Local Histories

By Tim Lambert The Roman Fort at Doncaster The history of Doncaster began when the Romans built a fort in the area about 71 AD. The Romans called the fort Danum. However, in the 4th century Roman civilization declined and the last Roman soldiers left Britain in 407 AD. After the Romans left a village… Continue reading A History of Doncaster

By Tim Lambert Roman Dorchester Dorchester was founded by the Romans. (Although the area was inhabited for thousands of years before they arrived. Stone age farmers erected the enclosure known as Maumbury Rings). The Romans invaded Southeast England in 43 AD and they quickly subdued the area we now call Dorset. By about 60 AD… Continue reading A History of Dorchester

By Tim Lambert Roman Dover Dover is the gateway to England. Because of its strategic position, Dover has always been an important port. In Roman times Dover was an important harbor. The Romans built a stone fort to protect it and a civilian settlement grew up nearby. It was called Dubris. In 1971 a Roman… Continue reading A History of Dover

By Tim Lambert Early Droxford Before 2,000 BC, Neolithic (stone-age) farmers lived in the Droxford area. They built a long barrow (a burial chamber) on the site of the village. Much later in the 6th century AD, a people called the Jutes from Denmark invaded central Hampshire. A tribe called the Meon settled in the… Continue reading A History of Droxford

By Tim Lambert Dudley in the Middle Ages Dudley began as a Saxon village. It was originally called Dudda’s leah. The Saxon word leah meant a clearing in a forest. Dudley later became known as the capital of the Black Country. In the 11th century, a castle was built at Dudley. At first, it was… Continue reading A History of Dudley

By Tim Lambert Roman Dunstable Dunstable began as a Roman town. Long before the Romans came to Britain there was a track called the Icknield Way, which crossed the middle of England. In the 2nd century, the Romans built a road called Watling Street, which crossed Icknield Way at the point where Dunstable stands today.… Continue reading A History of Dunstable

By Tim Lambert Early Dunster Dunster began as a Saxon village. Its name means Dun’s or Dunn’s Torre or Craggy Hill. We don’t know who Dun or Dunn was but he must have been a powerful Saxon. A Norman named William de Mohun built a castle at Dunster. At first, it was made of wood… Continue reading A History of Dunster

By Tim Lambert Anglo-Saxon Durham Durham was founded by monks. A man named Cuthbert was once Bishop of Lindisfarne. After he died in 687 people claimed that miracles took place at his grave (people believed that dead bodies could work miracles). In 698 his body was exhumed and they discovered that it had not decomposed.… Continue reading A History of Durham

By Tim Lambert For centuries the village of Abbotsbury in Dorset was dominated by the Abbey. Orc the steward of King Canute and his wife Thola founded Abbotsbury Abbey in the 11th century. In time a thriving settlement grew up by the abbey. In the 13th century King Edward I granted the people of Abbotsbury… Continue reading A History of Abbotsbury

By Tim Lambert Saxon Amesbury According to an old legend, Amesbury was founded by a man named Ambrosius Aurelianus, who was King Arthur’s uncle. In reality, Amesbury takes its name from a Celtic hill fort. It was built sometime before Christ. The fort is called Vespasian’s Camp though, in fact, it has nothing to do… Continue reading A History of Amesbury