Category: Articles

By Tim Lambert Early Swanmore In the 6th century AD, a people called the Jutes, from Denmark invaded Hampshire and they settled in the Meon Valley. The particular tribe who settled in that area were called the Meon and they gave their name to the river. They probably founded Swanmore. Mere is an old word… Continue reading A History of Swanmore

By Tim Lambert Sunderland in the Middle Ages Sunderland was made a town in 1154 when it was granted a charter. (A document granting the townspeople certain rights such as the right to hold a weekly market). Sunderland slowly grew. However, it only had a population of a few hundred in the Middle Ages. It… Continue reading A History of Sunderland

By Tim Lambert Titchfield in the Middle Ages In the 6th century AD, people called the Jutes from Denmark settled the Isle of Wight and part of Hampshire. A tribe called the Meon settled in the Meon Valley and they founded the settlement at Titchfield. Titchfield was originally a feld, which was an open area… Continue reading A History of Titchfield

By Tim Lambert Dedicated to Valerie Luff Medieval Taunton Taunton began as a Saxon village in Somerset. It was called Tone Tun. The Saxon word tun means farm or estate. The word Tone is Celtic and may mean a roaring river. By the 10th century, Taunton had grown from a village into a small town… Continue reading A History of Taunton

By Tim Lambert Saxon Tamworth Tamworth began as a Saxon settlement in Staffordshire. It was the Tame worth or the enclosure by the River Tame. It was made into an important place by King Offa of Mercia (a Saxon kingdom that roughly corresponded to the Midlands of England). Offa reigned from 755 to 796. He… Continue reading A History of Tamworth

By Tim Lambert Early Swindon Swindon began as a Saxon village. The name Swindon is derived from the Saxon words swine dun meaning pig hill or the hill where pigs were bred. Swindon is mentioned in the Domesday Book (1086). At that time Swindon was a tiny village but by the late 13th century Swindon… Continue reading A History of Swindon

By Tim Lambert Tunbridge Wells in the 17th century The town of Tunbridge Wells began with a chalybeate spring. Chalybeate means it contains iron. Rainwater fell on the ground containing iron deposits, soaked through them then rose in a spring. The iron deposits in the spring water stained the ground around the spring a rusty… Continue reading A History of Tunbridge Wells

By Tim Lambert Truro in the Middle Ages Truro began as a Celtic village. The Normans built a castle by the settlement. The castle stimulated the growth of Truro. The castle’s garrison provided a market for goods made in the settlement and it grew into a town. At some point (the exact date is not… Continue reading A History of Truro

By Tim Lambert Early Trowbridge At the time of the Domesday Book (1086), Trowbridge was a typical settlement with a population of about 120. However, during the 12th century, Trowbridge became a focal point for the surrounding villages. In 1200 the Lord of the Manor was granted the right to hold markets in Trowbridge and… Continue reading A History of Trowbridge

By Tim Lambert Saxon Wareham Fifteen hundred years ago the Celts lived in the area of Wareham. However, the modern settlement was founded by the Saxons. They conquered east Dorset in the mid-7th century and about 700 AD a Saxon named St Aldhelm founded a nunnery on the site of Wareham. He also built a… Continue reading A History of Wareham