By Tim Lambert Early Grantham Grantham began as an Anglo-Saxon village. The Anglo-Saxon word ‘ham’ meant village. The ‘Grant’ probably comes from somebody’s name. Maybe it was Granta’s ham. Anyway by the 11th century, the village of Grantham grew into a market town for the surrounding villages. (In those days there were no shops so… Continue reading A History of Grantham
A History of Great Yarmouth
By Tim Lambert Great Yarmouth in the Middle Ages Today Great Yarmouth is a famous seaside town but for centuries it was an important fishing port. Yarmouth was famous for herrings. Great Yarmouth was founded by the Angles. By the time of the Domesday Book, in 1086, it had grown into a little town with… Continue reading A History of Great Yarmouth
A History of Greenwich
By Tim Lambert Early Greenwich Greenwich began as a Saxon village. It was called green wic (the word wic meant a port). So from the beginning, it was a place where ships and boats were tied up. From the beginning, Greenwich was a fishing village as well as a farming settlement. The original St Alfege’s… Continue reading A History of Greenwich
A History of Grimsby
By Tim Lambert Grimsby in the Middle Ages The Danes founded Grimsby in the 9th century AD. The old Danish word for village was ‘by’ and this one was probably Grim’s by or Grimmr’s by (by meant village). By the time of the Domesday Book (1086), Grimsby had a population of over 200. By the… Continue reading A History of Grimsby
A History of Guildford
By Tim Lambert Early Guildford Guildford began as a Saxon village by a ford. It was called the guilden (golden) Ford. It may have been called that because of the golden flowers that grew at the riverside or because of the golden sands on the banks of the river. The village of Guildford turned into… Continue reading A History of Guildford
A History of Hamble le Rice
By Tim Lambert Early Hamble le Rice Hamble began when a people called the Jutes settled in southern Hampshire. There is however no mention of Hamble in the Domesday Book. For centuries most of the men in Hamble le Rice made their living from the sea, although a few worked as farmers. Hamble le Rice… Continue reading A History of Hamble le Rice
A History of Hambledon
By Tim Lambert Early Hambledon Hambledon has been inhabited for thousands of years. In 1997 stone axes were found in West Street. They were made about 2,500 BC. At that time people in England lived by farming but they made stone tools. Much later there was a Roman villa by Bury Lodge. However, ‘modern’ Hambledon… Continue reading A History of Hambledon
A History of Hampstead
By Tim Lambert Early Hampstead Hampstead began as a Saxon village. Its name was once hamstede, which meant homestead. For centuries it was just a quiet village like many others in England where the people grew crops and grazed animals. However, in the late 17th century, Hampstead, like many villages near London began to develop… Continue reading A History of Hampstead
A History of Harrogate
By Tim Lambert Harrogate in the 17th century and 18th century Until the 17th century, Harrogate was just a quiet hamlet. Then in the late 16th century, a man named William Slingsby drank from a well. He had traveled to several spas and he realised the well water tasted like spa water. Slingsby discovered Tewit… Continue reading A History of Harrogate
A History of Hartlepool
By Tim Lambert Medieval Hartlepool About 640 AD a woman named Hieu founded a monastery on the site of Hartlepool. Soon a fishing village grew up nearby. The Danes destroyed the monastery in the 9th century but the village of Hartlepool continued through the centuries. The village was first mentioned in the year 1153. By… Continue reading A History of Hartlepool