Category: Histories of British towns, villages and cities

By Tim Lambert In the 6th century AD, the Saxons landed in Hampshire and they founded a number of villages. One of them was called Dray tun. The Saxon word tun meant farm or settlement and dray meant drag. It is not certain what they dragged. Perhaps boats were dragged onto the shore. Farlington was… Continue reading A History of Drayton and Farlington

By Tim Lambert Early Droxford Before 2,000 BC, Neolithic (stone-age) farmers lived in the Droxford area. They built a long barrow (a burial chamber) on the site of the village. Much later in the 6th century AD, a people called the Jutes from Denmark invaded central Hampshire. A tribe called the Meon settled in the… Continue reading A History of Droxford

By Tim Lambert Dudley in the Middle Ages Dudley began as a Saxon village. It was originally called Dudda’s leah. The Saxon word leah meant a clearing in a forest. Dudley later became known as the capital of the Black Country. In the 11th century, a castle was built at Dudley. At first, it was… Continue reading A History of Dudley

By Tim Lambert Early Dumfries The Scottish king William the Lion made Dumfries a Royal Burgh in 1186. In the late 12th century a castle was built in Dumfries but it was demolished in the early 14th century. In 1395 Robert III gave Dumfries a charter. (In the Middle Ages a charter was a document… Continue reading A History of Dumfries

By Tim Lambert Dundee in the Middle Ages Dundee grew up as a small port in the 11th and 12th centuries. Its name may be derived from the words Dun Diagh (Dun meant fort). In 1191 King William gave Dundee a charter. That was a document granting the townspeople certain rights. It gave them the… Continue reading A History of Dundee

By Tim Lambert Roman Dunstable Dunstable began as a Roman town. Long before the Romans came to Britain there was a track called the Icknield Way, which crossed the middle of England. In the 2nd century, the Romans built a road called Watling Street, which crossed Icknield Way at the point where Dunstable stands today.… Continue reading A History of Dunstable

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