Category: Histories of British towns, villages and cities

By Tim Lambert Bolton in the Middle Ages Bolton began as a small village. However, Bolton grew larger and more important in the early Middle Ages. In 1251 Bolton was made into a town. It was given a charter, a document giving the inhabitants certain rights. They were allowed to hold a market. In the… Continue reading A History of Bolton

By Tim Lambert Boston in the Middle Ages According to legend Boston is named after St Botolph. It is said he came to the area in the 7th century and built a monastery and church next to an existing settlement. The settlement was renamed Botolph’s tun (town). However, this story is disputed by some historians… Continue reading A History of Boston, Lincolnshire

By Tim Lambert The Development of Bournemouth Until the early 19th century the area where Bournemouth now stands was just heathland where cattle grazed. Then in 1810, a man named Tregonwell visited the beach with his wife. She loved the area and persuaded him to build a house there. He purchased 8 1/2 acres and… Continue reading A History of Bournemouth

By Tim Lambert Bradford in the Middle Ages Bradford began as a village by a ford. Brad meant broad. By the time of the Domesday Book in 1086, the village by the broad ford had grown quite large (by the standards of the time) with perhaps 300-350 people. Bradford was turned into town when the… Continue reading A History of Bradford

By Tim Lambert Bridgwater in the Middle Ages Bridgwater began as a Saxon village in Somerset. At the time of the Domesday Book (1086), Bridgwater probably had a population of about 160, which made it a fairly large village. At that time Bridgwater had a watermill where grain was ground into flour to make bread… Continue reading A History of Bridgwater

By Tim Lambert Early Bridport Bridport was once an important settlement. In the late 9th century Alfred the Great created a network of fortified settlements across his kingdom called burhs. In the event of a Danish attack, all the men from the area could gather together in the local burh to fight. Bridport was one… Continue reading A History of Bridport

By Tim Lambert Early Brighton Brighton began as a small Saxon village. The Saxons landed in Sussex in the 5th century AD and they founded the kingdom of Sussex including the village of Brighton. It was once called Beorthelm’s tun (Beorthelm’s farm or village). Centuries later it grew into the city of Brighton. Fishermen lived… Continue reading A History of Brighton

By Tim Lambert Saxon Bristol Bristol began life as a village called Brigg stow, which means the meeting place at the bridge in the old Saxon language. At some point, a wooden bridge was erected across the Avon. (Avon is a Celtic word meaning ‘water’). The bridge was used as a meeting place and a… Continue reading A History of Bristol

By Tim Lambert Buckland was founded by the Saxons from what is now Germany. They invaded Hampshire in the early 6th century. They settled on Portsea Island and they founded three villages. One was called boche (meaning book) land. In Saxon times any written document was called a book and if the king or an… Continue reading A History of Buckland, Portsmouth