Category: Histories of British towns, villages and cities

By Tim Lambert Early Dunster Dunster began as a Saxon village. Its name means Dun’s or Dunn’s Torre or Craggy Hill. We don’t know who Dun or Dunn was but he must have been a powerful Saxon. A Norman named William de Mohun built a castle at Dunster. At first, it was made of wood… Continue reading A History of Dunster

By Tim Lambert Anglo-Saxon Durham Durham was founded by monks. A man named Cuthbert was once Bishop of Lindisfarne. After he died in 687 people claimed that miracles took place at his grave (people believed that dead bodies could work miracles). In 698 his body was exhumed and they discovered that it had not decomposed.… Continue reading A History of Durham

Tim Lambert Early East Grinstead East Grinstead began as a Saxon village. Its name means green place. By the time of the Domesday Book (1086), it was quite a large village. In the 13th century, East Grinstead became a town. In 1247 East Grinstead was given a charter (a document granting the people certain rights).… Continue reading A History of East Grinstead

By Tim Lambert Early East Meon In the 6th century AD, a people called the Meon from Denmark invaded central Hampshire. They settled in central Hampshire and they gave the River Meon its name. They also founded the village of East Meon. By the time of the Domesday Book in 1086, the manor of East… Continue reading A History of East Meon

By Tim Lambert Early Eastbourne For centuries Eastbourne was a large village. The people lived by farming or sometimes by fishing. However, in 1232 Eastbourne was granted the right to hold markets and fairs. (In the Middle Ages fairs were like markets but they were held only once a year and they attracted buyers and… Continue reading A History of Eastbourne

By Tim Lambert The Origin of Eastleigh Eastleigh is a railway town in Hampshire but there was a village called East leah as long ago as the year 932. Leah was a Saxon word meaning a clearing in a forest. The little hamlets of Eastley and Barton continued to exist through the centuries until 1838.… Continue reading A History of Eastleigh

By Tim Lambert Edinburgh in the Middle Ages Edinburgh began as a fort. Castle Rock is an easily defended position so from the earliest times it was the site of a fort. In the 7th century, the English captured this part of Scotland and called this place Eiden’s burgh (burgh is an old word for… Continue reading A History of Edinburgh

By Tim Lambert Early Emsworth Emsworth began as a small Saxon village. At first, it was linked to the more important settlement of Warblington nearby. People from Emsworth worshiped in St Peter’s Chapel or the church at Warblington. However, Emsworth was not mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. It was probably too small to… Continue reading A History of Emsworth

By Tim Lambert Early Enderby Enderby is a village in Leicestershire located 5 miles Southwest of Leicester. Archaeologists have found evidence of Iron Age (Pre-Roman) settlers on the site of Enderby. From the 1st century AD to the 5th century, the Romans ruled Britain and they made a small cemetery at Enderby (there may have… Continue reading A History of Enderby

By Tim Lambert Roman Exeter (Isca Dumnoniorum) Exeter began as a Roman town. The Romans arrived in the Southwest about 50 AD they built a wooden fort on a hill near the river Exe at the lowest point where it could be easily crossed. (Exe is derived from a Celtic word meaning ‘the water’). However,… Continue reading A History of Exeter