edward confessor, william , henry i, , freed town s merchants tolls , dues. charter stated no market set within 7 miles (11 km) of town.

tomb of henry of berkhamsted (who served under edward black prince @ battles of crécy , poitiers) , lady

the town became trading centre on important trade route in 12th , 13th centuries, , berkhamsted received more royal charters. in 1216, henry iii relieved men , merchants of town tolls , taxes everywhere in england, , english plantagenet possessions in france, normandy, aquitaine , anjou growing wool trade brought prosperity berkhamsted 12th century until tudor period. 4 wealthy berkhamsted wool merchants amongst group in bruges whom edward iii wrote in 1332, , berkhamsted merchants sold cloth royal court.

henry iii in 1217 recognised royal charter town s oldest institution, berkhamsted s pre-existing market. trades within medieval berkhamsted extensive: in 13th century town had merchant, 2 painters, goldsmith, forester, 2 farriers, 2 tailors, brewer of mead, blacksmith, carpenters, wood turners, tool makers, manufacturer of roofing tiles , wine producers. in mid–13th century, banker, wealthy abraham of berkhamsted, financier earl of cornwall, lived in town; unusual small town in time of heightened persecution of jews. in 1290, taxation list mentions brewer, lead burner, carpenter, leather workers, fuller, turner, butcher, fishmonger, barber, archer, tailor, cloth-napper, miller, cook, seller of salt , huntsman. @ time, larger houses of merchants , castle officials appeared on south side of high street (including 173 high street, oldest known extant jettied building in england). in 1307 berkhamsted large town estimated population of 2,000 2,500. in 1355, there 5 butchers, 2 bakers, 9 brewers, 2 cobblers, pelter, tanner, 5 cloth dyers, 6 wheelwrights, 3 smiths, 6 grain merchants, skinner , baker/butcher. in 14th century, berkhamsted (recorded berchamstede ) considered 1 of best market towns in country. in survey of 1357, richard clay found own butcher s shop twelve feet (four metres) wide, william herewood had 2 shops, , there 4 other shops 8 feet (two metres) in length. in 1440, there reference lime kilns.

the town benefited when edmund, 2nd earl of cornwall founded ashridge priory in 1283, 2 miles (three kilometres) town , within castle s park. @ foundation of abbey, earl donated phial claimed contain christ s blood. pilgrims on europe passed through town see holy relic. abbey grew quite wealthy result. edward held parliament @ abbey in 1290 while spent christmas in pitstone. berkhamsted burgesses sent 2 members parliament in 1320, 1338 , 1341, town not represented again. in mid-14th century, black prince took advantage of black death extend castle s park 65 acres (26 ha), producing park covering 991 acres (401 ha). in 15th century, town reaffirmed borough, royal charter granted edward iv (1442–1483), decreed no other market town set within 11 miles (18 km).

castle abandoned, town in decline (16th late 18th century)


berkhamsted place 1832

in 16th century, town fell decline after abandonment of castle following death of cicely neville, duchess of york in 1495, , rise of nearby town of hemel hempstead (which granted charter of incorporation henry viii on 29 december 1539). berkhamsted castle passed through hands of 3 of henry viii s wives: catherine of aragon, anne boleyn , jane seymour. after dissolution of monasteries, henry viii bequeathed ashridge priory daughter elizabeth. priory became private residence during sister mary s reign. population of town in 1563 has been estimated @ 545. in 1580, castle ruins , park leased elizabeth sir edward carey, nominal rent of 1 red rose each year. stone castle used build berkhamsted place, local school, , other buildings in late 16th century. brewing , maltings noted 1 of town’s principal industries in reign of elizabeth. around 1583, new market house erected west of st peter s church @ end of middle row (alternatively named le shopperowe or graball row). market house destroyed in fire in 1854.

in 1612, berkhamsted place bought henry frederick, prince of wales £4,000. henry, died later year, bequeathed house brother charles (later king charles i), leased property tutor, thomas murray, , wife, mary murray, had been nurse , lady of privy chamber prince s mother. john norden wrote in 1616 making of malt principal trade of town. in 1618, james reaffirmed berkhamsted s borough status charter. following surveys in 1607 , 1612 duchy of cornwall enclosed 300 acres (121 ha) common (now known coldharbour farm) despite local opposition led rev thomas newman. in 1639 duchy again tried enclose further 400 acres (162 ha) of berkhamsted , northchurch commons prevented doing william edlyn of norcott. castle s park, had reached 1,252 acres (507 ha) in size 1627, broken on next 2 decades, shrinking 376 acres (152 ha), benefit of local farmers. in 1643, berkhamsted visited violent pestilential fever.

born in berkhamsted, colonel daniel axtell(1622 – 19 october 1660), baptist , grocer s apprentice, played zealous , prominent part in english civil war, both in england , in cromwellian conquest of ireland. participated lieutenant colonel in pride s purge of long parliament (december 1648), arguably military coup d état in english history, , commanded parliamentary guard @ trial of king charles @ westminster hall in 1649. during cromwell s protectorate, appropriated berkhamsted place. shortly after restoration, unrepentant axtell hanged, drawn , quartered regicide. after restoration of monarchy under charles ii, town lost charter given james , borough status. surveyor of hertfordshire recommended new tenant , army officers needed @ berkhamsted place govern people seduced of late new doctrine preacht unto them axtell , colleagues. estimated population of town in 1640 , in 1690s 1075 , 767, respectively. town centre of religious nonconformity 17th century: on quarter of town dissenters in second half of century, , in 1700, there 400 baptists recorded living in berkhamsted. 3 more shops mentioned in row next church, , parliamentary survey of 1653 suggests area near market house used butchery.

development of modern town (19th , 20th century)
19th century urban growth

in 17th , 18th-centuries hemel hempstead thriving market, eclipsed berkhamsted major town in area. georgian berkhamsted barely extended beyond medieval triangle , high street. coming of industrial age, berkhamsted placed @ gateway through chilterns, between markets of london , industrial midlands. town became link in growing network of roads, canals , railways. these developments led berkhamsted s population once again expand. in 1801, population of st peter s parish had been 1,690 , in 1831, had risen 2,369 (484 houses). 1835 description of town found houses of brick, , irregularly built, interspersed fair proportion of handsome residences . town s population increased hundreds of men arrived build railway line , needed lodging ; 1851, population 3,395, 1850 large estates around berkhamsted sold, allowing housing expansion. in 1851 pilkington manor estate, east of castle street, sold, , land developed both industrial area , artisans’ dwellings. in 1868 streets of middle-class villas began appear on hill south of high street lower kings road built public subscription in 1885 join kings road , high street station. in 1887, john bartholomew s gazetteer of british isles recorded population @ 4,485.

19th century industry , utilities

former buildings of cooper & nephews on ravens lane, berkhamsted

industries in 19th century included:

· timber: in mid-18th century, berkhamsted had been noted turned wood products. based on extensive woodland resources of area (principally alder , beech), milling , turning of wood town s prominent industry in 19th century. crimean war contracts supplying army lance poles , tent pegs led major expansion. largest manufacturer east & sons.
· brush making: offshoot of timber industry. largest employers goss brushworks @ west end of high street (closed 1930s) , t.h. nash in george street (closed 1920s).
· canal trade provided considerable economic stimulus town, enabling development of industries involved bulk transport of materials. these included timber , malt.
· boat building: berkhamsted became centre construction of barges needed canal trades. yard building canal barges , other boats between castle street , raven s lane wharves, 1 of 3 important boatyards in hertfordshire. owned john hatton until 1880 , william costin until 1910 when taken on key s, timber merchants in 1969 bought timber merchant j. alsford before being redeveloped flats in 1994. located @ site, adjacent canal berkhamsted canadian totem pole.
· watercress: construction of canal had helped drain marshy areas along valley of river bulbourne. in 1883, berkhamsted times congratulated mr bedford on having converted remaining dirty ditches , offensive marshes watercress beds.
· chemical: cooper s sheep-dip works; william cooper animal doctor arrived in berkhamsted in 1840s , experimented in treatments scab in sheep. formulated innovative arsenic , sulphur sheep-dip. cooper family firm later inherited nephew, sir richard cooper, 1st baronet.
· nurserymen: henry lane s nurseryman business, founded in 1777, became 1 of largest employers in town in 19th century. extensive nurseries shown on 1878 os 25 inch plan, @ western end of town.
· iron working: wood s ironworks set in 1826 james wood.

utilities in 19th century included:

· gasworks: great berkhamsted gas, light & coke co., @ junction of water lane , wilderness, set provide street lighting in 1849. in 1906, berkhamsted gas works moved billet lane; closed in 1959.
· water , sewage: great berkhamsted waterworks company set in 1864 on high street (on present site of w.h. smith , boots). mains drainage first supplied in 1898–99, when effective sewerage installed.

provision destitute

the 19th century soup kitchen built inside berkhamsted castle (part used castle visitor centre) located @ entrance next cottage within castle s bailey.

in 1725 account of several workhouses , records parish workhouse in berkhamsted , parliamentary report of 1777 refers parish workhouse 34 inmates in northchurch. small wretched, straw-thatched house used house poor families in berkhamsted, on corner of park view road, until demolished in 1820s. in 1831 bequest of £1,000 revd george nugent, led new parish workhouse being set on site of workhouse, had operated in row of tenements on high street (at kitsbury road junction) known ragged row. berkhampstead poor law union formed in june 1835 covering ten parishes centring on town. union took on existing berkhamsted parish workhouse , august 1835 became sole workhouse union. workhouse had no schoolroom, in 1849, poor law board recommended pauper children sent local national school, although in 1858 school complained state of children attending workhouse. fever ward erected in 1855, , full-time nurse engaged in 1868. workhouse system officially came end in 1930, , control on workhouse given local council. nugent house, berkhamsted workhouse, closed in 1935 , function relocated hemel hemspstead. in 1841, countess of bridgewater built soup kitchen local poor within ruins of berkhamsted castle. soup kitchen used estimated 15% of population of berkhamsted (about 500 people) during winter months, until @ least 1897. building still stands connected cottage in castle grounds, why placed outside town , inside ruins of historic castle unknown.

the queen beech or harry potter tree (now fallen) pollarded tree in frithsden beeches on berkhamsted common @ least 350 years old. in 1866, @ centre of battle of berkhamsted common. noted naturalist richard mabey in book beechcombings , played whomping willow in harry potter film prisoner of azkaban.


land dispute battle of berkhamsted common

the battle of berkhamsted common played important part in preservation of common land nationally. after 1604 former ashridge priory became home of edgerton family. 1808-1814 francis egerton, 3rd duke of bridgewater, demolished old priory, , built stately home ashridge house. in 1848 estate passed earls brownlow, strand of egerton family.

in 1866, lord brownlow of ashridge house (in action similar many other large estate holders) tried enclose berkhamsted common 5-foot (2 m) steel fences (built woods of berkhamsted) in attempt claim part of estate. in order defend historic rights of public @ large use ancient common land, augustus smith mp , george shaw-lefevre organised local folk plus 120 hired men london s east end dismantle same erected steel fences , return berkhamsted common people of berkhamsted on night of 6 march, in became known nationally battle of berkhamsted common.

brownlow brought legal case against smith trespass , criminal damage, sir robert hunter (later co-founder of national trust in 1895) , commons preservation society defended action. lord justice romilly determined pulling down fence no more violent act erecting one. case, said, rested on legality of brownlow’s actions in having erected fence in first place , legal right of people use land. ruled in favour of smith, legal decision, along metropolitan commons act 1866, helped ensure protection of berkhamsted common , other open spaces nationally threatened enclosure. in 1926 common acquired national trust.

first world war

during first world war, under guidance of lt col francis errington, inns of court officer training corps trained men legal profession officers. on course of war, 12,000 men travelled berkhamsted fight on western front. training included trench digging: 8 miles (thirteen kilometres) of trenches dug across common (of 1,640 feet (500 m) remain). inns of court war memorial on common has motto salus populi suprema lex – welfare of people highest law – , states ashes of colonel errington buried nearby.

20th century urban developments

in 1909 sunnyside , later in 1935 northchurch added berkhamsted urban district. shortly after 1918 of extensive estate belonging berkhamsted hall, @ east end of high street, sold; many acres west of swing gate lane developed council housing. more council housing built @ gossoms end. development on north side of valley limited until sale of ashridge estate in 1930s after housing appeared @ each end of bridgewater road. meanwhile, on last century, many of old industrial firms in berkhamsted closed, while numbers of commuters increased.

after second world war, in july 1946, nearby town of hemel hempstead designated new town under new towns act ( new towns satellite urban developments around london relieve london s population growth , housing issues after blitz). february 1947 government purchased 5,910 acres (2,392 ha) of land , began construction, led hemel hempstead s population increased 20,000 today on 90,000, making today largest town in hertfordshire. in 1974, old hundred of dacorum became modern district of dacorum formed under local government act 1972, based in hemel hempstead.

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