Category: Articles

By Tim Lambert Early Winkleigh Winkleigh gets its name from two Saxon words. The word wincel meant a corner and the word Leah meant a clearing in a forest. So it was wincel Leah the corner clearing. William the Conqueror gave the manor of Winkleigh to his wife Matilda. At the time of the Domesday… Continue reading A History of Winkleigh

By Tim Lambert Early Windsor Windsor began as a Saxon village. The name Windsor is believed to be a corruption of the Saxon words ‘windlass Oran’ meaning a bank with a windlass. After the Saxons founded the settlement it grew into a town because of its position by a river. In those days it was… Continue reading A History of Windsor

By Tim Lambert Early Wolverhampton The story of Wolverhampton begins in 985 when a Saxon lady named Wulfruna was given land at Heanton. In 994 she founded a minster church (a church with a monastery attached). The settlement by the monastery grew larger and in time its name changed to Wulfruna’s Heanton and later to… Continue reading A History of Wolverhampton

By Tim Lambert Early Worthing Worthing began as a Saxon village. It may have been called Worth or Wurtha ingas which means the settlement (belonging to) the people of Worth or Wurtha. Whatever the origin of its name for centuries Worthing was just a hamlet where farmers lived. However, in the 18th century, its fortunes… Continue reading A History of Worthing

By Tim Lambert Roman Worcester The city of Worcester was founded by the Romans about 50 AD. It stood on the Roman road from Wroxeter to Gloucester so a considerable amount of traffic passed through. Soon Worcester was a flourishing little town. In Roman Worcester, there were many craftsmen such as blacksmiths, carpenters, bakers, and… Continue reading A History of Worcester

By Tim Lambert Aberdeen in the Middle Ages The name Aberdeen probably comes from the word aber (meaning mouth of the river) Don. Aberdeen was probably founded by the 8th century AD as a fishing settlement. However, by the early 12th century Aberdeen had grown into a town. One sign of this came in 1136… Continue reading A History of Aberdeen

By Tim Lambert Roman York The Romans founded the city of York. They invaded Yorkshire in 71 AD and built a fort between the rivers Ouse and Foss. By the mid-2nd century, a small town grew up by the fort. Craftsmen and merchants came to live there because the soldiers in the fort provided a… Continue reading A History of York

By Tim Lambert Yeovil in the Middle Ages Yeovil was founded in the 8th century after the Saxons conquered this part of Somerset. What does the name Yeovil Mean? It is believed to be a corruption of the Celtic word Gifl, meaning forked river. In time the village of Yeovil grew into a little town.… Continue reading A History of Yeovil

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 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