Category: Histories of British towns, villages and cities

By Tim Lambert Early Arundel Arundel began as a Saxon village. It has been suggested that its name is derived from the Norman-French word for swallow, Arondel. A more likely explanation is that is a corruption of Saxon words harhune dell meaning horehound (a type of plant) valley. At any rate by the time of… Continue reading A History of Arundel

By Tim Lambert Early Ashford Ashford in Kent began as a Saxon village but in the early 13th century it grew into a small market town. In 1243 Ashford was given a charter. (A document granting the people certain rights). The charter was renewed in 1348 and in 1466. As well as weekly markets Ashford… Continue reading A History of Ashford

By Tim Lambert Aylesbury in the Middle Ages Aylesbury started as a Saxon settlement called Aegel’s burgh. Burgh is a Saxon word meaning fort or fortified settlement. It is possible Saxon Aylesbury had a ditch and earth rampart with a wooden palisade on top. By the 11th century, Aylesbury had a mint and probably had… Continue reading A History of Aylesbury

By Tim Lambert Ayr in the Middle Ages In 1197 a castle was built by the River Ayr. Shortly afterward, in 1205, King William the Lion created a burgh at Ayr. He laid out streets and set aside plots of land for building houses. William also started a market at Ayr. (In those days there… Continue reading A History of Ayr

By Tim Lambert Early Bakewell The Derbyshire town of Bakewell started as a Saxon settlement. It was called Beadeca’s wella, which meant Beadeca’s springs. Baedeca must have been a Saxon who settled by the warm springs which rise at Bakewell where limestone meets shale. Bakewell was mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a kind of national… Continue reading A History of Bakewell

By Tim Lambert Banbury in the Middle Ages Banbury started as a village called Banna’s burh. (Burh is a Saxon word. It means a fortress or fortified settlement in time it became corrupted to ‘bury’). In the 12th century, the Bishops of Lincoln owned the village of Banbury. One of the bishops built a castle… Continue reading A History of Banbury

By Tim Lambert Basingstoke in the Middle Ages Basingstoke began as a Saxon village. By the time of the Domesday Book (1086), it had a population of about 200. By the standards of the time, it was quite a large village. In Basingstoke, there were 3 watermills, which ground grain into flour. Basingstoke also had… Continue reading A History of Basingstoke

By Tim Lambert Roman Bath There is a legend that Bath was founded in 860 BC when Prince Bladud, father of King Lear, caught leprosy. He was banned from the court and was forced to look after pigs. The pigs also had a skin disease but after they wallowed in hot mud they were cured.… Continue reading A History of Bath

By Tim Lambert Danish and Saxon Bedford The town of Bedford was founded by the Danes. There may have been an existing settlement when they conquered this part of England in the late 9th century. Whether there was or not the Danes created a town at Bedford. They made a burh or fortified settlement north… Continue reading A History of Bedford

By Tim Lambert  Early Bermondsey Bermondsey takes its name from a Saxon landowner. It was Beormund’s eg. The word eg meant an island, a promontory of land or in this case an ‘island’ of dry land surrounded by marsh. In the Middle Ages, a Cluniac Abbey stood in the heart of the settlement. It was… Continue reading A History of Bermondsey