Category: Histories of British towns, villages and cities

By Tim Lambert The Beginning of Leigh Park In 1944 Portsmouth City Council bought the Leigh Park Estate near Havant. They planned to build a new overspill community there. Altogether the council bought 1,670 acres and work on building Leigh Park began in 1947 when the mayor of Portsmouth operated a digger and dug the… Continue reading A History of Leigh Park

By Tim Lambert Early Lewes Lewes began as a Saxon village. The Saxons invaded East Sussex in the 5th century. Lewes was probably founded in the 6th century. (The name Lewes is probably derived from a Saxon word, ‘hluews’ which meant slopes or hills). Later the Saxons made Lewes a town. In the late 9th… Continue reading A History of Lewes

By Tim Lambert Saxon Lichfield Lichfield began as an Anglo-Saxon village. The name Lichfield may be a corruption of Letocetum meaning grey wood. Or it may be a corruption of Lece feld meaning a small stream (lece) by the open land (feld). In the year 669, the Bishop of Mercia (roughly the Midlands of England)… Continue reading A History of Lichfield

By Tim Lambert Roman Lincoln Lincoln began as a Roman town. The Romans conquered Lincolnshire in 48 AD. Shortly afterward they built a fort on the site of Lincoln. However, by the late 1st century, the area was pacified so the soldiers moved on and the fort was abandoned. A new town was created on… Continue reading A History of Lincoln

By Tim Lambert Early Liskeard The name Liskeard is believed to be derived from the words Lys Kerwyd which meant Kerwyd’s court or palace. Unfortunately who Kerwyd was is lost in the mists of time. At the time of the Domesday Book, in 1086, Liskeard was a typical village where the peasants lived by farming.… Continue reading A History of Liskeard

By Tim Lambert Early Littlehampton Littlehampton was founded by the Saxons. They landed at Pevensey in the 5th century and they carved out the kingdom of the South Saxons (Sussex). The Saxons founded a small settlement by the mouth of the River Arun. It was called hamm tun, which means the farm or hamlet by… Continue reading A History of Littlehampton

By Tim Lambert Liverpool in the Middle Ages Liverpool began as a tidal pool next to the River Mersey. It was probably called the lifer pol, meaning muddy pool. Before the town was founded in the 13th century, there may have been a hamlet on the site of Liverpool. It is not mentioned in the… Continue reading A History of Liverpool

By Tim Lambert Dedicated to Lucinda Wilde Roman London The Romans founded London about 50 AD. Its name is derived from the Celtic word Londinios, which means the place of the bold one. After they invaded Britain in 43 AD the Romans built a bridge across the Thames. They later decided it was an excellent… Continue reading A History of London

By Tim Lambert Lostwithiel in the Middle Ages Although it is a small community today the market town of Lostwithiel was once a busy and important port. The story begins at about 1100 when a Lord called Baldwin Fitz Turstin built nearby Restormel Castle. Later in the 12th century, the Lord of the Manor created… Continue reading A History of Lostwithiel

By Tim Lambert Early Loughborough Loughborough began as a Saxon village. At the time of the Domesday Book (1086), Loughborough probably had a population of about 180-200. By the standards of the time, it was a fairly large village. In the 13th century, Loughborough became a busy little town. From the early 13th century Loughborough… Continue reading A History of Loughborough