By Tim Lambert Early Canterbury Canterbury started as an Iron Age settlement. It was an important centre for the local Celtic tribe, the Cantiaci in the first century AD. In 43 AD the Romans invaded Britain. Late in the 1st century, they took over the Celtic settlement and rebuilt it. The Romans called the new… Continue reading A History of Canterbury
Category: Histories of British towns, villages and cities
A History of Cardiff
By Tim Lambert The Roman Fort at Cardiff Cardiff began as a Roman fort. The Romans invaded Wales about 50 AD and about 55 AD they built a fort on the site of Cardiff. In the late 1st century the fort was reduced in size as Wales was now at peace. However, in the mid-3rd… Continue reading A History of Cardiff
A History of Carlisle
By Tim Lambert Roman Carlisle Carlisle began as a Roman town called Luguvalium. The Romans invaded Britain in 43 AD and about 78 AD the governor, Agricola, built a wooden fort on the site of Carlisle. Soon a civilian settlement grew up nearby. The soldiers in the fort provided a market for the townspeople’s goods.… Continue reading A History of Carlisle
A History of Carmarthen
By Tim Lambert Early Carmarthen The story of Carmarthen began when the Romans built a fort on the site about 75 AD. A civilian settlement soon grew up by the fort and it became a flourishing town called Moridunum. The town included an amphitheatre where people would watch spectacles such as gladiators fighting. However, after… Continue reading A History of Carmarthen
A History of Catherington
By Tim Lambert Catherington is a small village near Waterlooville in Hampshire. Historians believe that Catherington is named after a woman named Catherine. It was originally called Cater inga tun, which meant the farm or estate (tun) belonging to the people of (inga) Cater. During the Middle Ages Catherington was a small and isolated village.… Continue reading A History of Catherington
A History of Cerne Abbas
By Tim Lambert Early Cerne Abbas Cerne Abbas is a village in Dorset with charming street names such as Piddle Lane, Duck Street, The Folly, and Kettle Bridge. According to legend St Augustine who was sent by the Pope in 597 to preach to the Saxons founded St Augustine’s Well. However, the legend is unlikely… Continue reading A History of Cerne Abbas
A History of Chalton
By Tim Lambert Chalton began as a small Saxon settlement on the edge of Hampshire in the 6th century. It was originally called cealc tun. The Saxon word cealc meant chalk and tun meant a farm or hamlet. So it was the little hamlet on the chalky ground. For centuries Chalton was a small and… Continue reading A History of Chalton
A History of Chard
By Tim Lambert Chard in the Middle Ages Chard began as a Saxon settlement. By the time of the Domesday Book in 1086 Chard had a population of about 150. To us, it would seem tiny but by the standards of the time, it was a fairly large village. At the time of the Normans… Continue reading A History of Chard
A History of Chelmsford
By Tim Lambert Roman Chelmsford The Romans built a small town on the site of Moulsham. It was called Caesaromagus (Caesar’s marketplace). It served as a local market town halfway between London and Colchester. The same craftsmen worked in Roman Chelmsford as in every town, such as carpenters and blacksmiths. Chelmsford was fortified in the… Continue reading A History of Chelmsford
A History of Chelsea
By Tim Lambert Early Chelsea Chelsea began life as a Saxon village some miles from the thriving town of London. The name Chelsea is derived from the Saxon words cealc hythe. The word hythe meant a landing place for boats. The word cealc meant chalk so perhaps it was a chalky landing place for boats.… Continue reading A History of Chelsea