By Tim Lambert Petersfield in the Middle Ages Petersfield was founded in the early 12th century. The name Petersfield is a corruption of the words St Peter’s feld. The word feld did not mean field in the modern sense but meant any open area without trees. In the early 12th century, a church was built… Continue reading A History of Petersfield
Tag: History
A History of Portsmouth
By Tim Lambert Dedicated to Vanessa Wood Portsmouth in the Middle Ages Portsmouth was founded about 1180 when a merchant called Jean De Gisors founded a little town in the South-West corner of Portsea Island. Jean De Gisors was a merchant who owned a fleet of ships. He was also a landowner who owned land… Continue reading A History of Portsmouth
A History of Rowlands Castle
By Tim Lambert Early Rowlands Castle The Romans made brick and tiles at Rowlands Castle because suitable clay was available. They also made pottery. After the Romans came the Saxons. Saxon graves from the 7th century have been found near Stansted House. Through the centuries Rowland Castle was just a small and quiet village on… Continue reading A History of Rowlands Castle
A History of Romsey
By Tim Lambert Dedicated to Gabriella Bowe-Peckham Romsey in the Middle Ages Dedicated to Gabriella Bowe-Peckham Romsey is a market town in Hampshire, in Southern England. Romsey began as a Saxon village. The place name Romsey is probably a corruption of Rum’s eg, which means Rum’s area of dry land surrounded by marsh. In 907… Continue reading A History of Romsey
A History of Liverpool
By Tim Lambert Liverpool in the Middle Ages Liverpool began as a tidal pool next to the River Mersey. It was probably called the lifer pol, meaning muddy pool. Before the town was founded in the 13th century, there may have been a hamlet on the site of Liverpool. It is not mentioned in the… Continue reading A History of Liverpool
A History of Godalming
By Tim Lambert Godalming in the Middle Ages Godalming began as a Saxon village. By the time of the Domesday Book (1086), it was a flourishing community. Godalming may have had a population of around 400. It might seem tiny to us but by the standards of the time, Godalming was a large village. At… Continue reading A History of Godalming
A History of Guildford
By Tim Lambert Early Guildford Guildford began as a Saxon village by a ford. It was called the guilden (golden) Ford. It may have been called that because of the golden flowers that grew at the riverside or because of the golden sands on the banks of the river. The village of Guildford turned into… Continue reading A History of Guildford
A History of Horsham
By Tim Lambert Horsham in the Middle Ages Horsham began as a Saxon village. Ham is the Saxon word for a village. No one is quite sure where the first part of the place name comes from. Perhaps this ‘ham’ was famous for horses. Or maybe it belonged to a man named Horsa. Horsham is… Continue reading A History of Horsham
A History of Crawley
By Tim Lambert Old Crawley Crawley began as a Saxon village. It was originally called crow leah. The old English word leah meant a clearing so it was the clearing with crows. However, by the 13th century, Crawley had grown into a small market town. (This was partly because it lay on an important road… Continue reading A History of Crawley
A History of Birmingham
By Tim Lambert Dedicated to Wendy Pyatt Birmingham in the Middle Ages Birmingham is the second-largest city in England. It began as an Anglo-Saxon village. In the early 12th century it grew into a town. In 1166 the King gave the Lord of the Manor, Peter De Birmingham, the right to hold a weekly market… Continue reading A History of Birmingham