Category: Histories of British towns, villages and cities

By Tim Lambert Dedicated to Grace Cross Early Hayling Island At the time of the Domesday Book (1086), Hayling Island probably had a population of around 300. The Domesday Book also mentions a salt pan where salt was made. Making salt from seawater was an industry on Hayling Island for centuries. So were mackerel fishing,… Continue reading A History of Hayling Island

By Tim Lambert Saxon Hereford Hereford means the Ford used by the army. The Saxons arrived in this part of England in the 7th century and a settlement grew up at the ford. In 676 AD it was made the seat of a bishop. By 700 AD Hereford had grown into a town. In 760… Continue reading A History of Hereford

By Tim Lambert Early Hertford In the 10th century King Edward built two burhs (fortified places) north and south of the River Lea at a place called the Harts Ford. One of them developed into Hertford Castle. The other became a civilian settlement. By the time of the Domesday Book in 1086, Hertford had a… Continue reading A History of Hertford

By Tim Lambert Early High Wycombe The town of High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire began as an Anglo-Saxon settlement. At the time of the Domesday Book in 1086 it probably had a population of between 280 and 300. By the standards of the time it was quite a large settlement. By the 13th century High Wycombe… Continue reading A History of High Wycombe

By Tim Lambert Hinckley in the Middle Ages Hinckley began as a Saxon settlement. It was probably called Hinca’s Leah (a Leah was a clearing in a wood). By the time of the Domesday Book (1086), Hinckley was quite a large village with a population of perhaps 300. It would seem tiny to us but… Continue reading A History of Hinckley

By Tim Lambert Early Hoddesdon The history of Hoddesdon began in Anglo-Saxon times. Hoddesdon began as a Saxon village. Its name was probably Hodda’s dun, which means Hodda’s Hill. At the time of the Domesday Book in 1086 Hoddesdon was a large village with a population of between 300 and 350. To us, it would… Continue reading A History of Hoddesdon

By Tim Lambert Early Hornchurch Hornchurch began as a small village in Essex. It was not mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 but there might have been a tiny hamlet at Hornchurch at that time. Certainly, a village grew up at Hornchurch by the middle of the 12th century. By about 1163 a church… Continue reading A History of Hornchurch

By Tim Lambert Early Horndean Horndean began as a little Saxon village. Its name may be a corruption of the Saxon words Hearman denu meaning dormouse valley. Horndean stood in a great forest that stretched from the border of Hampshire to Winchester. It was called the Forest of Bere. A track led through the forest… Continue reading A History of Horndean

By Tim Lambert Horsham in the Middle Ages Horsham began as a Saxon village. Ham is the Saxon word for a village. No one is quite sure where the first part of the place name comes from. Perhaps this ‘ham’ was famous for horses. Or maybe it belonged to a man named Horsa. Horsham is… Continue reading A History of Horsham

By Tim Lambert Hull in the Middle Ages The town of Hull was founded late in the 12th century. The monks of Meaux Abbey needed a port where the wool from their estates could be exported. They chose a place at the junction of the rivers, Hull and Humber, to build a quay. The exact… Continue reading A History of Hull