Category: Articles

By Tim Lambert Dedicated to Belinda Russell Roman Chichester In 43 AD the Romans invaded Britain and about 44 AD they built a fort on the site of Chichester. It was by a source of water (the river Lavant) and close to a harbor so supplies could be brought by ship from France. Soon the… Continue reading A History of Chichester

By Tim Lambert Dedicated to John Harvey The Roman Fort Chesterfield began as a Roman fort, which was built around 70 AD. However, by the early 2nd century the area was pacified and the Romans moved on. The old fort was abandoned. However, the Roman fort gave its name to Chesterfield. However, by the 10th… Continue reading A History of Chesterfield

By Tim Lambert Early Clanfield Clanfield began as a small settlement in the Middle Ages. Its name was claen feld. The Saxon word ‘feld’ did not mean field in the modern sense, it meant an area of open land. The word ‘claen’ meant cleared i.e. cleared of shrubs and other plants. For centuries the people… Continue reading A History of Clanfield

By Tim Lambert Roman Cirencester The Romans invaded England in 43 AD. The Celtic tribe in this area, the Dobunni put up little resistance. Nevertheless, the Romans built a fort on the site of Cirencester. Soon a civilian settlement grew up nearby. The soldiers in the fort provided a ready market for goods made by… Continue reading A History of Cirencester

By Tim Lambert Early Chulmleigh Chulmleigh began as a Saxon village. (The Saxons conquered Devon in the early 9th century). Its name means Coelmund’s leah. (Leah was the Saxon word for a clearing in a forest). In the 13th century, King Henry III gave Chulmleigh a charter (a document granting the villagers certain rights). As… Continue reading A History of Chulmleigh

By Tim Lambert Coventry in the Middle Ages Coventry began as a Saxon village. It was called Coffantree, which means the tree belonging to Coffa. Trees were often used as meeting places. In this case, a settlement grew up around the tree and it eventually became called Coventry. Then in 1043 Leofric, the local Earl,… Continue reading A History of Coventry

By Tim Lambert The first people to live in the Congleton area were Neolithic (New Stone Age) farmers. The Stone Age farmers built a chambered stone tomb called the Bridestones. There is also evidence that people lived in the area during the Bronze Age, which followed the Stone Age at about 1,800 BC. However, we… Continue reading A History of Congleton

By Tim Lambert Roman Colchester Colchester started life as a centre of the local Celtic tribe, the Trinovantes. It was a group of settlements and farmland surrounded by a network of ditches. The site was about 12 square miles or 20 square kilometers. The Romans invaded Britain in 43 AD and they built a fort… Continue reading A History of Colchester

By Tim Lambert Early Darlington Darlington began as a small village. It first appeared in writing in the early 11th century when it was called Dearthingtun. Its name was probably originally Deornoth ing tun. Deaornoth was a man. The word ‘ing’ meant belonging to and tun meant farm or hamlet. So it was the estate… Continue reading A History of Darlington

By Tim Lambert Early Crewkerne The name Crewkerne is believed to be derived from words meaning house by a hill. The house may have been an important building. At any rate, a settlement grew up around it. Crewkerne was first mentioned in history in the late 9th century. By the 11th century, Crewkerne was an… Continue reading A History of Crewkerne